Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-22
Former U. S. Consul General at
Manila Talks.
GOOD EFFECT OF AMERICAN JUSTICE
!lsurrectionists Have Received Aid
From Spain.
ONE IMPORTANT REFORM

eral at Manila. is in the city and called to
pay his respects to the President today
Mr. Williams was one of the star cam
paigners for the republican party last cam
paign. and. next to Mr.. Roosevelt. made
the greatest number of speeches of any one
the republican side.
My receptions everywhere said Mr..
Williams were of the most fiattering ma
ture. OF course my speeches were largely
on our new possessions-the Philippine ISL
auds-and | found everywhere the greatest
desire for exact information as to the
ditons existing in the islands. In my opin-
ion. much of the dissension in the United
States on the subject of the Philippines is
due to INSTRUMENTATION and the lack of in
formation.
Effect of American Justice.
During my tour of the country in the
campaign l made over seventy speeches
and Travelled from Maine the north to
West Virginia the south and Missouri
on the west. L telieve it is only matter
of a short time before American justice will
overcome the long-standing prejudice
against the white race which has been born
and bred in these natives for more than 800
years The earnest intention. | believe of
the administration is to establish absolute
equality in the courts and put the people on
the same basis as here-that is, the pre-
sumption of innocence before trial courts
until guilt is proven. This was a thing UNI
known under Spanish rule.
1T is my belief that the administration
intends to give these people the best gov
eminent that 1t is possible for them to help
administer. l do not believe there is any
desire to govern the Filipinos beyond the
point where they cannot govern themselves
The means which will really do most to
reconcile the natives to the new condition
of things is, in my belief, the proposed
educational institutions, which We're started
direction nd Whit b
j understand. have been continued along
the line laid out by him.
Il am not familiar with the text books
in use. but | suggested that it would
be good plan to print all books
for use in the public schools in parallel
pages, Spanish and English for the coast
towns and English and the native tongues
Tor use in the interior. 1 understand that
Cen Otis has expended more that S65,OO0
in the. purchase of text books for use in
LuZon."
The Troops Necessary.
Speaking of the troops necessary to gar
rison the islands, Mr.. Williams said: Il am
not enough of a military man to speak
with any degree of authority upon this sub
jeCt. but my knowledge of the native Fill
pno leads me to believe that it will only be
a short time before it will be practicable
to enlist the native Tagalogs for garrison
duty. Indeed in the northern part of the
Island of Luzon many of the Macabees
have already been taken on as recruits.
"Of the LOO islands comprising the
Philippine group. only about 400 are inhabit-
ed.ThuS you can see it will in al probable
ity not require any considerable number of
garrisons for the maintenance of order after
the present instruction is put down. l
should think the method adopted by the
French in Auam would be applicable in
the Phiippines-that Is, garrisonng only
the coast and large interior towns
The present insurrection would have
been put down long since, had it not been
for the fact that the Spaniards, whatever
they may say have never gotten over their
pique at being defeated, and have never
hesitated to give Aguinaldo and his follow
ers the worst kind of advice, as we'll as
material aid. This they have done, simply
to increase the turmoil, and with view
to further straning the relations between
Aguinaldo and the American government
and rendering attempt to pacify the
natives Intellectual
'Aguinaldo himself is bright young
diplomat. He IS cautious in his use OF IAN
Suage: speak English fairly well, but
always uses an interpreter for fear he Will
give himself away. His influence with MS
COuntrymen is greatly overestmated, as 1t
i a well-known fact that he has never
been able control more than a major
faction of the Tagalogs. who comprise only
about one-third of the native population of
the Island of LuZon. The politics of the
tribe in much tangled condition. and
petty jealousies prevent any concert OF
action. The American government is hav-
ing trouble with the natives outside OF
Luzon. and. in fact. many chiefs of tribes
on the various islands have voluntarily
called upon the American commanders for
troops a protection against the rowing
bands scattered about the island under the
leadership of Aguinaldo.
Severance of Church and State.
In this connection continued Mr. Will
liams. Il wish to say that one of the most
important reforms introduced by the Amer
leans is the abolition of the ecclesiastical
courts and the severing of all relationship
between church and state. 1t is now gen.
orally understood that all religions have
the same rights and privileges in the island.
This policy will do away with the exclu-
siveness of the Catholic hierarchy which
has always existed under the rule of
Spain.
Mr.. Williams spoke very highly of the
work of bo'h the Schurman and Taft COM
missions. My information regarding the
late work of the Taft commission con-
tinued Mr.. Williams, leads me to believe
that they are deyoting considerable atten-
ton to the question of improving the rivers
and harbors about Manila. This is one of
the most crying needs of the islands. Ma
Mia bay is the reservoir for a network of
small rivers. and l understand that this is
one of the reasons for the proposed loca-
ton of the arsenal and naval base at Subig
bay. about forty miles to the north of Ma
Mia city. and the line of the Dagupan
and Manila railway. Subig bay is an ideal
location for a naval station. 1t is practi-
cally landlocked deep sea harbor, and is
susceptible of almost impregnable fortifi-
cation.
In connection with the matter of the es-
tabishment of arsenal and naval sta
ton at Subg bay, Mr.. Williams said: The
Spaniards had already foreseen the advan-
tages of this location for a naval depot.
They had purchased and taken there a
framework for a large light house, and had
contracted for the erection of very large
floating dry dock. This was to cost $500 600
and they had already paid upon it the sum
of 100000
Mr.. Williams. in conclusion said that in
his opinion 1t was the civilizing influences
of courts which would administer justice
freedom of religion. public education for all
ami the system of American elections which
would be the real means of civilizing the
is.ards and producing friendly relations be-
tween the Americans and the natives of the
Philippine Islands.
The fullest credit should be given
by the American people to the ad-
ministration and its military and civil Off
Gals in the Philippines for the tact and
judgment displayed by them in handling the
many difficult problems which have arisen
during the attempts to establish municipal
governments for the islands
Army Orders.
Electrician Sergt. Timothy Gallagher. re-
Gently appointed from BATTERY G. 1St Ar