The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-01-15
GUN RULE In
PHILIPPINES.
Military Men Think It Bet
ter for the Islands.
FINE NOT RIPE FOR CIVIL Law,
Respect Display Of Power aud
Love Ccrcmouy--HHd Never Heard
of America-ThOught Spain the
Largest and Most Powerful Nation
in WOrId-HcritaEc Of Incidence.

Army officers in the Philippines are not
rs hopeful OF the early paciication or
hose fnsuIar possessions of the United
States as are the home enthusiasts, who
have only made a study or the conditions
existent there from a viewpoint OF 1900
niles.
While the men in the field unanimously
agree that the value Of the archipelago
IS inestimable and that our retention OF
chem is. the best thing that could have
happened for the development OF the coun-
Try, they are not inclined to be as san
guine OF the early development as the
sivi government partisans-
Had Never Heard OF America
It is not generally understood in the
United States that before the advent of
the Americans very few of the natives
were aware Of the existence Of such
continent as America. The biographies
supplied the young Filipino by the Span
iards contained maps showing the British
Isles 10 be small affairs off the coast of
Europe. Russia to be a rather isolated
province adjoining Spain, Germany some
what similar. while the Kingdom Of Spain
covered nearly the whole OF Europe and
Africa and maintained its flag on many
islands OF the sea. Asia was the only
other continent shown on this map. and
Spain ow1red a large portion OF that. so
the map alleged.
With this misinformation before them
all the time il is small wonder that the
innocent youth of the islands were i'm
pressed with the greatness Of the king
dom by which they were dominated, or
that they are ignorant at this moment Of
the real greatness Of the new nation
which has taken possession of the land
and which seeks to better the condition
Of all the inhabitants. Their ignorance is
pitiable. AS a general officer who has
been there for three years says, in a let
ter to q friend,
Their Greatest Opportunity
when the Ieayen has leavened the
lump political sufficiently it may dawn on
these foolish people that the wisdom and
justice Of American methods is worth at
least 50 cents on the dollar, and that the
greatest possibility Of their lives is right
up against them I preach TO them a good
deal about the imposs-Sility Of the Amer
iC-l5 going away from the islands, even
s. I'D that ever be contemplated. until
peace is fully assured and good govern
ment established; that some other nation
harder headed or hardar-handed than the
Americans would down them in a minute;
that they are as free and Independent this
minute as any people ought TO be; they
elect their own town officers and walk
around in public with the most utter dis
regard for wearing apparel, and nobody
jugs tkem if they occasionally discard
their ffght raiment."
Business Improving Daily.
Continuing, ne says American money
IS Iavishly expended; business is improv-
jng daily, the school teachers are thick
ening up every day teaching the natives
that this is a hen and altogether the
picture should be quite rosy. and II it
isn't they can paint any old color in
the shop and the Americans. knowing
their business Of house-cIeaning. viii 90
right along on the main track and the
dummies can get on the side and see US 90
by
Il have rustled with this cocoanut-oiI
proposition 50 long under cover Of 'benev-
olcnt assimilation that now and then my
mental gun gets full Of bird shot. and I
want to develop the charge up against
their general stupidity. But presume
We shall have TO worry along until they
are fully exploited.
a Man, n Gun. and 100 Natives.
Il do not believe the majority Of the
people are in favor Of holding a la &c
army over here just for fun. though 81. 900
for five years IS a fair estimate, and nee
essary to see that the leaders keep their
hands and minds away from offences
against the establishment OF proper gov
eminent One leader with a gun can
cOerce a huHHred natives any time. and
thousands Of them need very little force
10 convince a mind (which they don't pos
sess) that a ladrone can sometimes got
a living Tor nothing even If he has TO hang
for il in due course OF time"
This sentiment and similar ones have
been constantly expressed by the veter-
ans In the field. as well as the conviction
that civil rule began a generation too
early. In another letter the same officer
said
Before we had civil rule applied one
man with a gun could keep a hundred
natives at work all day long; not so much
from their fear of the weapon as their
respect for the display Of power and their
love Of ceremony. Nov. when you call
them to come 10 work maybe they come
and maybe they don't. this depending en-
tirely upon their inclination at the time.
Not Used TO Having Money.
They have not yet got used to being
paid for what they do, and most Of them
Immediately spend their money for fight
Ing cocks or similar valuable assets. They
never had any money before in their
lives. and they we're beaten II they did
not work. The change has been too
much for their weak brains, and IL Will be
a long time before they have grown used
10 &c.
Their laziness IS the heritage OF a
hundred generations bred in this tropIc
climate, and they are not 50 much TO be
blamed az 90 be pitied. Heat OF not the
Americans cannot adopt their lethargy.
and this is the main reason why so many
Of Us are overcome by the climate Two
years is generally enough for d white man
out here"
Death OF millionaire Brewer.
PATERSON Y I Ian 75-pb1fv 10