New-York tribune., 1900-09-14
TO REPLACE VOLUNTEERS.
A NATIVE MILITIA FOUND USEFUL IN
THE PHILIPPINES.

THE PHILIPPINES
Manila. Aug. 1-As the time approaches for the
volunteers to leave these islands and return to the
United States in order that all may be mustered
out there by June 30 Of next year the question OF
how replace the departing troops has brought
the matter OF armed native militia TO general
ootice
For more than a year there has been in the
service OF the United States detachment of native
Macabebe scouts and their work has In the main
been satisfactory. 1t IS argued that other native
nghting organizations be used with good
result as the Maca bebes especially II the
thorttes take advantage of existing tribal hatreds
and jealousies In selecting native soldiery oper
ate against the Tagalogs In many of the village
garrisons throughout the islands native inhabitants
are being employed local police force to pro-
tect their own villages against depreciation and
tack from robbers and other malefactOrs. To these
local police are in some cases given firearms and
uniforms, and they have at times done effective
work IN the limited field Of action allowed them
namely. the protection Of their homes. They
nave also been used in operations against the in
surgents. both IN Luzon and in the southern isl
ands- In Leyte they did good work two months
ago. when they helped eight American soldiers
repel a persistent insurgent attack upon their town
and two weeks ago, Lpa. twenty native po-
Hcemen went out alone against forty insurgents
scattered the enemy, killing one, and returned
proudly TO their town with two OF their number
wounded. These are the beginnings of what must
eventually come 70 pass in the PhiIippnes-namely
the organization and use Of native soldiers pre-
serve order in the country Just how these men
will be organized and Differed Is not yet decided
but 70 Major Allen, Of the 43d Regiment on Sarnar
Island has lately been given permission by General
macarthur 10 organize two companies Of Visayans
1or use against the insurgents and Colonel Kennon
Of the 35th Regiment, stationed at Cabauatuan.
IN the Nueva Ecija Province Of Luzou. has been
experimenting along the same lines with uocanos
from the northern portion Of Luzon Island.
GOOD WORK OF THE ILOCANOs.
In December Of last year about six hundred
Ilocanos came TO Colonel Kennou. at Cabanatuan.
and asked to enlist under the American flag Colo
mel kennon at once opened negotia tions with the
corps headquarters IN Manila on the matter. and
on June he received permission to enlist fifty
uocanOs as scouts. During this interim of six
months the six hundred men were employed as
far as possible road builders ration carriers and
guides The success Of this first detachment in
the service will probably soon lead TO the enlist
ment Of other uocanO tribesmeu
Between IlocanOs and TagaIogs there is fierce
race hatred. The Tagalogs have lorded It over the
Hocanos for years and have held them down and
oppressed them But to-day the Iocanos who
pFlde themselves belonging to another and dis
ttnct tribe from the Tagalogs have in a measure
accepted American sovereignty and are itching for
chances TO get at their enemy. This attitude Of
the uocanos subjects them 10 Tagalog reprisals
and vengeance. Last month a band Of insurgents
the road near San Jose. in Nueva Ecita Province.
The man and one woman we're al once killed The
other Two women were horribly wounded with
bolos and then buried alive in a well. where Amer
lean soldiers later found and rescued them. On
the borders of the uOcanO-TagaIog country such
occurrences are common and 90 to show the exist
ing tribal hatred II IS this hatred more than any
thing else that renders the Uocano effective and
useful as a fighter against the Tagalog. Colonel
Kennon's scouts were at once put the trail OF
he hat
alive. and they chased and punished them.
The scouts have been active since their organiza-
tion. For the first three weeks they were drilled
by Americans and their own non-conmissioned
officers, showing much interest and prtde andsesn-
siderable aptitude in this training, They ware sent
on June q 10 the support Of the American garri-
Tore1os lla scoIITing sou+b 0f A7iags under corn
mand Of lieutenant Jernigan- Of the 34th Regi-
ment, met sixty OF the enemy, and IN a snarp ngnt
hors de combat on June 2s, and on June 80 seven
Ilocanos and three Americans met se4eIlty IN
foreements and found Lieutenant Jerni gaIao wiki
adding 10 the rebel losses thereby until the total
number Of the enemy killed by the nfJy Ilocano
scouts on their first campaign reached seventeen.
WORK WELL WITH THE AMERICANS.
In their fighting the uocanos are much benefited
by the moral support given them by the presence
Of Americans at their side They 10 better work
when with the Americans than when alone They
not yet very good shots. and It is sometimes
difficult to make them cease 1r1ng during the eX-
citenneuC Of a skirmish. In the matter OF getting
information from the people and finding hidden
rifles they are supreme They can look over a
crowd OF Tagalogs all loudly protesting their inno-
cenCe and frieudlineSs 10 the Americans. and. with
almost Unerring correctness. pick out those who
are active rebels from those who are not Lieu
tenant Jernigan. who has worked with these new
IlOCauO scouts more than any other American Of
fcer. reports them TO be obed.ent and brave They
do pifer loot they are better nIred than
Americans for chasing down Iadrones and brigands,
because they live where American would
sLarve. and they travel quicker through
swamps and jungles than can our soldiers.
II has been Colonel kennons policy TO pursue
the robbers and insurgents without letup. Their
bands have been dispersed in his district, and they
are not permitted TO organize: their chiefs have
been killed. and they are afraid 70 show them
selves with arms All this work has fallen on
the Americans and they are worn out and ex-
hausted with the continual round of hike and
guard duty guard duty and hike" The Iocanos
showing that they can relieve the Americans
of Of this most arduOus work
When the Iocano scouts were organized their
first duty was outpost near Cabauatuan- They
abused the power given them by making
every Tagalog who came along that road respect
fully salute them But, as champions or those who
are oppressed the American officers soon put stop
10 this practice.