New-York tribune., 1902-06-23
WHAT HAD TO BE OVERCOME IN PHILIPPINES.
LAWS OFw


Washington, June 22 (SpeciaD-Major Cen
s-aI I.oyd Wheaton's story of the end of con-
osr-ed resistance to American rule in Luzon
e-~r77s part Of enc of the most important and in
=--r1ctive official reports that have ever reached
the War Department. 1t dated Manila.
Nav Is. and arrived in Washington several days
aro His command covered all the northern
islands. his force of 25.162 officers and men oc-
r,,pv5ng more than two hundred stations, scat
tered over OF fifty thousand square
miles He says:
Upon assuming command, last November. ac-
rive irSuTreCtlon Was in operation in the prov
4nces Of CaVite. Batangas. f.aguna and TayabaS.
within the limits of General J Franklin Bells
Third Separate Brigade. The inha bitants of
thase provinces are TagaIos the tribe that has
furnished the political military and diplomatic
leaders for the greater part of the insurrec-
tiOnarE disturbances in the archipelago. The
organizers Of the katipunan and the members
OF the Hong Kong Junta Of conspirators are
mainly from the inhabitants OF the provinces
mentioned, Wllch mad been in inSurrection the
greater part OF the time since 1896. and We're
Yet IN insurrection, after a complete military
occupation by our forces dating from early in
January, 1900
Funds We're furnished the agitators in Hong
Kong and elsewhere from collections in these
insuTreC tiOnary provinces. and the whole ad-
InluisJratiOI OF affairs outside Of the quarters
occupied hy our troops on the ground for the
tine being marched over was under the
tr0i o. the lISurreCtlOnarE brlSandS and que
rillas assuming 10 be patriots. hut in reality
engaged in a system of robbery. enforced by the
reTrors OF assassination The insurrectionary
leaders and chiefs Of guerillas. from their hid
ing places in the mountains and forests With
IN the territorial limits of the Third Brigade
completed a system Of taxation. contribution
and ccnfscation which gave them complete
control their executoners in the vicinity OF
every pueblo and barrio enforcing their man
dates with the dagger, or by burying alive,
-yhl found il convenient those natives
who we're lacking in obedience to their de
nands.
EXACTIONS ENFORCED.
No natives Of the military age were allowed
10 marry, except on the contribution Of ~
pesos or a rifle. One-tenth OF all agricultural
produce was exacteG. Nothing could be
RED To market without paying on the highway
a tax TO an armed collector Toll WAS col
leCted for crossing bridges which had stood
for more than a century and had never been
toll bridges. Brass bands had to contribute
one-half cf their earnings TO the insurrectlon
the municipal police portion OF their wages
and all natives VINO drew a salary or Compensa-
ton from the American Government. a large
portion thereof. Those who rented houses to the
Americans likewise paid a monthly tax There
was a regular per capita tax varying from TWO
pesos 20 - cents. and. in addition. eXtraor-
dinavy contributions were frequently demanded
and collected for the purchase 81 guns. "IlCh
were never obtained Not content with TINS
many subordinate chiefs levied contributions
10 sllpplv their OWN immediate desires ana
those of their commands. The padre regularly
divided church fees and tthes with the m
slrEents, and acted as collector from others de
Taid a regular monthly contribution OF ii2
pesos for. each thousand persons under ms
jurisdiction Taking advantage Of the super
stition of the common people, the leaders dld
not hesitate to profane the cause OF ieilSloi
in order to extract money 10 fill their pockets
4 miraculous image. about the size OF a SIN
inch doll known as the Virgin Of CasaysaY.
ie said 70 have been discovered centuries ago
@oarine along the shores OF Taal IN Jolhl
Of bamboo. As the legend goes, it was IN
stalled by pious Irar IN me saHc.udts .l cd I'd
Casaysay. and has ever since been Nehei e t aoeu
nv the sJIperstitious people as a thing OF mirac
lllous and marvellous power. a native pllest,
one Castillo. abandoning his calllhg' sl"!e tlII7
image and ioined the insurgents in the noun
rains where q majority OF the poor lShpi AM
toIlov-e5 - Worship at its shrine and con-
1-fr,77-a money 10 secure its protective care
The income OF this image has been NarlousIE
estimated but never less than many thousah9
that many similar images were beng usea l
}Z individuals to collect money when was
divided with the insurgents
MYSTERY EMPLOYED.
To render these images valuable, they were
generally sprung upon the natives in some
mysterious way one Jose Rea had an image
manufactured and buried on ms own Iand
Then. securing a lot OF perfume, he sprlnkled
I uron the ground, and had the attention or
natives attracted this perfume News there
- soon spread and brought crowd Of people
l. the SPOT who, digging in the ground, dls-
covered the image. and he used 1t as source OF
cry ablehodied man was subject TO enforced
service. but was released upon payment OF
80 .esos
Regular contributions were collected from
cockpirs and markets. Natives We're secretly
licensed TO gamble in private houses, who not
withstanding the towns were governed by
Americans. did not dare TO gamble without
license. for fear of assassination. Small shops
in the towns regularly paid q license fee 10 in
Surcent collectors. and made frequent con-
rributions upon insurgent demands emma
men were special sufferers from heavy i'm
position. The penalty TO all who resisted their
demands was death These taxes were regu-
lar.v collected by ins1rgent tax collectors, seV-
eral Of whom were in each town and one in
each barriO. Each one was required TO turn IN
2 fixed amount. depending upon the wealth ana
number Of the people collected from IN lhe
majority Of cases these tax collectors were town
officials or -'cabezas'' of barrios, placed in Of
fee Fv the American Government. after taking
an oath Of allegiance, binding them to well
and faithfully perform the duties Of their OF
fees.
In Cavite Province, which has long been un-
der civil control, part of Malvar force was
oraratire under Noriel. San Miguel, Montalon
and Feizardo. In Batangas every town was
supporting regularly organized lnsurgent col
rr1ns In Iaguna Cahaies commanding
guersllas subject 10 Malvars orders. In 1aya-
has also subject 10 Malvar's orders. were nu-
rnerous oflcials and forces. Five thousand
clleriFlas were in the field. Adding to this the
army of collectors, agents. spies, cargadores,
etc. a large percentage OF the people We're
actually serving Malvar and obeylng MS Or
2ers.
SECRET ASSASSINATION.
Any man found rendering service to the
Americans without contributing a large por-
ton OF his compensation TO the lnsurrectlon'
and any citizen who showed friendship Tor
Americans, was marked for secret assasslfa-
ZION.
The insurgent guerilla forces We're in the
provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Iaya
generally located within the jurisdiction OF the
towns TO which they pertained, hidden IN the
all