Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-02
FILIPINO POLICE.
First an Experiment., They Are Now
Regarded as a Fixture.

sTSt IN Ahey are No"
Regarded as a Fixture.
Correspondence Chicago Record.
Native police were an experiment once.
Now they are fixture They carry their
revolvers and swing their clubs in an in
dependent manner, hold their heads high
and wear yellow shoes with all the dignity
of one to the manner born. Colonel Will
liston, the provost marshal, hesitated a
long time before he would permit the ma
tives to carry arms. But at last Major
Herman, who belongs to the LIST Artillery
by rights and who is chief of police by
virtue Of his appointment and ability, per-
Suaded the colonel to select a small num-
her of the natives to patrol the streets that
were not prominent as the Escolta or as
public as the Luneta.
Khaki, in a different shade from that
worn ny the soldier, was chosen as the uni
form. At first there was a question as to
how they should be armed OF course it
was necessary that they should carry
something to enforce the laws of the high
way and the city. So they were given
clubs. Now, a club is effective so long as
it is within reach Of the evil-doer, but as
there was more or less robbery going on
among the natives it became a necessity
10 arm the police with something that
would shoot. That is how it came about
that the native police were armed with re-
Volvcrs as large as those carried by the
American soldiers.
Each policeman wears a cap, and that
gives him a military air. His uniform is
tailor made and fits him perfectly. The
trousers are long enough to reach below
the tops of yellow shoes and sometimes
are stuffed inside the lacings. On the
breast Is a silver badge showing number
and precinct The officers are designated
much as they are in the army, either by
stripes on the sleeves or straps on the
shoulders. They travel out of their sta
tions In twoS. one walking along each side
OF the street. Some were assigned to the
markets and others to public buildings which
are patronized by the natives. The markets
We're great places for gambling, and may
be yet, but that business Is carried on ur7-
der cover. Time was when the dice rat
tied and rolled out in the streets in broad
daylight. Occasionally native Is arrested
however. and a Chinaman does not dare to
show his face If he has ever been guilty
OF throwing the dice. The police seem TO
pay no attention to pitching pennies-in
fact. they indulge in that pastime them
selves. But the way the game is played in
Manila 1t becomes one OF skill rather than
of chance.
One thing these uniformed men do is to
keep the streets clean of all dirt and refuse
garbage wagon daily comes along every
street. the native driver rings bell and
the householder is supposed to send
servant out with the days accumulation
from the kitchen and the stable. 1t is one
of the duties of the police to see that the
tdIdDdo cart is HOt kept waiting TOO long
before door. These men sometimes be-
come oversensitive. Once. while driving
along Gale Nuevo, I saw a policeman
knock with his club at the window of
residence. The woman came to see what
was wanted and she was ordered. to take
from the front fence some clothes she was
airing.
The men comprising the force are brave.
They have been compelled to rush into
houses where robbers were at work More
than one has been carried away to the hos
pital badly wounded in the fights which
have followed. Besides this they have the
confidence of the natives and have been
able to inform the officials of dangerous
plots or the presence Of insurgent agents.
All this has resulted in the appointment
of more native policemen and the establish
ment of more stations. Colonel Wiliston Is
satisfied that the experiment has proved
a success. Among other things 1t shows
that the work of reconstruction will be
made easy, for there is growing confidence
in tho ability of the native to administer
his own affairs.