New-York tribune., 1902-02-15
GOV. TAFT HEARD AGAIN
MORE LIGHT ON PHILIPPINE
AFFAIRS.
PROGRESS TOWARD PACIFICATIoN DE-
sCRIBED-LARGE REDUCTION
OF FORCE POSSIBLE.
IBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TR1BUxE.J

pine Committee, discussing the progress made
in the pacifed provinces toward ins tituting
native control and native administration. He
described at length the code of laws prepared
by the commission. and said it's application had
met with general native approval He also
praised the work of the Filipino consta bulary
and gave 1t as his opinion that the strength of
the American forces in the islands could soon be
reduced even below the level of 81, 800 re-
Gently fixed maximum by the War Depart
ment Governor Taft will testify again to-
morrow.
ONLY THREE UNPACIFIED PROVINCES.
Governor Tart began his statement to-day
with the intention of discussing the degree of
tranquility in the pacifed provinces which, he
said, included all the provinces except Tabayas
Samar and Batangss.
Senator Lodge asked as to the means used
for maintaining tranquility The reply involved
review Of the legal system of the islands. at
present, as under the military government, and
also under Spanish rule. Governor Taft said
that IN June Of last year the commission passed
an act organizing judiciary system for the
entire archipelago, creating a supreme court Of
seven justices and fourteen 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 a
bench OF the courts of first instance in the
districts six presided over by native Fill
-pinos and the others by Americans
. The Governor said that Judge Ide. of the COM
mission, had prepared the code OF laws Of the
islands. and the labor had been severe that
It materially damaged his health This code
includes the treason act. There is provision
for jury, 80 per cent of the people are
too ignorant to sit on jury. And I bound
70 add he went on, that the difficulty Of
lecting judges who are above reproach makes 1t
certain that the selection of jures would lead
TO nothing but corruption and injustice. We
trying to lead up to the jury system, but the
Filipino mind IS such to render the average
Filipino incapable of looking impartially upon
a question involving the rights of two persons.
There was no jury system under Spanish rule"
3 Governor Taft said that in the matter Of
rest and imprisonment of Filipinos who had
been in Insurrection. but who had later surren-
dered, there had been some unquestioned trench
ing on the functions of the civil authorities by
the military forces.
DISTRUST OF NATIVE TROOPS.
Senator Culberson asked whether there is any
part of the archipelago the control of which
could be trusted TO native troops, and the Gov
ernor replied that he did not think it would be
advisable. Il should not like 10 have the re-
sponsibility of recommending such a course"
he said. ''The experiment never has been tried,
but in a country so recently in insurrection I
should say that to put thousand rifles in the
hands of a thousand natives would not be wise"
do you mean to say that the attachment
OF the natives for America is slender that II
would not be safe to intrust the control of any
section to native troops, with native of1cers?"
asked Senator Burrows.
"The presence of a native regiment, under the
control of native officers, in my opinion. would
give rise to opportunities to the commander
TO lead the tribes into ladronisrn insurrec-
ton, and would, therefore, S I have said. be
unwise," Governor Taft replied.
How would II be with native troops under
American officers"
st have not the slightest doubt that with
American officers the native troops would be
entirely loyal"
REDUCTION OF FORCE POSSIBLE.
Senator Culberson asked as to the necessity
Of keeping as many thirty thousand Ameri-
can troops in the islands. and the Governor re-
piled that Captain Allen estimated that with
all the provinces pac6ed fifteen thousand Amer
3can troops would be sufficient. For himself.
ne thought It would be desirable to continue
small detachments Of troops at convenient
points all over the islands for the purpose Of
preventing disorder and violence and serving
rs a moral restraint.
Senator Lodge said that the Secretary of War
had informed him that when the present gen.
eral orders are carried into effect there will be
left in the islands 1.125 officers and 26, ,234 en-
listed
Speaking Of the general condition Of the paci-
fed provinces, Governor Taft said that in all
these provinces the people are going about their
usual avocations In one province not a hostile
shot had been fired for two years.
''Is il true that under existing law they are
not at liberty to advocate an Independent or
separate form OF government" asked Senator
Cuberson-
mo. they are not" replied Governor Taft.
Senator Patterson asked how the people had
been made peaceabe in the first place-whether
this result had not been accomplished by first
battering them with the military and then
demonstrating to them by the acts of the COM
mission the benefits OF American methods.
The reply was that not only the civil govern
nent, but the military forces had sought to
impress the advantage OF American rule. Peace
had been secured by crushing out the guerilla
warfare which had had the effect OF establish
Ing system of terrorism with which the peo-
pie in general did not sympathiZe That, how
ever. the people generally, at least in some
provinces did not sympathize with the insur-
rection he would not attempt to say.