Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1902-02-07
.GORERNOR TAFT'S Address
GOVERNMENT OF PHILIPPINES
Their Condition Reviewed Befora
senate Committee-ApropO OF a.
ERort to Secure LegisIation ID,
Government of Islands--Commtt.
tee Also Asked for Advice.

Washington, Feb. 3.-The investl
cation into the conditions of the Phi.
ippine archipelago, apropos of the Ell
fort to secure legislation for the gov.
eminent of those islands, was begun by
the senate committee on the Philip.
mines. w. H. Taft, civil governor 81
the archipelago, was the first witness
called. There was full attendance of
the members of the committee, and
Senator Lodge, it's chairman, explained
that the committee desired not only the
fullest information concerning the isl
ands, but any advice that Gov. TAR
might offer concerning the question at
issue.
Gov. Taft opened his remarks by
saying that he had gone to 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 to the Spaniards. Even these were
now being brought over by the pros.
pect of trade, of which they are very
fond.
Describing the COMMISSIONS tour al
the island GOV. Taft gave in detail the
proceedings of the meetings at the va
Y;o,,c rloooc vicitad couipo tbc+
seventeen capitals of the province were
visited on the first tour. At each place
the delegates of the people were met
the prescribed special act was passed
and governor appointed, who was au
thorized to organize municipalities
These provincial governments consist
he explained, of a governor, secretary
superintendent, treasurer and a fs
cal, or prosecuting, attorney.
In all cases where the selection
could be made without arousing jeaE
Jusies, natives had been chosen. All
these appointments are temporary, and
next month their successors will be Sc.
ected. When the factions were too
head of each provincial government. In
I'll 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 trip Of
"a 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, he
said it was peculiar in it's topography,
and previous to 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 100000 (Mexican) only about
$4,000 was left for other expenses
han the payment of salaries Gov
Taft said the commission had had an
interesting experience in trying to re-
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 very rough road. On this
monument there were statues of Wash
ington and Mckinley.
Gov. Taft said it 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, but
the sultans did not always control
thelr datos. The sultan of Mindanao
Is ne said, very poor, but the sovereign
OF the Jolos is thrifty man, who is
constantly trying to increase his in
come and constantly getting into
row about it.