Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-23

rains will not prevent their use. The most
serious obstacle in the way of pacification
lies in the lack of faith the soldiers have
In the inha bitantS and the inhabitants in
the soldiers. This distrust Is certain to pass
away when each class becomes acquainted
with the customs. the aims and the stand
ards of the other Prolonged contact of the
troops with the people must of necessity be
reciprocally advantageous. The people will
be beneficiaries in many ways-pecuniarily.
by the disbursements the United States
makes to the soldiers and for military pur-
poses; educatior@rfy,T by the schools which
are now starting up all over the islands.
and in which English will soon become the
language in which instruction is conveyed:
politically. by the reconstruction of civil
government on basis requiring the expen-
diture of local tax levies for local purposes
in a manner determinable by the tax pay
ers. On the other hand. the work of the
troops will be facilitated, and their cOndi-
tion improved. as they gain the confidence
of the well-disposed natives These, when
they find the troops have come to stay, will
resist the exactions of the "insurrectos." a
term now become synonym of guerrillas
or bandits whose hauntS and plans they
will assist the military in ferreting out.
Mutual Understanding and Confidence
"When state of mutual understanding
and confidence shall be established the days
Of the guerrilas will be numbered. Com
manding officers will vie with each other
in bringing about peace. good order, con-
tentment and prosperity in the communi-
ties confided to their charge. Should the
hostile bands Of contiguous townships con-
centrate, so will the troops Of those town
ships concentrate under their regimental or
district commanders. battalions of a regi-
ment being as rule. grouped as to be
under the control of its colonel.
''At the present time troops are kept con-
stantly at work securing the country for
guerrilas. simultaneously. in fact, In con-
nection with these excursions, the country
is being mapped by officers designated for
the purpose who are also required to take
note Of and report on its resources. prod
uctS and needs in the way of public i'm
provementS.
I'm minor matters there will, Of course,
be setbacks, friction and dfsappointments.
These are unavoidable. but they will hardly
be of a character to seriously impede the
accomplishment of the object aimed at, the
pacif1cation Of the country under American
sovereignty. Much discretion must be al
lowed our colonies and majors or local
commanders: their instructions are, and
should continue to be, full and explicit, but
they ought to be rarely interfered with in
the choice Of means for giving them effect
Result of Personal Observation.
1.-The above remarks you may regard as
optimistic in the light of communications
that doubtless reach you or the department
from Manila, picturing the OUTLOOK in the
Philippine Islands as gloomy and discourag-
ing. But they are deduced not only from
the comprehensive view of the situation I
had at headquarters, but also from per-
sonal and close observations in four prov
lnces IN which the insurrection took its
origin and whose Inhabitants above the
average In point of intelligence and thrift
have. been consistently hostile, both to
Spanish and American rule.
Unfit for Self-Government,
"On the whole. 1 have reached the con-
clusion that If left to themselves the Fill
pinos would soon demonstrate their utter