The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-04-05
GEN. NILES PLAN
MEETS DISAPPROVAL.
Congress Furnished with Correspondence Be-
tween Secretary Root and Lieutenant Gen.
eral Relative to Latter's Suggestion
for Ending Philippine War.

ecessors end the conduct of civil affairs
by Gov. Taft and his associates In the Phil
ippine commission. have been able and
successful. Much more rapid progress has
been made toward the complete acceptance
of American sovereignty. the restorat ion
of peace and the establishment OF civil
government than we had any right to an
ticipate when the treaty Of Paris was rati-
fed The plan proposed In the within pa
per involves practically superseding the
officers mentioned In the control which they
now exercise. Not only Is this without
justification in their conduct, but should
regard II as a most unfortunate Interior
ence with the present satisfactory prog
ress. There have been exceedingly full,
extended and long continued consultation
and counsel between the government Of the
United States and the leaders of opinion
among the insurrectionary Filipinos. re-
sulting In a full understanding and most
friendly feeling between by far the greater
part of the Filipino people and ourselves.
and a participation by many members OF
the Aguinaldo government in the civil gov
eminent under American sovereignty.
IT append hereto list of % officers of
the insurrectionary government who now
hold positions Of trust under our govern
ment. Aguinaldo himself has taken the
position OF earnestly urging his country
men to accept our sovereignty. and most
Of them have already followed his advice.
cit Is not perceived that any additional
benefit would be obtained by taking dele
cations of Cubans and Porto Ricans to the
Philippines or by bringing delegations
from the Philippines to the United
States, In advance Of the choice of official
delegates provided for by the bill now
pending In congress. the other hand, 1t
would be very difficult to keep such pro-
ceeding free from spectacular and sensa-
tional features. which would be injurious.
| 1T Is not the fact that the warfare In
the Philippines has been conducted with
marked severity; on the contrary. the war
| fare has been conducted with marked hui
| mainly and magnanimity on the part OF the
"ELIHU ROOT.
Secretary of War;"
| President SubscrIbes His Approval.
| Conclusions of the secretary Of war are
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT
white House, March 6. 1902"
| Then follows the list Of % officers Of the
insurrectionary government who now hold
| positions Of trust under our government
| Subsequent Correspondence.
Following the letters Of Lieut.. Gen. Miles
and that Of Secretary Root in transmitting
the same to the president. is a mass Of mat
| ter consisting of a reply from Lieut. Gen.
Miles received by Secretary Root, and q
| lengthy review by the latter covering prac-
| tically the same points of objection made
L
| tary Root to the president disappearing
Lieut. Gen. Miles proposal. In addition
Secretary Root brings out the following
point:
The reference In the memorandum to
| the letter of Gov. Taft to the secretary OF
war. dated February 7; 1902. Is to letter
transmitting. for the purpose of an In
vestigation by the military authorities. a
report by the civil governor OF the province
OF Tayabas. containing in general terms
q Nd xnrlth 4..N - al
Gus charges against the military admins
tration In that province and against the
conduct OF the army generally In Its rela-
lions to the civil government. This report
was on the 18th Of February sent to Gen.
Chanee with the following direction:
| There Is so much contained In this re-
port rejecting not only upon officers Of the
army, but the general conduct of affairs
and the administration Of the military
branch OF the government, that the secre-
tary Of war desires you to cause careful
inquiry to be made concerning these state
ments and II they be found true that the
necessary administrative and disciplinary
measures be applied to correct these evils,
and also to make a full report of the in
vestigation herein directed as soon as pos
sible.'
Regrets Action of Miles.
There has not yet been time for the
report to be made. and the direction for the
investigation can only Just now have
reached Manila. It is to be regretted thai
the officer of the highest rank In the army
should assume the truth Of charges reflect
ing upon the credit Of the army in advance
Of the investigation which has been or
dered, and without giving Gen. Chaffee,
upon whose particular command the
charges reflect. an opportunity to be heard.
Gov. Taft's letter shows that the civil
governor Of the Philippines was unwilling
to accept the charges as true without an
Investigation.