Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1902-02-07
GOVERNOR 1AFT'S ADDRESS
GOVERNMENT OF PHILIPPINES.
Their Condition Reviewed. Before
senate Coss ssttsee--Apsopos Of the
FG"ss 60 secure Legis1asios fos
6Ovepnm~st of gsiAnds-Commis-
tee Also Asked for Advice.

tee AtsO Aake0 Tor A0vece.
Washington. Feb. 3.-The investi-
CATION into the conditions Of the Phil
ippihe archipelago. apropos OF the ef-
fort to secure legislation for the gov
eminent OF those islands. was begun by
the senate committee on the Philip
pines. w. ii. Taft. civil governor Of
called. There was full attendance Of
the members Of the committee. and
Senator Lodge. its chairman. explained
that the committee desired not only the
fullest information concerning the isl
anae, hat any advice that Gov. Taft
might offer concerning the question at
Issue.
Gov. Taft opened his remarks by
saying that he had gone 10 the Philip
pines in the spring OF 1900. and had
visited almost all the provinces during
the past year He said that In all the
Filipino. or Christian provinces. there
Is form OF civil government. There
are thirty-four OF these provinces. The
Moros are friendly except a few. who
have never been otherwise than hos
tile tn the Spaniards. Even these were
now helng brought over by the pros
pect OF trade. OF which they are very
fond
| Describing the commissions tour OF
the island GOV Taft gave In detail the
proceedings OF the meetings at the va
rinus places visited. saying that some
seventeen capitals Of the province were
visited on the first tour. At each place
the delegates OF the people were met.
the prescribed special &C: vas passed,
and q governor appointed, who was au-
thorized to organize municipalities.
These provincial governments consist.
he explained. OF a governor, secretary.
superintendent. treasurer and q Ms
cal. or prosecuting. attorney.
In all cases where the selection
could be made without arousing jeai.
ousies. natives had been chosen. All
these appointments are temporary. and
next month their successors will be Sc
lected. When the factions were too
strong Americans were placed at the
head Of each provincial government In
all cases the treasurer and superin-
tendent were Americans.
The commission had first given Its
attention to the northern provinces.
and In April started south on a trip OF
81 days. They had been received most
cordially everywhere. This remark led
the witness into a few discursive re-
marks upon the subject OF Filipino hos
pitality.
Speaking OF the island OF Negros, no
, said II was peculiar In its topography.
, and previous 10 the coming OF the com.
, mission there was difficulty In the mat
. ter Of government There were SO
, many officers In the government that
, OF the 5000 900 tMexican) only about
!. $40. 900 was left for other expenses
! than the payment OF salaries. Gov.
Taft said the commission had had an
/, interesting experience In trying to re-
a organize the province OF Antique. but
that the people resisted vigorously. He
mentioned that at San Jose the capital
they displayed model OF liberty en-
: tightening the world which was twenty
feet high. and had been dragged seven
miles over a very rough road On this
monument there were statues OF Wash
: ington and Mckinley.
Gov Taft said II had been found i'm
:, possible TO put Filipinos over the
: Moros. They are subject to their datos
|, or chiefs. and refuse To recognize the
: authority OF Filipino There was. he
said. two sultans. one In Mindanao
, and the other In the Jolo group. blu,
the snltans did not always control
!, their datos The sultan OF Mindanac
Ia he said. very poor. but the sovereign
OF the Jolos IL thrifty man. who II
constantly trying to increase his In
come. and constantly getting into 1
nh