The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-10
THE Rs.sL FILIPINO.
What a ReguiaN Army Ofsiosr
Thinks lf Him.

Thinks Pf Him.
Chicago, 1ll.-tspecNal.) ION the cues.
ion of Filipino capacity for self govern.
ment, letter from Henry Page. q lieu-
tenant in the regular alpy e Manila,
says:
After stay of about eight months
among these people, during which ans;
no opportunity has been lost to study
their qualities, find myself still un.
able to express a decided opinion about
their capacity for government, but
{ can unreservedly affirm that the more
evidence collected the greater my re-
spect for the native and hN capacities
| The recent battle of February was
somewhat of revelation to Americans.
They expected the motley horde to run
at the firing of the first gun. 1t was
my good fortune to be placed-about
ten hours afterward-near the spot
where this first gun was fired. I found
| the Americans still held In check. Our
artillery then began to assail the enc
my's position, and 1t was only by the
stoutest kind Of fighting that the Ten
aessee and Nebraska regiments were
able to drive him out.
The Filipinos' retreat, moreover, was
more creditable than their stand. Per-
panies would hold our advance until
The company in their rear could retire
and reload when in turn this company
would stand until the former had re-
red and reloaded. A frequent excla-
nation along our lines was: Haven't
those little fellows got grit?" They had
more than grit-they had organization.
In their trenches we found exploded
irecra ckers, wooden toy guns and can
non" made of bamboo. and we were in
,lined to laugh at their simplicity, but
:hey were not so simple as they seemed
% be- They only mistook their men.
The firecrackers were to make the FIR
ing seem stronger, the bamboo cannon
poked through their excellent trenches
and had sinister look at 200 yards dis
ance, and as for the wooden guns, they
,lso helped to make show of strength.
When a rifleman was killed a native
j
having wooden gun would cease to
aold 1t over the trenches and would
,eize the real rifle, which was a scarce
,rticle in Aguinaldo's army.
By these means the Filipinos increas-
ID their show of strength, and indeed
heir real strength, for the toy riflemen
,cted as a reserve, so that though many
many were killed the line was not
weakened The last was real advan-
| age, and the former had proved
Great success against the Spanish. who
lad always more dignified hesitancy
lbout dashing against such evidences
II strength than we Americans had.
When we reached the headquarters at
;anta Ana another surprise awaited
Is. for here was found some Of the ma
.hinery OF Aguinaldos government.
Among the papers scattered about IN
confusion by the retreating officials
we're kilograms. letters and commits
lions, showing something Of their sys-
EN-. One letter was from township
governor asking relief from his duties.
surgeons certificate being inclosed.
/ 10
.hannels to Aguinaldo's secretary OF
tate and returned with abundant en-
lorsements, approved. With 1t was an
rider to the governor Of the province
o have a new election. Another letter
gas q complaint made against another
ocal governor for maladministration
t stated the charges in the real legal
4 = S,,V, 1i0 10 r..
,us papers concerning school teachers
appointment showed that the Filipinos
lad already perfected arrangements for
he education Of the youth on large
,cale.
/ might also mention the deeds Of
property, records Of births, deaths, etc..
show that Aguinaldo's organization
. at least not q laughable farce.
night mention also meteorological and
,ther scientific instruments and records
o show that the Filipinos didn't neg
ect science during those busy, warlike
times. Letters dated February from
Malolos showed that they had a good
:ourier system. A book on tactics. en-
cravings of the several uniforms, beau
hful Typographical maps. copies OF the
declaration Of independence and the
evolutionary constitution, military and
state seals and other articles all went
o show that labor and intelligence were
united in their production.
The Filipino is an initiative little body
and Is always anxious to learn new
methods. and he masters them very
quickly.
This Initiative trait, the English tell
Us. is one common in all Asiatics. es-
pecially the Japanese. 1t shows itself
n many amusing ways among the Fill
pinos. For instance. the tune "A Hot
Time in the Old Town Tonight" might
pc called their national air. Their army
ouglers have lately begun to blow the
i American calls, and they put our bn-
elers to shame when reveille. assembly
and taps float from their lines over to
ours in the sweetest tones we ever
heard.
The educated and polished Filipino Is
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