New-York tribune., 1901-12-26
FILIPINO CONSTABULART.
IT HAS ALREADY PERFORMED NOTABLE
SERVICE IN SEVERAL PROVINCES

Z.
Washington. Dec. 25 (speciaD.-The great success
achieved by the of native troops and organ
ized scouts under the regular army establishment
in the Philippines gives promise of similar results
from the employment of natives in policing those
districts of the islands which have received civil
government. This native constabulary was being
rapidly organized at the time the Taft Commission
was writing It's report months ago, and had
already performed notable service in several prov
nces. A year ago the commissioners had empha-
sized the advantages Of utilizing natives for police
purposes, and another years experience has con-
frned them in their belief, which at first was re-
garded as optimistic in high quarters. In their
latest report they point triumphanty 10 the fact
that the military authorities had organized uu-
merous companies OF native scouts. commanded by
American officers. aggregating about thirty-fve
hundred men. and that while these organizations
have performed faithful and effective service there
has not been a single instance OF treachery or de-
serton. This is regarded significant 10
put at rest the only practical question which ever
arose 8 to their availa bility.
The commanding general (Chafee)' the com
mission says, has announced it TO be his purpose
gradually to withdraw the numerous small de-
tachments of regular troops stationed in nearly all
the towns IN the pacied provinces in the archI-
peiago and concentrate them in larger garrisons
and 70 them only when called on to suppress
general insurrection or brigandage formidable
to be dealt with by the civil authorities, course
which think eminently wise. The duty of pre-
civil government has been may hereafter be es-
tablished against ladrones and ordinary law
breakers, has thus been remitted to the civil gov
ernment.
Although there is armed opposition Amer
lean supremacy in any of the pacifed provinces.
there has, naturally. followed from five years of
revolution and unrest much of brigandage and gen.
eral lawesness which bears heavily on the ma sses
Of the people who peaceably inclined and only
| desire TO till their fields and pursue their usual
vocations.
The obvious. and indeed the only ADEQUATE rem
edy is to be found in the establishment of an ef-
fective police force. Under the provisions OF the
| municipal code enacted by the commission the
| local authorities empowered to organize and
maintain local police force for the respective NIL
inequalities. The presdentes and councillors Of the
! towns, however all Filipnos many Of them
ex-insurrectos and it believed that a pure
y native force controlled by them. could or would
be uniformly efficient In addition to this. many
Of the municipalities as result of the ravages of
war and from other causes, too poor to sup
port the burden thus incurred.
Furthermore, the municipalities in these islands
not, a rule, composed OF small areas of ter
are Of xen IT. in fe hT nheG
SAFES ana naII1 there s of 90Hty IN me United
territory, generally remote and in the mountains.
| which is not included in any municipality and in
which lawless men readily find refuge and a base
In order to meet these conditions and to estab-
lsh an effective and mobile force, under competent
meet any emergency that might arise the comnis
sion has enacted law establishing the PhilippinA
constabulary- The general scheme Of this act is
| to create insular force of not exceeding one
hundred and fifty men for each province selected
from the natives thereof, who may be mounted in
| whole or in part, and who are placed under tba
| immediate command of or more not exceed
ing four, provincial inspectors. The whole bodv l.
| placed under the control of chief and four as
| sistant chiefs of constabulary. The islands are
| divided into four departments and each assistant
chief is in immediate charge Of department Full
| and discipline the force which is enlisted for tyn
years, unless sooner discharged They are declared
70 De peace officers and it is made their especial
duty to prevent and suppress brisandage. nsnrrec-
peace. For this purpose they are given autboritI,
to make arrests but required al the "a arIis y
| possible moment to bring the prisoner hefora -
magistrate for examination '+e d
Oficers Of the regular army have been detailed as
chief and first assistant, and ex-oicers of
and volunteer regiments and few well tried Eiii.
| pinos NIL the other principal positions They bavs
already enlisted a force OF about nine hundred
men Although the organization is only partiaIIv
completed 1t has already done some verv efTartjIrs
| resting notorious criminals ~ al