New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-01
PHILIPPINE AFFAIRS.
GOLD STANDARD AND LOWER DUTIES
NEEDED-CONDUCT OF THE ARMY.

NEEDED-CONDUCT OF THE ARMY
! Washington, Nov. 30-Secretary Root devotes
a chapter of his annual report to affairs in the
| Philippines, urging the establishment of the
/ gold standard and reduction of the duties
| imposed ia the United States the products
| OF the islands His recommends tons in part
| as follows:
| l shall defer comment and recommendation
generally upon Philippine affairs until trans
nit the report of the commission, now on the
| way TO this country L realize that il is hardly
| to be expected that Congress shall devote much
time to legislation for the Philippines during the
| approaching short session especially in view of
| the great amount of time which they devoted
| to the subject in the last session and the scope
| and value of the laws which they then con-
| sidered and passed.
| / do not wish to delay, however, in asking the
| attention of Congress to two subjects upon
| which, / think, if the conditions and needs of
| the islands could he fully understood. there
/ would be but little controversy and upcn which
| very simple enactments would he OF immense
| value to the people Of the islands, whose well
| fare the government of the United States is
! bound to promote. / earnestly urge. first, that
| the duties levied in the United States upon
| products of the Philippine Archipelago imported
| thei efrom be reduced to 20 per cent or the
| Dingley tariff rates: second. that the govern
| ment of the island be permitted to establish the
gold standard for it's currency, and to take such
| measures as it finds TO be practlcahe ana pru-
| dent TO keep the silver coinage which II is au-
thorized to issue at parity with gold. without in
| any way committing the United States to re-
| sponsibility therefor
The insular GOV ernnent has in ten months
lost over 81 0O0Ooa gold by the decline i'm silver
| because it operating silver basis and
| this has changed the surplus o. revenues into
deficit at the very time when the other causes
mentioned have caused an extraordinary de-
| mand for the use of the revenues for the relief
| of the people. Agriculture is Frustrated. Com
merce is hampered and discouraged. All the
political parties in the Philippines urgently de-
| mand a change OF the present currency stand
| a profitable market in the United States to the
| products of the islands. Still greater relief
| would be afforded by delivering the business OF
the islands from the disastrous effects of the
decline in the price of silver and the fuctua-
items in exchange, and putting it upon the sub
] stantial basis of the gold standard currency
which exists in the United States, where we
wish them TO do their business, which exists
| on the Continent of Europe and IN India and
Japan, and the adoption of which is now under
consideration in the Straits settlements.
| Regarding the conduct of the army in the
| Philippines. Mr.. Root says:
The good temper and mutual consideration
and belpfulness and subordination OF personal
| 70 public interests displayed by General Mac
| Arthur and General Chaffee on the one hand,
| and by Governor Taft. Nice-Governor Wright
/ and the Civil Commission on the other, fire.
| auently under circumstances of great delicacy
| and difficulty are worthy of high praise. Some
| of their subordinates, through incompiete
| knowledge and from widely differing points or
view. have sometimes expressed discordant
opinions but both soldiers and civilians, with
very few exceptions, have renderea , toyai an"
There was at time in the public press and
on the floor of Congress much criticism of the
conduct of the army in the Philippines. as be-
ing cruel and inhuman. All wars are cruel.
This conflict consisted chiefly ST guerilla war
fare 1t lasted for some three years and a half,
and extended thousands of miles OF terri
tory over 10000 men were engaged upon our
side and much greater numbers upon the othef.
and we were fighting against enemies VINO to-
tally disregarded the laws Of civilized warfare,
and who guilty of the most atrocious
treachery and inhuman cruelty 1t was !mpoS-
sible that some individuals should not be found
upon our side who were unnecessarily ana un-
justifably cruel Such instances, however after
five months of searching investigation by
committee of the Senate. who took some three
thousand printed pages of testimony. appear 10
have been comparatively few ana theY were IN
violation of strict orders obedience TO which
characterized the conduct Of the army as
whole.
The two observers who, as the heads of the
civil government in the Philippines. had the
best opportunities for Information ana AT me
same time were naturally free from any mill
tary bias. have given what believe 10 he
true statement of the character of oGr military
operations.
Vice-tioverncr Luke r. Wright says in let
ter written OF the Goth of july last:
General Chafee. matter OF course had had, no
padenss e w9 a his attention Ras been called to
them has at once taken propSr steps IN The , n0T
cal purposes and the crueites practised have been
rf y have oScured There was
and never will be war OF when me sane ia nay
character of the warfare here is considered think
been forhearing and humane in their dealings with
the natives, and the attempt to create contrary
impression Is only unjust TO them, but IL seems
me unpatrotic we'll
Governor Taft, in his testimony under oath
before the Philippine Committee of the Senate
on February last, said
After good deal Of study about the matter, and.
although i have never been prejudced in favor of
the military branch. for when the civil and mill
tary branches exercising jurisdiction
there is some inevitable friction. desire to say
that II is my deliberate judgment that there never
was "A conducted. whether against inferior
races or not, in which there was more compassion
and more restraint and more generosity, assuming
that there at all. than there have been
in the Philippine Islands.