The Lafayette gazette., 1902-06-14

condition of affairs exist and why do not the
soldiers put a stop to the insurrecton2 The
answer is that the army has positive instruc-
tions not to molest single ,nsurrecto. An
| insurgent can not even surrender to the
army. A party of soldiers may go in the
mountains, see insurrectos pass near them,
but thay can not capture or shoot them.
rhey,may talk, smoke, eat, dance with and
kiss the insurrectos, but the soldier must not
shoot them.
Indeed may so SO far as to say that the
insurgent appreciates this state of affairs, for
he no longer moiests the American soldier
nor does he cut the telegraph wire anymore,
for the wire is government property and the
soldier is expected to take care of il such.
What say here in regard to this matter
is common talk among the Filipinos we'll
among the Americans, and it is this ANNA
lous state of affairs which encourages the
insurgents to prolong the fight, and there is
every reason to believe that if this policy
continues much longer, the insurtec-
ton may burst out afresh throughout the
Archie pelago. for the Filipino realizes that
house divided against itself cannot stand.
Who is responsible for this? Well, it is
a long story but here the main facts of
the case.
When the last Mckinley Bryan campaign
opened. it was thought necessary for the
success of Mckinley that the people of the
United States should be made to believe
that the Filipino people were anxious to be
under protection, and therefore it
necessary TO make it appear that the insur-
recton over. But if the insurreciion
over, certainly the army expenses
should be cut down, and a civil government
was established at least two years too soon.
The military authorities who extremely
Jealous of their rights, and who do not like
to do any work without getting the credit
of it, protested against the establishing of a
civil government claiming that the time had
not yet arrived. Their protests were ignored,
however, and now they take their revenge
by not doing a thing.
The civil government has only force of
25oo native constabularies with which to
fight the insurgents. and as the government
is afraid of its own soldiers 1t does not dare
to issue them good rifles. 50 here are
fighting the insurrectps with a force of
i'll -quipped. ill-armed consta bularies while .
we have force of over 10000 soldiers who I
do nothing. and who cost the United State |
m iIlions of dollars
Os course. the army is ANXIOUS fight the
insurgents. but they will only do on
condition that 4 provincial governor throws |
up his hands and admits that he cannot |
cope with the situation is the case |
in the provinces of Lagima Batangas and |
Tayabas- In these cases military govern t
nent re-established and war is being |
>vaged against the natives.
But the provincial governors hate to give !
up their POSITIONS rs their salaries good |
and as they have great number of friends
holding positions under them. When mill
ary government is substituted for the civil
government these carpet -bagSers-and they
,rc-are out of jobs.
There is but solution, and that is to
lave Clafte some other general made
both civil and military governor. In other
words have only one head instead of having
yvu heads as is now the case.
WIITEED BOJDREAtN.