The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-15
DOMAIN OF The IGORROTES
Phelps Whitmarsh Tells Of tie
Management Of Benguet.

The Municipalities the Most indie
pendent Features of the In~uInr
Government in the Philippines.
\ People " hO Love Law and Order
Phelps Whitmarsh, the first Provincial
Governor appointed under United States
Sovereignty ia the Philippines. has rem
dersd an account Of his management OF
BeuEuet EenguoJ is mountainous. and
has been chosen by the authorities as the
location OF a great Government sanato-
rum on account of its saluDrious climate
the finest south Of Japan on the western
borders OF the Pacific.
II is the home OF the quaint and intel
hgcut igorrotes. who gave such notable
assistance to the United States regulars
and volunteers in Furnishing and siIbIuiur
the revolving TaEalS and who were the
first of the Filipino peoples to ask and
secure civil rights under the American
Government. as well as the first and so
far the only tribe to dispense with United
States troops FOR protection against the
guerrilla bands and outlaws of northern
, LUzon-
Governor Whitmarsh. when visiting Ma
Mia recently, told army officers that un-
der the special law enacted by the Com
mission for BcnEuet the Igorrotes were
/ practically IN the same position as the
North American Indians under an agent
with the difference OF geatcr freedom. in
/ that they really made their own laws
! TIE Governor sets the general laws Of the
province. but each municipality elects its
J own officers and makes al laws affecting
/ the people, excepting taxation. which is
/ very hight amounting to ID cents gold per
/ annum for all persons over ten years of
/ age, property owners paying oue-half per
] cent on their holdings.
] Il suppose, said Mr.. Whitmarsh that
! an lEprrOte town is the most independent
I thing IN the islands. because il uses every
/ cent Of its taxes for its own benelt. moth
( Ing going into the provincial fund All
/ that the Governor can do is TO approve or
I suggest amendments 20 laws. 50 that the
! lgorroteS are getting FIRST rate opportu-
| nifty 20 learn practically how 70 govern
/ themseiveT. I'm fact the government is
! the most sOciaIistic Imaginable, IN accord
| ance v IN the nature OF the people. each
mans property being his neighbours. and
/ everyone eating wherever he happens 10
be AT meal time"
The only officials Of the province are
! the Governor. Secretary. and Inspector.
| who perform an the requisite duties. The
hrst important work was quickly accom-
rlshed. every town having been organic
ed within three months after the Cover
| nor.s appointment. The only place where
/ there was any difficulty was az Palma.
where the inhabitants climbed up above
! the village and sat on the rocks. refusing
for some time 90 come down. because they
coutendcd that they belonged in another
province They soon became tractabIe,
| however with a little reasoning.
n
| the Governor. 1T was astonishing the
/ amount Of aptitude and intelligence the
natives displayed. ] have allowed them
to 20 pretty much Of their own will. and
| often have approved minor legislation
/ which ] knew would be- unsatisfactory. in
/ order that they might learn its inenectu-
ality and improve themselves in self-gov-
| eminent"
The lgorrotes are antagouistic o. the
/ TagalOEs and practically TO all Chris
| tians They are thorough pagaus. and
| the only Christians there are those who
come o. exploit the country The Igor
rotes are thoroughly moral easily con-
| tent. exceedingly honest but lie ike all
Asi7tics. They are far ahead Of their
1 ueighbors the IloCanos-
The northeast line Of the province has
never been accurately drawn. and this
section is the stamping ground Of the
head hunters and Iadrones. who have
never been conquered and whose territory
has been only partially explored. AT one
| time Spanish regiment went in but
came out after losing many men. and the
only post they established. Asin Grande.
was ultimately wiped out. Governor
Whitmarsh had Just returned from an
| expedition into the country OF this tribe.
who are called BusuIs Ever since they
have lived there they have made frequent
raids, robberies. and abductiOus, carrying
| of heads in each case. In the last six
months 400 cattle have been so raided
Last month the Governor reported 20 Cen
| eral Macarthur the necessity for an ex-
petition against the EusuIs, but while
this was being considered. al available
troops being busy UP north with Tiuio's
bands. the activity Of the Busuls demand
"a immediate attention.
The Governor therefore organized an ex-
petition Of about seyeuty-fve IgOrrotes.
six armed with guns and the others with
iances and boios They started on April
=, and soon penetrated into the rough and
Wild unknown territory on the 18th they
passed SIX De- rios which had bad names.
! but were deserted. That night they saw
/ lights ~ an apparently large village
| across a canyon. SO they camJsd ia In.
! woods. t0 bc ready % get in carly
] NE next morning tiTr..I TtENF.TINIE-
/ Sancr showed one house flying strange
yellow and red flag and a number OF men
| were detected coming down the hillside.
| armed with laDCes and dressed IN the usual
| EUsul fashion. with grass shields and De-
| cUiiar provision bags on their backs
| "a hItmdrSh s. men surrounded the village
as soon as all were Iu and entered 10 on q
! peace basis meeting no opposition. by
means ~ list. which had been prepared
months before OF all the chiefs known IN
| the province as abdUctOTs. mUrdtTcrs. and
| head hunters. they soon found the chief
scpunarel OF the tribe. AgalaD. known as
| the AEuiuaidg 81 the Busuls. lie and his
followers had come across the border from
| Lepaut1 that morning for the purpose OF
y | organizing "a raid
p NhitmarSh handled them diDI0maticauv
| and finally secured forty Of them and took
D / them 20 Bugiss the nearest Igsrr1tt
town There o. was found that they had
20 capturoI all Of the Busul chiefs. their
8 ! flag, and principal warriors. The follow
70 ing day they were attacked by a rescue
/ party 81 EuSul speaTmen near a place
] called iukukan, bEt easily drove them of
z ! Five other Busul hauuts Were visited and
20 IN an eishtE-thrCe prisoners were taken
! including three chiefs against whom thor
O was abundant evidence q beheadfupg
: and they were sent 70 San Fernando dc Ia
: ! Union for trial
{ Mr.. Whitmarsh says the PRINCIPAL
z wealth Of Benguet is derived from In,
= / cattle industry, but On the last wear rim
/ { trOuSly. about SeVen-tcnths Of the cattI,
being destroyed. Unless something car
e BE- done 10 enable the natives 70 protect
I and breed mp their herds. the Governor 8
e [ afraid they viii Doe wiped out. as this
e great depletion makes them unequal tC
e I supplying the imperative demand for beei
. I cattle In ueighboriug provinces.
D Governor WhitmdTsL. when asked bOut