The Washington times., 1901-10-24
THE UPRISING NOT DISCUSSED.
Secretary Root to Consider Philip
pine Re-enforcement. Later.

pine Re-enforcement= Later.
Secretary Root resumed his duties at
the War Department yesterday. after an
absence Of several weeks He has been
unable as yet to reach any decision as
| to the number OF troops to be maintained
! in the isitiiiisE,:iseT during the coming win
| ter and spring. A mass OF accumulated
| work was presented to him for his con
| sideration. and the chiefs of the various
bureaus of the War Department called
upon him to paw their respects There
! was no serious discussion of the Philip
| pine situation.
| Secretary Root is rot surprised at the
| recent disturbances in the Philippines. and
| has always had in mind the known dispo-
| sltion OF the Filipino to practice deceit
| He was not unprepared, therefore, for the
receipt of reports telling of native treach-
cry and of difficulties encountered by the
Philippine Commission in securing native
! officials who can be trusted, and whose
loyalty is beyond question.
Mr. Root considers that too much
should not DE expected OF the Philippine
Commission. in view of the great diff
culhes in the way of carrying on civil
government among a people who have
never known any other rule than the
IRON hand of military power. He is of the
opinion that it could hardly be expected
that civil government woR;d proceed
smoothly and quietly without some OBJ
stacles in the way of disloyalty Whether
II VIII require renewal of active military
operations to restore an absolutely peace
full conditica remains to be decided after
careful consideration of the subject.
Before arriving at any decision as to
increasing the military force under Cen
eral Chaffee, Secretary Root will person.
ally confer with officers Of the War De-
partment recently returned from the Phil
ippines and known to have given the
situa ton there a careful study. In view
OF General Corbin's known sentiments in
favor of reduction of the force in the
Philippines he will undoubtedly present
to Secretary Root such information as
has lcd him to that conclusion.
Other officers who have but recently re-
turned from Manila are Generals Stern
berg and Weston, neither of whom is be-
iieved to have received very favorable i'm
pressions Of the conditions in the island
Another officer Who is known TO have
very little confidence in the FiIipinos
abillty to govern himself is Gen s. B.
NJ. Young, now commanding the Depart
neht OF California. In a statement made
some time ago in regard TO his pursuit
of Aguinaldo, he said:
our pursuit of Aguinaldo resembled a
march OF triumph through the north in
the manner of our reception. Brass bands
met US at every town: the church bells
rang, and the alcalues and presidentes
and principal Filipinos greeted us hospita-
ply and with bows and smiles
They We're effusive in speeches of hos
pltaiity. They yearned for the Americans.
they longed for peace. They hated war
ana insurrection- They were our most
humble servants to command. But as to
the enemy. they did not know They had
not seen him
Meanwhile, the enemy were In hiding
in their own houses. or lying nearby in
ambush, fully informed by these lovers of
peace whether we could be safely at
tackled or not Did any peasant show US
a ROAD ne was murdered as soon as We
were out OF sight. The money we paid
them for forage and food was straight
way sent. to the nearest insurgent COM
mander.
The Filipino is expert in deceit He
is the most cheerful and unnecessary liar
you ever saw. Truth is his last resort.
only to be used when all else fails
1t is thought at the War Department
that even though Judge Taft be discour-
aged in his work in the Philippines he
will yield to a patriotic duty, and not
resign, as predicted in a letter attributed
to General Chaffee He will be given
every assistance by the War Department
There will be no hesitancy about increas-
ing the military force should such a step
be considered necessary to uphold the
civil authorities in the performance Of
their duties.
1t is now practically admitted at the
War Department that it will take about
1000 troops a month from the United
States TO replace the short term men COM
ing home. A corrected statement of the
proposed sailing of transports was
prepared yesterday for Secretary
Root. 1t shows that the fitzpatrick viii
leave San Francisco on the lst of Noveu-
ber, the Grant November u, Meade No
vember 16, Sheridan December l. Warren
December Is, Hancock January /. Thomas
January IS. Crook, from New York. De-
cember l. and Buford. from New York.
January Is. Each of these vessels, with
the exception of the Fitzpatrick, will take
troops to Manila and bring back short
term men, who will be discharged at San
Francisco.