The age-herald., 1900-12-23
REVIEW OF WORK
 IN PHILIPPINES The Commission Has Made H. P. Whitmarsh Governor AUTONOMY PARTY FORMED The Amended Platform Calls for the Election of Half the Senators, the Others to Be Appointed By
 the Governor-General.
AUTONOMY PARTY FORMED

Manila December 22 = The Philippine commission has appointed H. Phelps Whit march governor and Otto Scherer secre- tary of the province of Benguel. Mir. Whit rahsh has been president two years, prin- cipally engaged as newspaper corre- spondent, and has resided lately at Ba- gium, which will be the seat of govern ment and the central point of the region. Mr. Scherer is a German who has lived for twenty years in the Philippines five of which have been passed in the province of Benguel where for a long time he was the only white man. He speaks the native language and several European tongues fuently and is intimate with the Igorrotes.
 The amended platform of the recently organized autonomy party advocates that half of the territorial Senators shall be elected and half appointed by the Cover nor General. The latter shall also appoint the judges, and the municipal governments shall be similar to those of the United States. The completed document, it is ex- pected, will be formally adopted at a prl- vate meeting of the loyal Filipino leaders on Sunday and published in Manila on Monday.
 The early passage of the army bill will result in the transportation of all volun- teers and regulars in the early spring to their destination-that is, those who are to be relieved in accordance herewith.
 If the regiments sail at an average or one a week all will be transported by July next
 Priests are Submissive.
 Thirty-nine priests, seventeen of them hp1On priOQ n Q DrOVinra nj RnlaoaD the strongest of the Tagal provinces, have signed and forwarded to the Philippine commission paper proffering their sub- mission and loyalty to its authority, add ing that the promise is made voluntarily and without mental reservation. Judge Taft has replied, welcoming their assist ance in the paeification of a people lover which you will have so great an influence"
 A detachment of the Sixteenth Infantry has captured Bautista, the head of the Katipunan Society, in northwest Luzon. A detachment of the Forty-ninth Infantry re- gently attacked a village of the Cagayan River in Isabella province, drove out the insurgents, killing several of them and captured a thousand rounds of ammuni- tion. The Americans also burned the in- surgent quarters. The latest reports from Iloilo says that the islands of Panay and Cebu since the rainy season set in are be- ing rapidly cleared of the enemy and that in few weeks the only opposition encoun- tered will be that offered by scattering Ladrones. The Twenty-sixth Infantry in Panay and the Forty-fourth in Cebu are conducting an actively aggressive cam paign. The American casualties, however have recently been slight.
 The monitor Monadnock has gone to Hong Kong to be docked and scraped. Major Bell, the provost marshal, today instructed all officers to obey liberally Gem eral MacArthur's proclamation concerning persons in Manila giving encouragement tt the enemy. It is universally believed thai the rebel forces are greatly thinned and scattered throughout Luzon. Their ammu milton supplies are being rapidly cut off ant numbers of them are becoming amigoes Much interest is felt in the movements o the endorsements at Mindianao.