New-York tribune., 1901-07-18
PHILIPPINE CONDITl0Ns
SEEN THROUGH OFFTCl.r
EYES.
THE SECRETARY OF THE PHILIPPINE
COMMISSION TELLS IN A ppr
vATE LETTER HOW THE JOB
LOOKS TO HIM

VATE LETTER HOW THE JOB
LOOKS TO HIM
Washington. July 16 (SpeciaD.-Nev uo,,
from inside sources on conditions in the Philin
pines and the achievements of the Philjpnina
Commission reaches Washington from one ~
the most capable officials of the civil establish.
ment in the archipelago. The acting director
of the Bureau of American Republics. Williams
G.. Fox has permitted The Tribune correspond.
ent 10 make use Of a personal letter which ha
has just received from Arthur w. Ferguson
formerly attached to the bureau. Interpreter ~
the Pan American Congress in Washington az
terward interpreter TO the Peace Commission.
ers in Paris in 1898. and now secretary of tho
Philippine Commission and of the central civil
government at Manila. This instructive and
entertaining letter is as follows:
LETTER OF SECRETARY FERGUSON.
United States Philippine Commission.
Secretary's Office
Manila. P l., May IS 1901
My Dear Fox:
Although you are we'll aware that my time Il
so thoroughly filled with official duties that the
pleasure afforded me by communicating my i'm
pressions to old friends may seldom be expert
enced shah take advantage OF few moments
Of respite afforded me by this Saturday night TO
satisfy. as far as I may. your desire for nfor-
nation as to the condition OF affairs in this far
distant possession of ours
have already kept you advised from time 10
time of the rapid trend toward complete pacih-
cation here and the great work the commission
and the Federal party have done in this direc-
ton. have told you of the wonderful success
of the recent trip 10 the provinces of the south
ern islands of the archipelago, of the heavy task
imposed upon us all. and of the great results
that 1 believe will follow from that historic trip
I have therefore little left 10 tell you OF the
matters here, where everything points 20 a
nron1pt realization Of our hopes and desires;
but there is something the other side OF the
bright expanse of water that divides us which
makes the gorge rise within one and feel at
times as though ones only enemies were to be
found among his countrymen
AS YOU know. I have been connected with
many international bodies that have been called
hard working. and I have apprised you IN my
correspondence OF enough of our labors here to
bring To Won the conviction which I entertain
that no body that ever represented the United
States OF America has ever equalled. in single
ness of aim and purpose. absolute devotion to
dutv and unswerving 'hewing to the line" the
FIVE patriots who compose the United States
phiIinpine Commission From the rising OF the
sun to the going down thereof, and often far
into the night from week to week and month
10 month. have they Iabored increasingly IN the
interests of our own people and OF the fnhao-
itants of these islands. to the exclusion OF every
thought foreign 20 the one and the other. My
position necessarily makes it incumbent upon
me- whatever may be my physical OF mental I'M
pediments, 10 exert every effort TO keep Vp with
the commissioners. and I have therefore but
little time TO devote to the reading OF the news
of the day in the home papers. and 1 may say
that am glad of this. for the few notices that
have been able to see OF the work OF the COM
mission are not calculated to encourage one In
his efforts.
The atmosphere OF Manila is so permeated
with mendacity. and the local press Is so refec-
tive OF this condition. that one would fatn fy TO
the press produced in a purer atmosphere; but
have been unfortunate enough. on every occa-
sion that I have glanced at home papers. TO
strike upon some unfounded assertions or out
right lies. not emanating from the papers. but
mostly from persons interviewed. all OF which
things lead TO giving people wrong impress
sion of these islands. the conditions here prevail
ing and the conduct of affairs by the authorities
of the United States. I believe II the better
class OF Filipinos were TO falkland you know
that have their confidence and know and ap-
preciate their sentiments-or. having spoken.
were quoted. that the truth OF all that I have
heretofore told you would be known TO our
people.
~.
Funston has put out the light of the Wash
ington of the Orient" much to the regret un-
douhtedly of the anti-imperialistic Atkinson ct
al, of Boston and elsewhere. The brightness OF
this Oriental luminary had been very much be-
dimmed for a year past and the mention OF his
name had not been arousing responsive echoes
in the hearts of his countrymen for a long time;
yet he is a wiser to-day than he ever has
been. if wiser may be used at all with refer
ence TO the ex-Ieader of the Filipino insurrec-
ton. His educational ornaments are meagre.
and his military prowess consists as ne himself
has recently said. in reviewing his troops before
they went into battle at a considerable distance
from the field. Chief Justice Arellano had TO
work on Aguinaldo for some time before he
could convince him. through the use OF some Of
the legislative acts of the Commission. that his
road to peace and contentment was by acknowl-
edging and swearing TO support American SOW
ereignty here. Since he took the oath of ale
glance he has been living quietly in a house near
the Malacanan Palace. where he is daily visited
by a few Filipinos and American curiosity seek
ers. No member of the Commission or its staff
has ever seen him held any communication
with him whatever. he being considered by them
on the same footing any other Filipino.
And speaking of Asulnaldo reminds me that
I came across in a leading New-York Journal
not a saffron-hued one-a dispatch from London
dated April IL. stating that the Singapore Junta
had telegraphed that General Macarthur was