The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-15
Jury System Not Yet Introduced Be-
cause FiIipinos Have Not Been
Educated Up to Ii.
ARMY MAY SOON BE REDUCED
FIFTEEN THOUSAND SUFFICIENT
WHEN ISLANDS ARE PACIFIED.
Questions by Senators Patterson and
CuIberson That Were Promptly
Answered by the Governor.

WASHINGTON, Feb. H.-Governor Taft,
of the Philippines. to-day continued his
statement before the Senate committee on
the Philippines concerning conditions in the
islands. with the intention of discussing the
degree Of tranquility in the pacified prov
inces, which, he said, included all the prov
inces except Tabayas. Samar and Batan-
gas. Senator Lodge asked as TO the means
for maintaining tranquility. The reply in
voved review of the legal system of the
islands at present as under the military
government and also under the Spanish
rule. Governor Taft said that in June of
last year the commission had passed an act
authorizing a system of judiciary for the
entire archipelago, creating a Supreme
Court of seven justices and creating four
teen districts. On the Supreme Court bench
there are. he said, three natives and four
Americans, and he believed that any State
would be satisfied with such bench. OF
the courts of first instance in the district
six are presided over by native Filipinos
and the others by Americans.
Governor Taft said that Judge Ide, of the
commission. had prepared the code OF laws
of the islands and that the labor had been
so severe it materially damaged his health.
This code includes the treason act. There
is no provision for jury, as 30 per cent. of
the people are too ignorant to sit on a jury.
And l am bound to add" he went on,
that the\difficulty of selecting judges who
are above reproach makes it certain that
the selection of juries would lead to moth
ing but corruption and injustice We are
trying TO lead up to the jury system but
ErillDinO ind ia !,
average Filipino incapable of looking i'm
partially on question involving the rights
OF two persons. There was no jury system
under the Spanish"
Governor Taft said that in the matter of
the arrest and Imprisonment of Filipinos
who had been in insurrection, but who had
later SURRENDERED. there had been some I'M
questioned trenching on the functions of
the civil authorities by the military forces
Senator CulbersOn asked whether there is
any part of the archipelago the control of
which could be trusted to native troops.
and the witness replied that he did not
think it would be advisable IT should not
like to have the responsibility of recon-
mending such a course. he said. 1.-The ex-
pertinent never has been tried but in a
country so recently in insurrection | should
say that to put thousand rifles in the
hands of thousand natives would not be
wise
AN UNWISE MOVE
Senator Burrows-Do you mean 10 say
that the attachment of the natives for
America is slender that it would not be
safe to intrust the control of any section
to native troops with native officers?
Governor Taft-The presence of a native
regiment under the control of native Off
GERS, in my opinion. would give rise to i'm
portunities to the commander TO lead the
tribes into ladronism or Instruction and
would, therefore, as / have said, be I'M
wise
How would it be with native troops
Il have not the slightest doubt that, with
American officers, the native troops would
be entirely loyal"
Senator Culberson questioned the witness
as to the necessity of keeping as many as
10000 American troops in the islands, and
the latter replied that Captain Allen esti-
mates that with all the provinces pacified
1900 American troops would be sufficient
For himself. he thought it would be de-
slraDle 10 continue small attachments of
troops al convenient points all over the
islands for the purpose of preventing dis
order and violence and serving as moral
restraint.
In this connection Senator Lodge stated
that the secretary of war had informed him
that when the present general orders are
carried into effect there will be left in the
islands $50 officers and 1924 enlisted men
Speaking of the general condition of the
pacified provinces Governor Taft said that
in all these provinces the people are going
about their usual vocations. In one prov
ince not hostile shot had been fired for
two years.
Senator Culberson-IS 1T true that under
existing law they are not at liberty to adj
vocate an Independent or a separate form
of government?
mo, they are not"
Senator Patterson asked how the people
had been peaceable in the first place
whether this result had not been accom-
plished by first battering them with the
military and then demonstrating TO them
by the acts of the commission the benefits
of American methods The reply was that
not only the civil government, but the mill
tary forces, had sought to impress the ad-
vantage of American rule. Peace had been
secured by crushing out the guerrilla war
fare, which had had the effect of establish
ing a system of terrorism, with which the
people in general did not sympathize. That.
however. the people generally. at least in
some provinces, did not sympathize with
the insurrection he would not attempt to