The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1900-09-07
IN The PHILIPPINES.
Continued Use of Steel and Lead
Necessary.
Peacs Impossible Yet-Adequate Defense
Must BE Given Friendly Natives in
Order to Save Them.

MANILA, Sept. 2.-The Filipinos seem
incapable of realizing the scope and
purpose of the legislative functions of
the commission of peace.
There is no possibility of separating
the legislative from the executive
branches of the government, and there
fore the commissions announcement of
its assumption of power yesterday has
met with childish comments at the
hands of the Spaniards and foreigners,
who jealously sneer at the new ar
rangement, as they are apt to do at
every beneficial innovation on the part
of the United States authorities.
The commission enters upon the gov
ernmental field under the following
conditions:
A majority of the islanders desire
peace and the assumption of business
under the Americans, but they are SO
cowed by a long series of murderous
| atrocities and destruction of property
by their armed countrymen that they
dare not actively show their feel
ings, especially because experience has
taught them what such an expression
of sentiment will bring upon them from
the mercilessly revengeful rebels A
genuine reign of terror is exercised by
insurgents and ladrones over peaceful
country folk, in order to collect the
revenue and recruits their operations
require, and widespread vengeance is
wreaked in the vicinity of garrisoned
towns. For example, the insurgent
general, Cailles, in the province of La
Guna, put to death the president and
Office holders of the town of Bay, on
La Guna Bay, officials who had been
installed by the Americans, and gave
orders that similar fate should be
meted out to other adherents of tho
American cause. He also ordered that
all Filipino soldiers who sold their
rifles to the Americans should be killed.
Dangerous Policy.
Any change of policy involving the
withdrawal of the United States troops
without substituting for them an ade'
quate defensive force, is certain to re-
suit in fearful retaliation at the ex-
pense of the friendlies. The approach
ing repatriation of the volunteers tends
to influence the situation unfavorably.
In northern Luzon the status quo is
fairly well maintained, and the people
in that quarter are quiet and engaged
in planting, except in the provinces of
Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, where there
has been recent outburst of rebel and
ladrone activity. But in southern
Luzon conditions are far from satisfac-
tory. Life there is not safe outside the
garrisoned towns. Travellers are sub
ject to ambush by guerrillas. Rarely
does day pass when there is not an
encounter between the United States
troops and the insurgents or ladrones,
resulting in casualties. There are 49,
600 troops in that district, Gen. Bate
commanding, and in three regiments
over third of the men are sick. The
activity of the enemy increased last
month. There is evidence that the in
surgents have come into possession of
new rifles and that they wish to ami
hilate some small American garrison.
Conditions in the Visayans continue
virtually unchanged. The lack of
troops in Samar prevents aggression.
Negros, Romblon, Masbate, Sibuyan,
Tablas and Bohol are tranquil, all de-
string civil governments. Mindanao is
also tranquil, excepting the districts of
Teagayan and Surigam, where oc-
casonal encounters with the Filipinos
occur. The enemy's fighting force
there is limited, but it has a number of
rifles. The surrenders, although they
have noticeably decreased since May,
continue.
What Experience Shows.
The experience of northern Luzon
shows that the American occupation of
any locality tends to it's pacifcation
and well being. An unsettled Ameri-
can policy retards the investment of
capital. Nevertheless, the imports for
the last quarter and half were greater
than during any equal period of the
Spanish regime. No doubt the needs
of the army of occupation are respon-
sible for very considerable fraction
of the present commerce. The inter-
nal revenue collections are third
greater than those made by Spain.
This is due to an honest system of ac-
counts, to a lack of favoritiSm and to
impartial enforcement of the law. The
military authorities will turn over
Sc, 600, 900 (Mexican) to the commission,
and this will probably be expended in
public improvements, the need of which