The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-19

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country, and many casco load Of copIa, hemp,
and produce were brought down by Mi. Carmah
| in return therefor Ii no doubt lucrative
business, and large profits arose from TINS barter
! At that time the American outnosts extended only
as Jar as the city Of Pasig and Taguig Just
| why General Otis permitted this barter Is not
| known. 1t must have been evident to the au-
thorities that the food and supplies taken lh'9
that country would only prolong hostilities ana
that any money that allowed TO go INTO the
I.aguna de Bay country for the purchase OF theif
produce would be diverted 90 the insurgent cause
| The police state that even Mr. Sarman con-
iesses that he has paid into the coheIs OF various
| Fipnos in the Laguna country no less than
| one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, but to
| a man up a tree it would appear that unless this
| was carried with the knowledge and consent
| of the Government il could never have been
| done as produce TO the value Of that amount
| could certainly not have been smuggled down
| the narrow Pasig River with American patrols
| keeping a strict watch along the banks of the
river on both sides from Manila clear up to the
| town Of Pasig.'
The reader must judge for himself
whether or not this is a strong arraign-
ment of our military authorities in the
Philippines during the Otis regime, con-
sidering that it was published under The
reign of martial law. which sometimes
| deports editors when they are imprudent
| enough to make references to illusions!
| 1t does seem a triie strange that Carman
should have been given trading privi-
| leges with the rebels, when, as the Ma
Mia Times" explains. 1t must have been
| patent to the viceroyal court that the
result would place the Tagals in a posi-
ton TO prolong their struggle against
American sovereignty as long as the aid
could be made available.
| The story goes on to tell how. Carman
held a monopoly of the inland water trade
with the insurgents, by way of Laguna
de Bay, until they were driven away FROM
the regions contiguous Then the legiti-
mate merchants from Manila came in and
| found that the favored adventurer had
nearly cleared up the stock of native pro-
auctions. Later. when by a peremptory
order from the palace trade with points
on or reached by way of Laguna de Bay
was prohibited, Carman was arrested
aboard one of his cargo boats in the act
| of violating the order. 1t is alleged that
he then said that, if permitted to tele-
| graph Otis. he could show that he was
acting by authority. But telegram fail
| ed of prompt response, and the smuggIer
chief was sent to Manila. The next morn
| ing, as stated, Otis released Carman,
and gave him an order making him and
his business exceptions to the general
suspension of traffic with the natives.
Except for what the country may learn
| through stray copies OF Philippine papers,
| and private letters, sent by hand to
I a. t.
not probable that anything more will be
heard from this Carman case. which is
| typical OF the condition of affairs. which,
it was frequ entity charged, existed in the
! Philippines Under the Otis viceroyalty.
Were the censorship and terrors of
military punishment removed it would
| be possible TO learn a great deal about
the manner in which fortunate individ-
uals, with n political pull at home, made
fortunes in Manila. But while the Re-
publican party shall remain in power over
the country. there is small likelihood that
enough of these charnel house secrets
will transpire to serve any punitive pur-
pose ''Falsus in uno. falsus in omnibus!"
| mere Is an active revival OF pam talk
in Europe regarding the fate of the com
posite Austro-Hungarian Empire after
the end of Franz Josefs reign. While he
lives his popularity and personal in
| nuence, 1t is thought, Will be sufficient
to hold the crazy-quit structure to-
gether; but, after that, it is generally ex-
pected that it will fall in pieces The
German provinces distinctly wish to join
their brethren of the Kaiser's Empire;
| the Czechs greatly wish to ally them
selves with Russia under an autonomous
! protectorate And the Magyars shout:
| Hungary for the Hungariansr' 1t is
| just possible however that both Russia
and Germany might be hungry for the
| Uungarians, and then the dream of in
dependent empire might not be realized.
| The Supreme Court met yesterday and
| took a recess for two weeks. At the end
of that time there appears to be a wide
spread opinion in the city that decisions
in the Porto Rico and Philippine cases
will be handed down. So. before long. the
country is likely to know whether It is
the Republic of the Fathers, or has a
/ constitutional organization within the
States only, and is an Oriental despotism
| elsewhere.
| WI Ting-fang is being lionized in the
most fattering and gorgeous way by the
university and social circles of Chicago.
1t is pleasant way Of rewarding him for
his arduous service in shaping and main
tanning our Chinese policy during the late
atrocities. 1t also serves to show that a
little thing like the promotion of his
friends at home who tortured and butch
cred the American missionary women and
| children can be easily overlooked In A
country where Christian forgiveness and
| the alteration of freaks is the rule and
not the exception.
| Democracy Easily ReyIvea.
(From the Springfield Republican,
| Unless a great change has suddenly come over