The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-13
A KNOTTY PROBLEM.
Gen. Funston Discusses the Philip
pine Situation.


San Francisco, Jan. 13.-Brigadier
General Funston in commenting on the
situation in the Philippines. this morn
ing said:
The situation in the Philippines is a
knotty problem 1t is one for great
minds to ponder over, and nearly every
problem that confronts the nation has
two sides. Personally, L do not think
that in this generation it will be posi-
bic to bring the natives under absolute
control of a civil government. DeneNe
that for years it will be necessary foE
the United States government to main
tain strong military force on the ISL
andS in order to exert a moral influence
on the natives. For the next two or
three years 1 think it will be necessary
to maintain a military force of 10000
men in the Philippines to keep insur-
rection down After that period has
elapsed, if there are no signs of trouble,
] think that a force of 10000 men will
be enough to maintain order and pre-
vent an uprising.
Nearly all of the educated FfltpinoS,
the professional men and wealthy
land owners are political agitators and
SchemerS of the worst sort They would
not hesitate to embrOil the Philippines
with the United States for almost an
indefinite periodA if by so doing they
could gain their ends and secure the
independence of the islands, thereby
getting control of the various depart
ments of the government, especially the
finances, in order to give themselves an
opportunity to steal. In my opinion the
greatest possible mistake that could be
made by the United States in dealing
with the FilipinoS would be to give
them any form of elective legislative
assembly composed of the people of
would merely leave opportunity for
number of pestilential legislators to
keep the country stirred up ana IN a
state of turmoil by holding out the
xrsafr of Indanan-
dence All the officers, in my opinion,
except municipal and provincial othcerS,
should be appointed by governor of ISL
andS instead of being elected by the
people for the reason that if the people
were allowed to elect their own officers,
agitators and schemers would be cho-
sen to fill the offices to exclusion OF
better class of natives.
1.-The moral influence of troops Will
make the F'ilipinos understand that any
uprising would be summarily crushed
Il believe that so far as the educa-
ton of the Filipino is concerned, pro
per steps are being taken now. En-
ployment of American school teachers
and introduction of the American
school system will ultimately have
beneficial effect on the natives. but
fear that the generation will never see
the change for the better in that re-
spect In the opinion of many people
who understand the labor situation in
the Philippines the industrial develop
ment of the country depends upon the
introduction of Chinese and japanese
laborers. A white man cannot work
comfortably in that climate There
are tens and tens of thousands of acres
of uncultivated lands on the Islands
that are as rich as any in the world
and there are in the cities tens and tens
of thousands of idle able-bodied men
who will not work more than is abso-
lutely necessary to keep the wolf from
their doors
Generally speaking, however, the
conditions in the islands have improved
and although drastic measures are nee
essary to keep down treachery ana
murder, the strong hand of the govern
ment is being felt
TT certainly will not be very long
before the last of the insurrection is
entirely crushed in Samar and Batan-
gas. It cannot. in my judgment, be
more than two or three months at the
outside before the natives are con-
quered After that, if we keep a firm
hand over the Filipinos, give them to
understand that for the present such a
thing as a native legislative body is out
of the question, and vigorously enforce
excellent laws that have been passed
by the commission and make them full
ly understand that any outbreak will be
stamped with an iron hand. we will
have at least no open war of rebellion
in the PhiIiDDineS'