Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-24
Says He Does Not Doubt Wisdom
of Government.
SREP1ICAL EARLIER IN THE GAME.
Then Thought the Government Would
Do Well to Let Loose Of the Islands
But Has Since Changed His Mind
Gives His Reasons. -


noon after an absence from the Unit
ed States of more than two years, dur
ing which time he has been in the
Philippines as captain in the United
States army and captain OF the Ma
Mia metropolitan police. After leav-
ing Manila, he returned to America
by way of the Suez canal route, max
Ing the trip around the world.
Away for Two Years.
Captain Eckers has countless friends
in Ottumwa, and today he is being
kept busy shaking hands with them
and receiving congratulations upon his
safe return home from the nations
eastern possessions. He was captain
Of Company L." Thirty-second volun-
teer infantry, and left this city in
July, 1899, going from here to Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas where he as,
sumed command of his company. Soon
afterward the regiment went to San
Francisco, whence the journey was
made by water to the Philippines,
Captain Eckers left San Francisco in
September, 1899, little more than
two years ago.
Gained Information.
Although the Thirty-second regi-
ment arrived in the Philippines too
late to take any part in big campaigns
there was hardly week that lsome
little skirmish did not take place, and
Captain Eckers had muchf opportunity
to learn a great deal concerning the
Filipino people, their habits and Gus
toms.
Wise Governing.
He has learned enough to make him
endorse all the acts of tie government
in the Philippines, and to cause him
to speak as follows to Courier re
porter, by whom he was interviewed
this morning:
II have every confidence in the peo
pie in the Philippines. The commits
sion is body composed of excellent
men and is fair, impartial party o.
men. Its members have no favorites
and everything is conducted with the
greatest fairness and good Judgment
. They know how affairs should be
managed in the Islands, and they are
doing just the right thing.
Changed His Mind.
when l first went to the Philip
pines l thought that if the United
States could have done differently
that is, could have let the islands go
it would have been the wiser plan. Bul
during the time l was in the Philip
pines there were SO many remarkable
changes and the progress of the gov
frnment and the people was so no
.iceable in the localities visited, tina
ri can seen no place where an improve
ment could be made upon the presen
state of affairs.
Filipino Outlaws.
"Of course, there will be more O
less trouble with the ignorant Blu
the trouble with them will not compar
to that which the government expert
enced with the Indians. The Filipinos
except few who have had advantage
of education and association with Eu
ropeans and Americans, are lazy an,
without ambition. The fighting i
done by bands of from five to fit
men, and they fight in order to max
living without really working. Thei
plan is to raid some village and com
pei the people to give them food. Ou
fighting consisted in the most part il
protecting the law-ablding Filipino
from these bands of outlaws. The
have no established head and canno
expect to accomplish anything agains
an organized army.
The Only Wise Policy.
ut will be several years before tn
Filipinos will be able to govern then
selves, and the United States govern
ment is following the only polio
which ccsild be successfully carrie
out.
Object of Fighting.
I When questioned concerning tn
\ people Of the PHILIPPINES, Captain Eel
res said that it is hard to speak COZ
rectly regarding them, for the co1ld
4, tions in different localities are SO di
ferent that what might be true in r,
gard to one mans experience woul
be entirely different when another
experiences are considered The ri
ipinos, he said, are not fighters. an
they are not worthy the name OF, wa
riors. Their chief aim in life seem
to be to keep from working. The
uork probably two months in the yea