Bismarck daily tribune., 1902-02-01
Senate Committee. Begins its 1nvesti-
cations into Conditions in the
Philippines. Z.
All the Members OF the Commission
Present at the Opening Session
of the Hearing.
Governor Taft Described at Length
the Work of Instituting Civil
| Government.

.
cation into the conditions in the Phil
ippine archipelago, apropos of the
effort to secure legislation for the
government of those islands, was be.
sun by the senate committee on the
Philippines during the day. W. H,
Taft, civil governor Of the archipelago,
vas the first witness called. There
was a full attendance of members OF
the committee and Senator Lodge,
chairman of the committee, explained
that the committee desired not only
tho fullest information concerning the
islands but any advice that Governor
Taft might offer concerning the ques.
tons at issue. Governor Taft began
by saying that he had gone to the Phil.
ippines in the spring of 1900 and had
visited almost all the provinces dur.
ing the past year. He said that in all
the Filipino Or Christian provinces
there is form of civil government.
There are "a of these provinces. The
Moros are all friendly, except few
who had never been otherwise than
hostile to the Spaniards. Even these
were now being brought over by the
prospect of trade, of which they are
very fond. t}
Going back to the beginning of the
commissions tour of the islands Gov
ernor Taft Said that it had only been
undertaken after the reelection of
President Mckinley, when the time
seemed ripe for the establishment of
local government in the islands. De-
scribing this tour he said the course
was to present to the dignitaries of the
various places visited an explanation
of the provincial and municipal acts.
''We had some oratory," he said,
from the rear platform of the train.
but generally from the windows of the
cars.% 80
Provincial Government Instituted.
He then gave in detail the proceed
iEgs Of the meetings at the various
places visited, saying that some IT
capitals of the provinces were visited
on the first tour. At each place the
delegates of the people were met, the
prescribed special act was passed and
a governor appointed, who was au-
thorized to organize municipalities.
These provincial governments consist,
he explained, of a governor, secretary,
superintendent, treasurer. and a fiscal
or prosecuting attorney. In all cases
where the selection could be made
without arousing jealousies, natives
had been chosen. All those appoint
ments are temporary and next month
their successors will be elected
When the factions were too strong
Americans were placed at the head of
nh So1 o,,t Tvo
cases the treasurer and superintend-
ent were Americans. ~
The commission had first given its
attention to the northern provinces
and in April started south on trip of
50 days: They had been received most
cordially everywhere. This remark
led the witness into few discursive
remarks upon the subject of Filipino
hospitality. The Spaniard, he said,
will alwayr tell you that his house is
yours. but he does not always mean
that you should take him at his word,
but the Filipino will tell you the same
thing and he always means what he
says. He will turn his family out and
install you in his habitation."
Governor Taft said it had been found
impossible to put Filipinos over the
Moros. They are subject to their da-
tos or chiefs and refuse to recognize
the authority of a Filipino. There
were, he said, two sultans, one in Min
danao and the other in the Jolo group,
but the sultans do not always control
their datos. .s.,
I, In reply to Senator Hale Governor
Taft said that no effort had been made
( to extend the civil government of the
United States to the Moro provinces
beyond making a few suggestions
bearing upon the revenue laws.