The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-12-26
FiIipinos Have Little Conception
of Rights as Citizens.
General Chaffee Expresses His Opln-
ion of Philippine Natives and Thinks
no Effective Government Can be
Established en- the lmnorol and I'm
enlightened Foundation There.


whole people thus practically
turning war traitors ind in the
genius of no other people was
ever found such masterful pow
ers Of secrecy and assimilation;
but il is needless to say that nc
powerful state. was ever erected
on such immoral and unenlight-
+. ened foundations. :"
This statement is made by
General Chaffee, military gov
ernor of the Philippines, in a
review of one of a number OF
court martial cases in the islands
the records of which have been
received at the war department.
The case which brought forth
this comment from General
Chaffee was one wherein seven
natives We're tried jointly on a
charge of murder. The accused
were soldiers IN the lnsurgent
army, and after defeat by the
American army in the field aban-
doned even the show of open
opposition such as the half uni
formed guerrilla bands make,
and took 20 their residence at
Tay Tay. IL Luzon, a place pro
teeted by an American garrison.
Then, following the proclaimed
policy Of the insurgent chiefs,
they proceeded to oragnize Sc
cretly a holo band. When au-
thorlzation had been given to
establish civil government the
band came forward under the
leadership of a resident padre
aud were elected municipal Off
GERS of Tay Tay. Then ensued
a remarkable attempt to serve
two masters. In all lawful mat
ters they served with due APP
pearance of loyalty the Americ-
an government. while at the
same time they labored secretly
and diligently in the interests of
the instruction. This dual form
of government, says General
Chaffee, existed everywhere, in
strongly garrisoned cities like
Manila as we'll as the smallest
barrie The municipal officers
of Fay lay next entered upon a
series of murders, and continued
their deadly work until the
number of mysterious disappear
ances led to the discovery of the
perpetrators by the American
authorities.
Zone undeniable truth" says
General CAaffee stands out in
this case as in .ndreds of like
cases of murde that the aver
age native of these islands has
not more than the merest rudi-
mentary conception of his indi-
vidual rights and duties as a
man, and no one knows this so
well as the willy chiefs who use
him for their nefarious purpos-
es."
Six of the seven natives were
sentenced to be hanged, but Gen.
Chaffee committed the sentence
Of three of them to imprison-
onment at hard labor for life.
The seventh native, Leonordo
de Posoy, asked for and obtain
ed a separate trial. When
Tay Tay got a permanent gar
rison of American troops, De
Posoy was found there in the
pursuit of his calling as curate
of the pueblo. Through his adj
yantages of education, his spirit
ual relations with the people
and his active interest in their
secular affairs, he was easily the
most influential man in the com
munity. He cultivated the good
will of the American officers and
promised to aid them in keeping
peace. But when the elections
to American civil government
offices were he'd, he put for
ward and caused to be elected as
presidente one Caledonia Javier,
whom General Chaffee describes
as SIAN illiterate and bigoted man"
whom de Posey well knew was
an officer of insurgents and whom
he commended to the people as
the best man for the Office, be-
cause he was bold"
o Anti.Anarehy Bill IS Broad.
n