Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-04-21
FRANK 6. CARPENTER


an end and trea, these people as rob-
bers and murderers and hang or shoot
them when you take them? This would
soon put an end 10 their business, would
10 not?'
"It might" said General OTIS. "but
n we ala that Il would also put an
end 90 the lives OF one hundred or more
OF our soldiers who are now prisoners
IN their hands. They would cut their
Threats as soon as the proclamation was
Issued. These prisoners are men who
have In one way or another wandered
away from their hrigadcs or companles
and been captured"
"As TO the robbers" continued the
general, "and IN this / include the
iusurrcctos the people IN most Of .he
districts are afraid 90 inform against
them. They not only attack the Amerl-
cans, but also rob the natives. This is
especially so with the Tagalos Their
patriotism Ga of a pocket book nature.
They are In the war only for what they
can get out OF H. and II they cannot
get anything from US they VIII prey
upon their own people"
THE NATIVES AS AMERICAN SOL
DIERs
III that Is the case they would fight
for pay. said l. why not use them as
soldiers England has a native army In
India
I'VE may Doe able 20 do that az some
time iu The future. said Cen Otis. but
at present We dare not trust any large
number OK them in our ranks We have
about 40 native scouts with our troops
at Vigan. They are doing well and
fight their brothers quite az well as
they fought us. All they seem 20 care
Tor Is their pay They are liable 20 be
treacherous however and we keep a
close watch"
THE PROPERTY OWNERS AGAINST
WAR.
What classes Of the people are they
who are carrying on the war? Do the
better classes really want to continue
the struggle?'
The war" replied the general, "has
been largely fomented by the profess
siOnal politicians. fellows ike Agulnaldo
and others who expect TO make fortunes
out Of the agitation. The richer Fill
ipin0s, and, In fact, almost all Of the
property owners are tired OF the strug-
gle They don't want the Americans 20
=
people. They have begged Us 20 stay
saying that N we go the result win be
anarchy ending in one or more of the
powers of Europe stepping In and TAX
ing possession Of the Islands. This Is
the feeling OF many Filipnos who have
taken part IN the Instruction. Mabini
told me that this was his view and
when ] asked why In that case he had
been fighting as he replied.
on We are fighting for the best
terms we can get out Of you. We be-
lieved that you would grant us more
rights II we Tough, for them."
THOUGHT THE AMERICANS
WOULD GIVE UP.
But. general" said I, "dld the Fill
plnos really believe that they could
successfully resist us?"
yes. / think some Of them did" re-
piled General Otis. They thought they
could tire us out. Some think this even
now, and some come 20 me and beg me
20 not allow the government 10 take
the soldiers away from the country. ]
tell them they need have no fear OF
that, at least not as long as the war
lasts, and that when the Americans
make war they may rely upon Il that
they win all stick together until they
have conquered
NOT FIT TO GOVERN THEM
SELVES.
what do you think Of these people
az prospective high-grade American
citizens. general? Are they at all III 70
govern themselves?'
They have a long way 10 go before
they win be- what you call high-grade
citizens" replied Gen. Otis. "They are
not now M 90 govern themselves and
viii not be Tor a long time They might
perhaps be awarded certain liberties Of
government under our direction, but as
90 their conducting a republic them
selves and honestly administering the
government that is at present an i'm
possibility"
"Why?' I asked
1T IS an impossIbilty from the nature
and education of the people" said Cen
eral Otis. They have been trained un-
der the Sp3niarls and bred in political
corruption They have little Idea Of
truth between man and man as TO po-
litlcal and official acts. Why. ] have
often had two prominent FillpInOs
c0uuseling with me over some import
ant matter. Each would assent To- the
statements Of the other and would
think them IN perfect accord but later
on each would come privately % me and
tell me not 20 trust the other
"Thc FillpIuos have been accustomed
20 hribng and being bribed and they
can't get rid Of the idea that that Is
the only way 10 accomplish results. We
have tried them here in the custom
house and elsewhere and found that
they have systematically cheated the
government and pocketed the proceeds.
/ had. Tor instance. "a father and son 0t
q good family In the customs. j sent
the son 90 act as one OF the customs
officers of Cebu. I soon found that the
father and son We're iu COLLISION and
that they were sending I'm false mani
tests and thereby stealing thousands Of
dollars ] dismissed them. OF course.
I've have t0 keep q close watch on
our customs officials here" continued
General otis, cor we should be robbed
right and left fUr we have many native
employees The result OF our watchful-
ness d. that the customs receipts are
now greater On proportion than ever be-
fore"
40 CARPET BAGGERS WANTED,
"How would a civil government Of
American statesmen do for the Islands,
gener8l"' said T.
General Otis replied; II don't think
we want the American politician or
statesman. as you cen him. Tor q long
time yet. 10 ever n the United states
organizes q civil service for the Philip
pines 90 should be- one carefully chosen,
we'll paid and rot affected TO any ex.
tent by horne politics. Care should be
taken 90 get honest men. for the dis
honest official would have great oppor-
tunites FOR fraud OF all kinds You
cannot conceive the possibilities the
officials OF the past here had IN the
way OF lining their pockets. Why ]
could make 100000 within the next
three weeks 90 ] wanted te use my Of
flee for my own profit These people
are accustomed TO bribery They ex-
poet 90 pay for everything, and are
surprised that they are not asked 20 do
so. They cannot realize that men may
be honest FOR honest.'s sake.
A MILITARY GOVERNMENT MEG
EssARY
81 think the military government