The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-01-31
THE TAFT REPORT.
Good Progress Reported in Pacifics'
ton OF Philippines.
SUBMITTED TO The SENATE.
The Commission Urges the Passage
of the Spooner B!ll-Secretary OF
War Reports

Washington. D. c., Special.-The
President Friday transmitted to the
Senate report of the Secretary OF
War, enclosing the report OF the TAFT
Philippine commission. The President
says: 81 earnestly recommended leg
isla.icn under which the government
OF the Islands may have authority to
assist in their peaceful industrial de-
yelopment in the directions indicated
by the Secretary of War"
The report is dated November 30.
Secretary Root, in his letter OF trans
initial calls attention to the conditions
requiring congressional action. He
says:
l. The commission gives a gratify-
ing account of the progress made n
the pacifcation OF the country and the
gradual subsidence of guerrilla war
fare. Information received subsequent
bo the date of the report confirms the
favorable anticipations of the commits
sion. A personal letter received by
me from Judge Taft. dated December
Ia, 1900, says: Since writing you,
about 5000 insurgents in lloilo nave
surrendered and 10000 persons who
were not we'll affected toward us in
Panay have taken the oath Of allegl-
ance. / have already received two pa
pers from native priests, Is in num-
Der, and I am told that there will be
a great many other papers signed by
a great many more promising fidelity
without mental reserve. The native
priests are those who have he'd out
longer in favor of the Insurgents and
AGAINST the Americans, and deem this
action as of great Importance. The
army Ia hitting small but hard knocks
against the insurgents everywhere.
Since the election there has been a
great falling off in the activity OF the
insurgents in aggreSSiveness and their
sole activity has been displayed in
avoiding the. fights which small de-
tachments OF our troops have brought
about"
On the I'd OF January the commission
as a body REINFORCED the views con-
tained in their report by the following
dispatach from Manila:
"Root, Secretary of War, Washing
ton:
e'If you approve. ask transmission
to proper Senators and Representa-
tiyes Of the following: The passage
of the Spooner bill at the present ses-
sion is greatly needed to secure the
best result from improving conditions.
Until It's passage no purely central
civil government can be established;
no publicfranchises of any kind, and
no substantial investment OF private
capital in internal Improvement Will
be possible. All are needed as the
most important step in compleee pacl-
fcation. A strong peace party has
been organized. with the defined pur-
pose Of securing a civil government
nnder the United States and reason
ably expects civil government and re-
lief from inevitable but annoying re-
strairts OF military rule lon5 before
the subject can be taken UP by the
new Congress. The time is near at
hand. in our opinion, when disturb
ances existing can better be suppress
ed by native police of a civil govern
ment. with an army as an auxiliary
1OTce, IMAM w Tic Co44 IihuoiiNS VI N
plate military control. The power 10
make change should be put in the
hands of the President to act prompt
" when the time arrives to give the
Filipino pecple an object lesson in the
advartages Of peace. The qrasi-ciyil
government under war power is most
restriced and unsatisfying. Hundreds
of American miners are on the ground
awaiting law to perfect claims. More
are coming. There Is a good element
in pacification. Urgently recommend
the amendment Of the Spooner bill so
that its operation be not postponed un-
til complete suppression Of all insur-
rection. but only until in the Pres!-
dents judgment civil government may
be safely established.
COMMISSION"