Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-14
How It Looks to the Associated
Press Representative at Manila.
SECOND RESURRECTION PROGRESSING
Powerful Secret Organization Of
the Insurgents at Work.
CHIN ESE CON EDITIONS

Mr.. Robert NJ. Collins, formerly of this
city, and recently the representative of the
Associated Press in the Philippines and at
Tien Tsin, is visiting Washington on his
way to his post at London
Mr.. Collins went from Washington to
London as a representative of the Associat-
ed Press, and when the Philippine difficulty
assumed grave proportions he was given
the important assignment at Manila. He re-
malned there studying the situation and
actively participating in its development
until October last, when the outbreak in
China demanded man of his experience
and ability, and he was ordered there. He
Is now visiting his old home for a few
days, and recently he talked with Star re-
porter over the conditions in the east. In
the course of the conversation, Mr.. Collins
asked:
How long will it take to settle the
Philippine prohem?"
The Philippine proposition is a tough
one he replied. In the opinion OF ma
jotity of army officers with whom l talked
before l left Manila In october, it will re-
Quire a much larger army than we now
have there to establish order within a rea-
nable time. With out present force none
believed order could he restored in less than
five years, and some were certain 1t would
need ten.
Second InsurrectfOn.
The conditions last month were entirely
different from what they were a year ago.
continued Mr.. Collins. I'VE are now con-
fronted not with the first, but with sec
ond instruction that is supported by both
political and military organizations. which
are secret, but effective. In the former re-
bellion the forces of both sides met In
strength There were battles, and the Fiji
pinos were whipped. At that time there
was a large faction Of Fflipinos, rich pant
ers and others, who desired to see peace
established at any price, after the long
bloody warfare with the Spanlards. but
now very few of these entertain such a
sentiment They are black and we are
white, and their natural racial antipathy
has been strengthened by the killing OF SO
many of their own people.
Few FiIipinOs Are Friendly.
Most of the American officers with whom
I talked said that events had compelled
them to abandon the theory that any great
number of FIlipinos are friendly to Amerl-
can occupation. If the Americans should
abandon the islands these sympathizers.
who are all marked men, will be very
harShly treated
How does the present instruction differ
from the former?" The Star man inquired
Powerful Secret Organization.
at is being conducted. l said, on en-
t:rely different lines. The insurgents or
ganIzation is very complete and very pow
erful, but secret In its military aspect,
f0r instance. 1t has few hundred reg
ular soldiers in several provinces uniform
ed and regularly equipped. In addition,
however, in each province there are sew
eral hundred so-ca!led volunteers. who are
merely civilians and former soldiers. who
keel. their arms hidden IN places conven-
lent when guns are needed, and who to all
appearances and according to their Hwn
protestatiOns are amigos and fairly bub-
bling with enthusiastic regard for
Americans. There is no more meeting OF
force with force. If company of our men
starts out 1t is pretty likely to get shot up
If regiment even a battalion goes into
the enemy's country, and that includes all
territory not actually occupied by our
troops. 1t finds no rebels. Information of
such movement on our part is invariably
carried ahead to the insurgents; our troops
cannot make a motion of which they
not apprised.
Plan Now Followed.
1--WE will hear. for instance, Of force Of
insurgents being In a certain town and we
dispatch a battalion or regiment there to
tackle them. News Of the movement is
carried thither and the insurgents leave the
town. go half a mile or mile outside into
the canebrake and hide, and when our
men come the townspeople say: oh. yes.
there were some bad insurgents here. but
they ran away We welcome you; We are
amigos and all the time they know just
where the insurgents are. When our troops
leave the town back come the rebels.
Even in some towns where we have start
ed home rule and allowed the natives to
elect municipal officers the political part
of the insurgent machine which | spoke of
has secured the election of insurgent agents
to the places. Taxes for aiding the insur-
rection are levied in nearly every town
which the Americans control and sent to
the insurgents.
Subtle Arguments.
1.-The Filipino leaders-and they are smart
and shrewd and perfectly well informed on
American condtions-use argument
with the natives that l have not heard
spoken of in the states,'' said Mr.. Collins.
''They hold up the treatment Of the ne
groes by the whites In this country to IL
lustrate the way the Filpinos who are
blacks would be treated by Americans If
the latter gain control of the islands. They
admit that the blacks were given their
freedom and the right of franchise in the
states, and then quote unanimously from
contemporary American newspapers to
show how such privileges have been re-
stricted to such an extent as to be almost
worthless. They declare. therefore, that
American promises of a liberal degree of
elf-government for Filipinos are decisions
II Americans permitted to come to
the islands in numbers, and that they Will
set up white mans government and give
the native blacks all the burdens. Such ar
guments find lodgment In willing ears
Some False Ideas Corrected.
1.-The richness Of the Philippines has not
been overestimated by the most enthusi-
astic annexationists. but 1t is not a coun-
try. where a man has only to annex a gold
mine or stake out antation. The islands
are thickly settled. the natives shrewd
business men and settlers will pay full
value for all the property they acquire. The
great English and German firms which
dominate Manila commercially have options
on the most valuable properties. They be-
gan to buy and secure options as soon as
they became convinced that the United
States would govern the country, and they
will be the first and principal benefciaries
of peace, whenever it comes. There will
of course be great opportunities for Amer
lean investment, but the profits will not be
as great though the islands were newly