St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-09-05
HAVE NEW RIFLES.

fCopyright, 1900, the Associated Press.]
Manila, Sept. 4.-The Filipinos seem in
capable of realizing the scope and pur-
pose of the legislative functions of the
commission of peace. There is no pos
sibility of separating the legislative from
the executive branches Of the govern
ment, and, therefore, the commissions
announcement of its assumption of
power has met with childish comments
at the hands of the Spaniards and for
eigners, who jealousy sheer at the new
arrangement, as they are apt to do at
every beneficial innovation on the part
of the United States authorities. The
commission enters upon the govern
mental field under the following condi-
tions:
A majority of the islanders desire peace
and the resumption 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 feelings, especially
because experience has taught them
what such an expression of sentiment
will bring upon them from the merciless-
ly revengeful rebels. A genuine reign
of terror is exercized by the insurgents
and ladrones over peaceful country
folk in order to collect the revenues and
recruits their operations require, and
widespread vengeance is wreaked in the
vicinity of garrisoned towns.
For example, the insurgent general,
Cables, in the province of Laguna, put to
death the president and office holders of
the town Of Bay on Laguna de Bay, Off
Gals who had been installed by the
Americans, and gave orders that a SIM
liar fate should be melted out to other
adherents of the American cause. He
also ordered that all Filipino soldiers
who sold their rifles to the Americans
should be killed. Any change of policy
involving the withdrawal of the United
States troops without substituting for
them an adequate offensive force is
certain to result in fearful retaliation at
the expense of the friendlies. The ap-
preaching patriation of the volunteers
leIuS W lIlIlQGIlCG lIIS SlIudllOU llIlldNUE-
ably.
In northern Luzon the status quo is
fairly well maintained, and the people
in that quarter are quiet and engaged in
planting, except in two provinces, where
! there has been recent outburst of rebel
| and ladrone activity. But in southern
| Luzon conditions are far from satisfac-
| &c 20 Gil 1,o
garrsoned towns. Travellers are sub
ject to ambush by guerillas. Rarely
does day pass without an encounter
| between the United States troops and the
insurgents and ladrones resulting in cas-
ualties. There are $4,000 troops in that
district, and in three regiments over a
third Of the men are sick. The activity
of the enemy increased last month
There is evidence that the insurgents
have come into possession Of new rifles,
and that they wish to annihilate some
small American garrison.
! Conditions in the Visayans continue
virtually unchanged.
The experience of northern Luzon
shows that the American occupation Of
any localityy tends to it's pacification
and we'll being. An unsettled American
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.
The commission will first organize mu-
inequalities in the provinces. Sub
sequently it will turn it's attention to
needed reforms in the civil and criminal
code, passing in due time tn other fea-
lures of the Instructions with the idea
of establishing a central civil govern
ment during the next Is months.
Twelve Americans including two cap
tains and two lieutenants, have been
killed during the past two weeks. The
official reports of the encounters in which
these casualties occurred are meagre.