The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-13

On Condition OF Philippines Up to
Time or His Relief

washington. August S.-The annua
report of Major General Macarthur.
dated July 4, 1901, the day that he re-
Iinquished command OF the division of
the Philippines. has been received at
ed by the report is from October 1. 1860.
when the last report from General Mac
Arthur was dated. He reviews the
policy OF the Filipinos who were hostile
TO the Americans, saying hat their ac-
ton since the practical collapse Of the
problem. With the districts and depart
ment insurgent field armies, the Fflipi-
nos organized desperate resistance by
banding the people together in support
OF the guerrillas. This va carried out
by means of secret committees who COL
fected contributions, inflicted punish
ments n carried on a considerable OPP
position to the Americans.
General Macarthur reviews the an
ner In which operations were carried on
against these guerrillaS, and says he
hopes the policy will in time conciliate
the natives and make them friendly to
the United States. The education of
the people in times past made them
suspicious of any governmental benefi-
cence n they evidently looked upon
the lenient attitude of the United States
as indicating weakness.
General Macarthur says that the
proclamation issued on December 9th,
firmly declaring the intention Of the
United States to hold the islands and
to have the laws obeyed, had a good
effect, and the secret resistance was
much abated.
A considerable portion of the report
is devoted to the field operations of the
army, showing that on October 1, 1900, II
occupied Alb stations, which was, of me-
cessity, increased to SOP stations, every
command being in contact with some
hostile force. He speaks of the good
service, and says the combination for
mutual protection and armed inSurrec-
ton is almost suppressed.
General Macarthur gives the follow
ing satisfies from May 9Th, 1900 to June
10th, 1901 during which time there
we're 1,026 contacts between American
troops and insurgents) which show the
casualties on both sides: Americans
killed 245, wounded AGO, captured 11S,
missing 90; insurgents killed asst,
wounded 1,193, captured 6,572, surren-
dered 3,095. During the same period
the following material was catured or
surrendered from the insurgents: Rifles
W liz SO,oc ollN
revolvers S6S, bolos 1916, cannon 122,
cannon ammunition 1920 rounds.
General Macarthur gives a brief re-
capitulation of the conditions in differ
ent provinces and says that at present
the molding force in the Philippines
must be a we'll organized army and
navy. Anything" he says, "in the
Immediate future calculated to impede
the activity or reduce the efficiency of
these instruments, will not only be a
menace to the present, but put in jeop-
lardy the entire future American posi-
bilities in the archipelago"
General Macarthur says the capture
of Aguinaldo may be regarded as the
most momentous single event of the
year.
Speaking particularly of Auguinaldo
he avs that the important immediate
results M the remote
make it the important even which he
| characterizes it. He calls it a unique,
Isolated, military transaction. The cap
ture dispelled the growing tendency to
idealiZe Aguinaldo's personality and to
surround him with mythical legends of
invincibility, which millions of natives
believed to be true, and which would
ultimately insure success for the rebell-
ion. Aguinaldo vas the incarnation OF
the instruction. His death would have
magnified the legend which surrounded
him, while his capture has dispelled a
great deal of the fictitious value he had
General Macarthur speaks of the
great confusion regarding a money
medium in the Philippines and favors
the recommendation of Cole E, Crow
der. military secretary, for a coinage
system to meet the conditions existing
in the islands, embracing the coinage OF
a peso containing 1873 grains, nine
tenths fine. to be represented in the cir
culation by coins containing such null
pie of the standard peso as may be re-
garded as most convenient of mintage,
the establishment of the gold standard
and of Filipino national banks the same
in all respects as now authorized in the
| United States.
| q q RrIok Poirno Ary x-c I