The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-25
Conditions in Philippines De-
scribed by Commission.
PEACEQUICKLY If M'KISLEY WINS
Insurgents on PoiHt Of surreuderins. IL l.
Claimed, When the Injection OF the Para
msnnt Issue Iats the Presidential Cam.
Paisn Gave Them Hope-what WeH.a
Follow Turning IsiaEds Over to the Tag.
alos Politicians Evils and Remedies.

On August II Secretary Root cabled the
Philippine commission for a report OF It's
/ operations 20 date Following is the dis
patch and the reply Of the commission,
/ cebled on August q:
August Ii. 1890.
+ To Philippine Commission. Manila:
/ The President wishes YOU TO report by
/ cable the views of commission on he
/ general condition of the islands as 10
/ peace ana industry. business and revenue
! conditions prevailing. progress OF oppor-
tunity for education. disposition of the
4 people toward the United States. what i'm
pfoVement In this particular. the present
extent OF the insurrectlOn. how much OF
! the archipelago is tranquil, how much is
sun IN disturbed state. probable contin-
uance OF guerrilla warefare and influences
operating to prolong it. how it can best be
brought 10 close. conditions and re-
| ouirements of civil government.
ROOT,
Secretary OF War.
Reply Of tae Com mission.
Manila. Aug q. 1900
Secretary Of War Washington:
| Replying 10 dispatch. commission re-
ports: II has for two months and a half
! made diigent inquiries into conditions
| prevailing Mass Of people has aptitude
/ Tor education. but is ignorant. supersti-
tlous, ana credulous in a remarkable de-
! gree. Hostility against Americans was
| originally aroused by absurd falsehoods
OF unscrupulous leaders Distribution az
I troops IN 5O0 posts has by contact largely
/ dlspeiled hostility and steadily improved
1 temper of people. This Improvement. fur
/ tnered by abuses of insurgents. affirms
/ that large number OF people long for peace
| and are willing to accept government M
| der United States. Insurgents not sur
rendering after defeat have divided into
small guerrilla bands under general off,
4 GERS or become Ladrones Nearly all
prominent generals and politicians OF in
surrection except Aguinaldo have since
been captured OF have surrendered and
! have taken oath OF allegiance Policy Of
/ leniency eliminating I'm amnesty hal
! marked effect TO induce surrenders until
defining of political issues in United
States, reported here in full. gave hone
10 lnsuTgent officers still in arms. of
changed policy. and stayed surrenders to
await result Of elections. Disturbances In
parts OF island kept up and avowed by in
surgeht proclamation and orders, TO in
Euence election. do not show unfriendly
attltude OF majority of people of prov
inces where they occur, but only activity
Oh small insurgent bodies In mountain
/ Businesses. whence they issue for usually
/ harmless night attacks, or murderous am
bush OF small American squads, or to col
lect contributors or recruit from neonle
terrorized by cutting out tongues. cutting
of limbs, burying alive. murder. and
| plunder. Difficulty OF detection enables
insurgents 10 maintain surveillance over
people even in some garrisoned towns,
Uncertainty as to future policy OF United
States and defenselessness of people with
out arms largely prevent them aiding
Americans IN suppressing outrages.
Portions of Lnzan Quiet.
Despite these difficulties. maintenance
OF status quo makes for more peaceful
conditions. All northern Luzon. EXCEPT in
Neuvaecija and Bulacan. is substantial
ly free from insurgents. People are busy
planting, and are asking for municipal
organization. Railway and telegraph
lines from Manila to Dagupan. i22 miles.
| have not been molested for five months.
In excepted provinces and parts OF prov
inces OF Southern Luzon insurrecto bands
dodge from one mountain refuge 10 an
other and give occasional trouble Taga-
logs, alone active In leading guerrilla
warfare, have succeeded In recruiting
bands among the Visayans in Samar,
Leyte. and parts Of Panay which main
tain themselves by method described In
Negros Cebu, Romblon, Masbate. ST.
buyan. Tablas, Bohol, and other Yisayan
islands little disturbance exists and civil
government is eagerly awaited. Near
Cayagan. in Mindanao. an old Tagalog pc
M H. -.
drones makes neighbo-ing country danger
Ous and disturbance exists al surlgao. but
in south of this large sparsely settled ISL /
and, AT Zamboanga. Cottabatto. and other
points. the country is tranquil. -Four years /
of war and lawlessness in parts Of islands /
have created unsettled conditions and an
unguarded Anne -iean or foreigner travelling
ordinary trails far from garrlsons and at |
tracing eupidity. runs risk OF violence |
even in paeified provinces Native con-
stabulary and militia. which should he
organized at once. viii end this and the I
terrorism to which defenseless people are 4
subjected. Natives desire 10 enlist in these 1
organizations. IL iudiciOusly selected and I
differed, viii be sufficient force for main I
tenance of order and will permit early /
material reduction Of United States |
troops.
Peace WithIn Sixty Days.
II is conceded by all but men in arms, |
and is implied In their proclamation. that |
II the election confirms the present policy /
the remnant Of insurrect.on will disap- |
pear within sixty days By the surrender |
Of the leaders and the fading our OF the |
rank and file. Ladrones, In part heritage /
from Spanish rule. will continue bur can
be suppressed by measures. The existing
insurrection organization IA now main /
tained with the greatest difficulty FOR the
purpose stated. The effort is 70 mass
enough insurgents 10 crush one Of our
small garrisons for political effect, but /
hitherto without result a change OF policy /
BY turning the islands over to A coterie 4
OF Tagalog politicians will blight their 1
fair prospects OF enormous Improvement
drive out capital. make life and property |
secular and relisious-Host insecure /
banish by fear OF cruel prescription con- /
siderable body Of conservative FiIiplnos 1
who have aided the Americans In a we'll |
founded belief that their people are no. 4
now IL for self-gOyernment. and relntro- 4
duce the same oppression and corruption 4
which existed IN all provinces under Ma- /
lolos insuFgent government during the !
eight months Of It's control.
The result will be faetional strife he
tween Jealous leaders. chaos. ana an
archy and will require ana justify active 4
Intervention os our government or some 4
other Business interrupted by war Is /
much improved a. peace extends bur 10
yestment Of new capital il retarded ~
doubt concerning the policy % The United /
States.
In NegrOs more sugar Is IN enltiya .top
than ever before. kSB forestry resuls-
tlons give impetus 90 the lumber trade i
and reduce the high price of lumber. cub 1
tiyaiion OF rice ln some provinces IA re-
taraee by loss of drAgght cattle through
disease ard ~ar. Meat j. now Is eeHss a
pound
Inersssins CHsfems Coiieetisns.
Customs collections for last quarter
were - per cent greater than ever in
Spanish history. ard August collections
zsow further increase. Total revenue