The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-23

A letter to Adjutant General Corbin
from Brig. Gen. Theo. Sehwan- written ON
board the transport Thomas. concerning
conditions in the Philippines as seen by
him was made public at the War Depart
ment today. 1t follows:
MY Dear General; A brief reference to
the state OF things in the islands. as seen
by ME when l quit Manila on April is. may
be of interest to you. You know. Of
course. that on that date. and for some
time previously. the most. if not all. OF
the larger towns of LuZon and many of
those towns in the other principal islands
which are regarded as commercial and po-
Iitical centres within their respective re-
gions were occupied by permanent gar
risons. You are further aware. doubtless.
OF the more or less frequent collisions be-
tween attachments from the garrisoned
troops and bands Of outlaws infesting their
several spheres Of action: also Of the in
ferences from these conflicts unfavOrable
to the permanent pacifcatiOn OF the Islands
that are freely drawn in the United States
and elsewhere. 1t may not be amiss,
therefore. to mention here some facts
bearing upon the general subject. which
seem at times to be lost sight OF.
"Brigandage prevailed TO a greater or
less extent in the Philippine Islands from
time immemorial. In Spanish times no
sustained or bona fde efforts we're made
for its suppression Local troops were in
deed raised to put down and prevent rob
berry; but their operations were spasmodic
and superficial, and they were generally
suspected OF being in league with the
robbers and OF sharing in their plumber.
During that period of the Tagalog rebel
lion (1S96-9S) when, owing to the Volun-
tary withdrawal OF Aguinaldo and other
leaders to HongkOng, hOstilities were gen
orally suspended. the remnants of the in
surgents or those whom the leaders could
not control Joined the "ever-esistent
robber bands who, in consequence, were
enabled to carry on a guerrilla warfare
against minor tOdies Of Spanish troops, in
addition to plying their vocation Of plum
deTing peaceable inhabitants
The RObber System.
THE robber system. pure and simple,
was kept up while organized insurrectioD
against the United States was carried on;
though at first il received no countenance
from the insurgent leaders, who even made
occasional attempts to break IL up Both
the disruption of the insuTgent govern
ment and the dispersion of the insurgent
armies, robber bands have been all over
the islands extensively REINFORCED by
insurgent officers and soldiers who, on re
turning to their homes, were disinclined
TO resume honest work and still chung TO
the idea of Filipino Republic.
Excluding the savage mountain tribes,
and those directly connected with the
bands above mentioned Ga comparatively
small but constantly varying quantity, the
FilipinOs may be roughly divided into two
classes, namely the intelligent educated
fa1r r7rNn In OIL
class who form a small minority and the
uneducated, labOring. or peasant class.
constituting the great mass OF the people.
Most men OF both classes honestly desire
the restoration of peace and order under
American or any other kind Of rule, being
thoroughly weary of war. Those of the
former class for the most part prefer
American rule, believing that though mild
it will be firm and above all just, and be-
cause they have no faith in the fitness Of
the Filipinos as a people TO govern them
selves. They are. however. afraid to cast
in their lot unreseTvedly with the Ameri-
cans. fearful that the anticipated with
drawal of American troops may expose
them TO severe treatment at the hands of
the insurgent leaders, who with even a
small following seem TO be able 70 terror
iZe the people. and in the past have shown
a VindiCtiveness and cruelty almost be-
yOnd parallel. Hence, while yielding a
passive obedience to. or at least refraining
from positively hostile acts against. the
military (American) occupants, some Of
them keep up relations with and contribute
to the needs of the guerrilla bands in their
neighbOrhood. promiscuously made up of
robbers and former insurgents. Many men
of the lower class while preferrilg a quiet
humdrum lief TO the hardships and dan
gers of highwaymen and bushwhackers. are
yet amenable TO the persuasions or threats
Of the brigand chiefs, and join or quit the
brigand service according to circumstances.
Those who actively or openly seek to
maintain bTigandage as a nucleus or raj
lying point for future rebellion are the
military and political leaders of the late
organized insurrection of whom all but a
few are utterly INSCRIPTIONS and actuated
by purely selfish motives. These men re-
allie that should the insurgent movement
die out entirely, and American rule be firm
~ established, they will forfeit positions
OF influence and prominence and will be
relegated to their former Obscurity and
penury in private station. In the main
they rest their hope for revival of the in
surrectiOn and the recommendation of in
surgent forces upon the supposed neeessi-
~ American troops will be under of aban-
doning many of their present positions ow-
ing to the impossibility OF supplying the
latter during the wet season. and upon the
success OF the Democratic OF -Expan-
sion party in the coming Presidential cam