The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-09-07
MANILA CIVIL LAW
New Commissioners are mp Against
a Hard Proposition on Account
of the Terror Inspired


Manila, Sept. 2-The Filipinos seem
incapable of realizing the scope and
purpose of the legislative functions of
the commissions of peace. There is
no possibility of separating the legis-
lative from the executive branches of
the government; therefore the comis-
sion's announcement of its assumption
of power yesterday has met with child
ish comments at the hands of the
Spaniards and foreigners, who sneer
at the new arrangements as they are
apt to do at every beneficial innova-
ton on the part of the United States
authorities.
The commission enters upon the
governmental field under the following
conditions: A majority of the islanders
desire peace and the resumption of
peace under the Americans; but they
are so cowed by long series of
murderous atrocities and destruction
OF property by their armed countrymen
that they dare not actively show their
feelings, especially because experience |
has taught them what such an express
sion of sentiment will bring upon them
from the mercilessly revengeful rebels.
A genuine reign of terror is exercised
by insurgents and ladrones over peace
. full country folk, in order to collect
the revenue and recruits their opera
tions require. and widespread
vengeance is wreaked in the vicinity
i of garrisoned towns. For example,
the insurgent general Cables, in the
province of Laguna, put to death the
president and otfceholders of the town
u OF Bay, on Laguna de Bay, officials
who had been installed by the Ameri-
d cans and gave orders that similar
\ fate should be meted out to other ad-
II herents of the American cause. He
= also ordered that all Filipino soldiers
-S who sold their rifles to the Americans
~ should be killed.
" Any change of policy involving the
~ withdrawal of the United States troops
~ without substituting for them an ade
Il
Vi suit in fearful retaliation at the ex
pense OF the friendlies. The approach
IS ing patriation Of the volunteers tends
!" to influence the situation unfavorably
er In northern Luzon the situation il
, fairly well maintained and the people
GU in that quarter are quiet and engaged
!! in planting, except in the provinces o
~ Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, where ther'
has been a recent outburst of rebe
'P and ladrone activity. But in southern
~ Luzon things are far from satisfac
~ tory. Life there is not safe outsid
e" the garri isoned towns. Travellers ar
''o subject to ambush by guerrillas
~ Rarely does a day pass without an Ell
counter between the United State
Vi troops and the heinsurgents orladrone'
lo- resulting in casualties.
There are $4,000 troops in that di
'n' trict, General Bates commanding, an
gh =, - ra,,i,,orts ovar a.tbird of II
III! men are sick. The activity of the en-
my inepea sed last month. There
evidence that theinsurgents have con
he into possession of new rifles, and tn
the they wish to annihilate some sma
ing American garrison.
ed, Conditions in the Visayas contin
virtually unchanged. The lack
troops in Samar prevents aggressio
nnie Negros, Romblon. Masbate, Sibuya
tue Tablas and Bohol are tranquil all c
string civil governments. Mindana
also tranquil, excepting the districts
Teagayan and Surigam, where occt
ional encounters with the Filipin
occur The enemy's fighting fol
2 there is limited, but it has numt
of rifles. The surrenders, althou
they have noticeably decreased sin
May, continue.
The experience of Northern Luz
shows that the American occupati
of any locality tends to its pacilicati
and well being. An unsettled Anne
can policy retards the investment
capital. Nevertheless theimports
the last quarter and half were gre
er than during any equal period of
tie Spanish regime. No doubt the net
of the army of occupation are resp
sible for very considerable tract
of this. The internal revenue coll
tions are third greater than tn
made bv Spain. This is due to
honest system of accounts, to alacE
favoritism and to impartial enfol
ment of the law. The military auth
tiles will turn over So, 900, 900 MeXi'
to the commission, and this will pr
ably be expended in public impro
ments notably in harbor developme
the need of which is greatly haml
inc the shipping industry,