Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-09
GARDENERS ATTITUDE
CRITICISM BY GEN. WHEATON OF
TAYABAs PROVINCE.
Says That the Governor Was Either
Deceived or Had Not Informed Him
self in Regard to Conditions.

The officials of the War Department are
following with interest the proceedings Of
the investigation at Manila of the
charges preferred by Major Cornelius
Gardener. against the administration of
military affairs in Tayabas. In a recent
report to the War Department. Major GEN
eral Wheaton. commanding the Depart
ment of North Philippines. referred to the
Gardener controversy as follows:
In the province Of Tayabas conditions
were as bad as In any province in Luzon.
The civil governor. Major Cornelius Card
ener, 18th Infantry. had been either de-
ceived or had not informed himself Of the
conditions throughout his province. The
state of affairs IN the town Of Tiaon, as
found upon investigation by officers Of the
Sd Brigade. showed that in May, 1901,
junta. the greater number of the officials
of the town and the insurgents In the vi
cinity being present. decided to send a del
egation to Major Gardener, who was ex-
pected to be in the vicinity, for the purpose
OF organizing town governments. These
delegates of instruction conferred with
Major Gardener and were instructed to
return to Tfaor, and prepare for election.
For the appointve officers of the town
such men were selected as were designated
by the guerrilla leaders. To an insurgent
colonel was allotted the organization of the
police force. The man selected as vice
presidents was appointed fiscal of the
church. collector for the town and contrac-
tor for supplies for the American troops
one half profits going to the insurgents.
Wherever investigation of organization of
municipalities under the civil government
was made. a similar state of affairs was
found to exist. The principal and most
important duty of the police force was to
give the insurgents notice Of the move
ments of the American forces Another
DUTY OF the police in this province was to
ictr1 fnr
officers of the American forces relative
to the operation of guerrillas In Tiaon
insurgent officers and soldiers were in and
about the town whenever they chose to be-
People We're arrested in the outskirts of
the town and turned over to insurgent
forces nearby and murdered Two native
scouts, MacabebeS, sent to Tiaon by Col
onel whit, 9th Cavalry, were taken by the
insurgents and afterwards killed A Fill
Pine was suspected of being friendly to the
Americans, and was captured in the town
taken to nearby river and boloed and his
body thrown into the river in the presence
or a number of people. In the VI
entity of this town of Tiaon there were 27O
rifles in the hands of guerrillas All this
Is reported at some length In order that the
conditions in the insurrectionary provinces
may be understood"
General Wheaton also saws:
In Tayabas the civil governor Major
Gardener has PERSISTED in representing
that no instruction existed in that prov
inCe, and that there were no Gisturbers
of public order abroad except a few la
drones, whose number was belittled [
am led to conclude when the people there
tired of the active instruction the most
of them simply disbanded their companies
hid their guns and entered the puebIos,
resuming normal life without surrend-
ering or taking the oath of allegiance
They never ceased collecting and to JUS
fifty a continuance of this lucrative privf-
lege the leaders apparently left a hand
full of men In the field. The officers of my
command have worked faithfully and con-
scientiously under the weight of much dis
courasement, in the face of annoying op-
position from the provincial governor re-
ferred to. and are deserving of much credit
for the results accomplished"