Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-04-18
GOVERNORS REPORT
mALraeArmenr OF NATIVES.
Major Gardener Severely critIeIsss MIL.
itary Rule In the Philippines
States His Observations as Civil
Governor Of TaxAbas Province.


States His Observations a. Civil
Governor Of Tayabas Province.
Washington. April i2.-Whcn the
Senate committee ON the Philippines
met Thursday Chairman Lodge pre-
senicd the report Of Major Cornelius
Gardener. civil governor Of the Phil
ippinc province OF Tnynbas. To which
reference was made by General Miles
In his correspondence with Secretary
Root. The report Is dated December
III. 1901.
In the course of the report the gov.
crnor says:
AS civil governor. I feel II my duty
to say that II IL my firm conviction
that the United States troops should
nj the earliest opportunity be c0nccn-
tratcd In one or two garrisoitr, u II In
thought desirable that the good sen.
iiment and loyalty that formerly ex'
listed toward the United States among
the people OF this province should bc
conserved aud encouraged.
being In close touch with the pco-
pie. having visited ail the pucbios one
or morc times. having lived with them
In their homes. ! know that such u
sentiment once existed. or late. by
reason Of the conduct Of the troops.
such as the extensive burning Of III.
barrios In trying 10 lay vast. the
country 80 That the Insurgents cannot
occupy II. III. torturin. Of native. by
so.cniic'i wairr cure and other meth
ods. In order To- obtain Information. the
harsh treatment Of natives generally
nnd the failure OF inexperienced lately
appointed iicutrnnnts commanding
posts To distinguish between those who
ARE friendly nni thos. unfri.niiy Hni
io treat every native as II lie were
whether or mo. an insurscnt nj heart.
this favorable sentiment above re-
fcrrcd to Il being fast destroyed aud
u deep hatred toward Us -ns-ni-rd.
" these thing. n--,i l., done. they Ind
bss, ic don. 10y native troops, Va ,hn,
the people of the United States will
not h. credited Herewith.
"Aimos, without exception. soldiers
aud also many officers. refer to natives
In their presence ns 'nisscrs' AMI 'nn.
tive. nr- beginning io understand what
the word 'niss-r' means.
'Th. cours. now b-inI pursued In
this province nnd In the provinces OF
Hainn.ns. ia.unn nni Sainnr Is, In
my opinion. sowin. seeds for per
whenever good opportunity ofcrs.
Under present conditions the political
situations In this province II slowly
rrirosrniins. the American sentiment
IL decreasing nni We nrc daily maxim;
permanent enemies.
''in the course above referred 10.
trooI,- max. no distinction often b.
tween the property of those native.
who nrr insur.rni or insurs-ni -ymra'
tbiS-rs. nni the property "f ih.-" who
heretofore have ri.kc,l their lives by
b-ins loyal IL che United States and
giving I- Information against Their
rountrym-n in nrius. Often every
hous. in birrio II :.uruci.
In my opinion the stuali number
Of iTrcconcilnbl- Insurgents -iili ~
arms. although admittedly difficult TO
catch. does no, justify the mean. -in'
p,oy-,i. especially when taking Into
consideration III. .uff-rin. that must
bc undergone 10y the Innocent nnd Its
effect on the relations with these pco-
pie hereafter.
''Th- work Of the Philippine commits
sion nnd the laws that have bcrn
enacted 10y II prc everywhere fnNoT'
ably commented upon 10y the natives.
The efforts b"ins made for the general
education of the people arr appreciated
by NIL. The provincial government
aud the municipal governments "sinb.
lishcd nrc slowly bringing order out
OF chaos and anarchy. aud there hc.
gin. to L. visibl. everywhere III this
province progress ani prosperity. Trnc
loyalty aud contrntmcnt can only
come under benign civil government.
''Thc attitude Of the army. thereby
..f s.sii m
di,rs. IL. however. decidedly hostile
to the provincial and municipal gov.
crnmcnt In this province aud to civil
government in these islands In gen.
crai. In Manila. especially. II Is in-
tcnscly so. even among the higher OIL
GERS. The work Of the commission In
the establishment Of provincial govern
mcnt. IL riiiculci even In the presence
OF the natives. II Is openly stated that
the army should remain In charge for
the next twenty years.
ut has been stated that n Filipino or
an Oriental does not appreciate Just or
kindly treatment. aud that he consid.
crs IL an evidence OF weakness anu
that severe and harsh measures are
the only ones that are permanently cf.
fcc,ivc with f'ilipinos. I have found
that Just and kind treatment. uniform
and continued. Is the only way by
which these people can become our
friends and satisfied with United
States sovereignty.
Having been stationed six years on
the Rio Grnnic. I am well acquainted
with the natives OF the state OF Tam.
aulipas, Mexico. and while stationed
in the province of Santa Clara. Cuba.
I visited every town In that province
and was able TO observe the intelli.
gcncc and education there. believe
that the people OF Taynbas province
are In every way superior In cduca-
tIou. intelligence. morals and civiliza-
tion to the people OF Tamnulipas or
Santa Clara.
AS an officer of the army. regret
that my duty ms civil governor OF this
province impcls me TO state the att.
tude of the majority of my fellow OH.
GERS toward civil government In the
islands. and its effect upon the people.
but feel that the interests OF the
government involved and the future of
these people. for whose welfare we
are responsible. are of such vast i'm
portancc that ought to report things
as see and know them, In order that
my civil supcriors may be able intelli-
gently to order what the situation de-
mands."