The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-12-03
POWELL
WRITES OF
PHILIPPINES
By =. S. POWELL, Captain U. S. W,

~ NE of the most interesting letters
received by The Constitution
~ from the Philippines comes
from j. S. Powell, ex-mayor oil
Newman, Ga, who entered the
volunteer service and is now captain.
He is well known throughout the state
and his letter will be read with pleasure
He writes from San Juan de Bee Boc'
Luzon. L. L.. under date of OCTOBER "a
He says:
Some five weeks ago | wrote letter
from this place and sent it out py hrst
detachment going out of this Wilderness
but unfortunately the mail bags feh lh'o
the hands Of the Insurgents. so now just
on the eve of changing station again.
write again, trusting 1t will reach YOU
"The Tagalo IS by far the most numer-
Gus and powerful and wealthiest trlpe oi
the many tribes here and live principahy
i'm LuZon and any governments estahlshcu
hera would be altogether in their hahus'
Then internal strife would begin. mere
is absolutely nothing like a national no
nogcniety or national feeling aho"7
these people. There would be warfare p0
tween towns among the TaSdius, Tor lhc'
IS as much jealousy that takes u uedu'9
there is between tribes. Their idea OF
knowledge OF government dates hack 81
fcudal and baronial days and petty KING
doms OF the middle ages. Theirs IS the
patriarchal idea OF lsraelitish days De
fore the days of kings.
LESS than 10 per cent OF the peop'o
here belong TO the property holding cl"SS'
The lands and the people. body ana soul
belong to these barons, patrafchs' inc
southern negro was never reduced pS
slavery TO as low a degree OF ignorance
and severity by the most brutal oWHe
as the 30 per cent Of this people. These
people. while not held as property. are
more strongly he'd by these owners thah
any of the days of peonage or serldom or
retainers Of middle ages and their own
ers are without any Of the responsibilities
of owncrchiD and caste Is SO strong ana
effort is so guarded against that there IS
no chance for this people to he more imam
the slave of ancient Egypt or Persia
These barons can and do order the sons
to take the field as a warrior or as a
lab1rer as conditions and seasons suS-
gest and the young daughters 20 thelr
houses as servants and concubines. while
the old and useless exc out such existence
as they can. The ladrOnes are such as
these masters by their cruelty run into
the mountains and thieve ana murder for
a living
"'rhe papers at hOme-the last We had
was july 25th-spcak of the war here be-
ing over and the peop.e becoming paciiiei
That is the mercst bosh. 1t is true th1t
they carry on an unors aniZed bush
whaekinc. cutthroat war with no knowl-
edge or care for the rules of civilized
warfare. WaVlaNing and asSaSSlndllnS
small parties and individuals. and this is
done by the entire people anywhere on
the island. They are becoming more ac-
tive If Late and have shown but littlc in
tercst in or thought for the amnesty
proclamation that expired september 2oth.
None but some of the old barons have
taken the oath-their sons still hold COM
missions in the insurgcnt army-and OIL
Gals caught who -kc it 10 obtain their
liberty and officers of the army 10 get
their release Don't believe l per cent OF
those who have taken the oath OF aleSl-
arce have done 50 voluntarily. The pri-
vate soldier has not been required to
take il. but has been turned loose when
captured or a dag or TWO afterwards.
Some of the officers, after taking tie
oath, have again taken tine field, all ~
them intriguing and furnishing inlorma-
ton all the time.