The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-13
PROGRESS MADE I'M THE PH|L|PPINES.

and a cavan Of rice will maintain Filipino
family OF five persons for twenty days. Today
this same measure Of rice costs $50 Mexican,
aud Americans, unless they live with the poorer
people and as they do cannot possible realize
what this difference in price means to them.
The American authorities could lavs regulated
the price of meat and could lave regulated the
| price OF rice; but they have not donc a
grateful people would have said: 'The Amer-
cans consider and provide for our well being;
| they are good to us-and the Americans would
| have increased that popularity which they so
| much need.
Three days ago Filipino who keeps family
! OH $50 Mexican month said to the correspond.
| ent:
| '.Can you blame me Tor believing that as long
as you Americans live cheapy yourselves through
| your army conmssary, you care little enough
what happens to the people at large? or course
YOU not popular, and we see hut few reasons
for liking you. still, you improve Oh acQ,r'int.
! ance. You must remember that our leaders
| have filed with fearful stories CT your
cruelty and haibaritieS, ard that il :ak,s time
| and contact for us 70 learn the contrary.
While sonle Filipino leaders will undoubtediy
surrender il President Mckinley is reelected,
| and while their example can reasonably he cS.
pceted to hVc number oI followers among
! their soldiers. there are still many Of ;hem in
! arms who will so on in the same old WY. no
| matter who is elected president. For there is
a certain portion OF those men who for years
have been living the life Of military fr"enot rs.
;; which will not take readily to the work Ct an
honest living There is attraction in living
Oh the country with a Mauser rifle in lieu OF
| money, which will appeal to some men more
| than tilling the ground and driving cattle, and
| these will elect TO stick to the Ealla"'ots 'hag
of liberty and loot General Vicente I.,Sban,
his present course OF resistance Lukban and
| his men control the entire island cf S,ma", with
the exception OF the coast towns al C.tba-
! logan Cabayog and Labuan; these three points
| tho Americans still hold from the enemy Ly sit.
| ting close 10 ti,cm, and ralilntly resisting his
oEslaughts. There are not nearly enough troops
to properly operate in Samar and consequently
| the Americans hold the land. They actually
can shoot and nothing more. l.ukban wor-
| res the American garrisons night and day and
detes them TO come out and fight him in tine
hills. He has issued decree OF amnesty 10
American soldiers, promising them property and
good treatment il they will surrender 10 him.
He and his followers live well on rich island,
gathering tribute from ther couutrymcn and the
Chinese merchants and they are currently re-
ported to have accumulated fortunes. I.ukban
himself has fat bank account in Hong Kong
and he is rich enough 10 have quickly run away
from Sls,0O0 in silver when pursued by our sol.
licrs. lie is king Of his island (with the eNCcp
| tor OF the very immediate vicinity "t three
American flags planted on his coast) and his life
has its cOmpCnsitons and its attractions. lie
has had no communication with Aguinado for
months past; he is his own ''boss' and dcsnot
and according to the accounts OF his friends in
Manila is having good time and plenty OF
profit. Therefore, it is very Improbable that
lukban will pay any attention whatever Ia the
| result of the presidential election
The American Ottcials in Manila fail to realize
how greatly the terrorism exercised by the fil-
piEos in arms over their most peacefully inclined
uountiymen, works 10 keep alive the hostility
| 10 the American occupation. Tile Tdgalog Is
cruel, even To his own ribesmen, and 10 men
| ol other tribes the iloeano. the Nicols AMI the
Nisayans, for instance, they sometimes evidenced
q hatred MS strong as that they bear Americans
BY torture and hy murder, by coniiscalion and
destruction ri their property, the Filipinos in
arms have teiroizcd their peaceful countryinen
to such an extent that the majority Of them are
afraid 10 follow their natural inclinations TO
accept American sovereignty and show friendship
| to the Americans. Mr.. Bucucanuno, fornsr seq
retary OF state under the Maloos government
has said lie believes nine.tentls OF the Ilipinos
desire American sovereignty, but that this ter
| rorism prevents all but very few from an open
expression of their preference. Even With the
adequate protection against reprisals and yen
geance those Filipinos who desire TO he
friends oi the Americans. Such men are beset
with many difficulties; ii they do not welcome
the Americans they are suspected oi being rebels;
ii they do welcome the Americans they may he
tortured and murdered, their property stolen, OF
their women abducted. There are mary Fill
pines living today with the fear oi sudden death
in their hearts; they the troops cannot pro
tect them from these reprisals so il is no wor'
der they are apathetic concerning the establish
ment OF civil government under American CON
troll. whore in they will he expected 10 take
part. The establishment Of civil municipalities
under General Orders, No. 30. issued by General
Otis, has been practically failure. and tnis
largely because the Filip pinas absolutely declined
to hold municipal Office under Americans. They
feared the veneeances OF the men in arms and
they knew We could n9r give them protection
ihcrerom.
As examples oi these ictalialions, the writer
cites few recent occurrences. some weeks ago
the United States authorities duly established
municipal government in the town OF Bay, up
on the lake. presidente and several council
lors were appointed and the american flag was
raised over the town hall Within two weeks,