Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-19
RESCUED THE NATIVES
Gen. Wheaton Reports Result
Of His Operations.
INSURGENT .EXACTIONS
HAD TERRORIZED THE FILL
PINos.
Freed From Tyranny by the American
Troops, to Whom High
Praise is Given.

The report of Gen Lloyd Wheaton, COM
handing the department Of North Philip
pines. dated Manila, May 6, 1902, has been
received by the War Department. His
forces numbered 25,162, occupying more
than 200 stations over area of more than
$4,000 square miles
Upon assuming command of the depart
ment active Instruction was in operation
in the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, La
guna and Tayabas, according to Gen. Whea-
ton The inhabitants of these provinces
arc Tagalos, the tribe that has furnished
the political, military and diplomatic lead
ers for the greater part of the fnsurrectlon-
airy disturbances in the archipelago. The
organizer of the Kayipunan and the mem
bers of the Hong Kong junta of conspira-
tors are mainly composed from the 1nhablt-
ants Of the provinces mentioned, Whch
had been in Instruction the greater part
of the time since 1896, and were yet in in
surrection after a complete military occu-
patton by our forces, dating from early in
January, 1900. Gen. Wheaton continues:
Tyranny Of the Insurgents.
Funds were furnished the agitators in
Hong Kong and elsewhere from collections
in these insurrectionary provinces, and the
whole administration of affairs outside of
the quarters occupied by our troops or the
ground for the time being marched over
was under the control of the Instruction
diS DIfSdHuS anu SuciIilidS dSSuilii6 ~ NC
patriots but In reality engaged in a sys-
tenn of robbery, enforced by the terrors of
assassination. The insurrectionary lead
ers and chiefs of guerrillas, from their hid
Ing places in the mountains and forests
within the territorial limits of the Sd Bri-
gade, completed a system Of taxation, con-
tribution and confiscatio which gave them
complete control their eXecutioners in the
vicinity of every pueblo and barrio enforc
ing their mandates with the dagger by
burying alive, when they found 1t conven-
lent, those natives who were lacking in
obedience to their demands.
Exactions From Natives.
mo natives of the military age were al
lowed to marry except on the contribution
of thirty pesos a rifle. One-tenth Of all
agricultural produce was exacted. Nothing
could be carried to market without paying
on the highway a tax to an armed collector.
Toll was collected for crossing bridges
which had stood for more than century
and had never been toll bridges. Brass
bands had to contribute one-half their earn
ings to the instruction, the municipal po-
lice a portion of their wages and all natives
who drew a salary compensation from
the American government q large portion
thereof. Those who rented houses to the
Americans likewise paid a monthly tax.
There was a regular per capita tax varying
from pesos to so cents, and in addition
extraordinary contributions were frequent
ly demanded and collected for the purchase
of guns, which were never obtained. Not
content with this, many subordinate chiefs
levied contributions to supply their own
immediate designs and those of their COM
mands. The padre regularly divided church
acted collector from others. He paid
regular monthly contribution Of one peso
and half for each thousand persons under
his jurisdiction. Taking advantage of the
superstition Of the common people, the
leaders did not hesitate to profane the
cause of religion in order to extract money
to fill their pockets.
Using Bogus Images.
"a miraculous image about the size Of
6-inch doll. known as the Virgin Of Casay-
say, Is said to have been discovered CEN
turtles ago floating along the shores of Taal
in a joint Of bamboo AS the legend goes,
1t was installed by pious friar in the sane
tuary Of Casaysay and has ever since been
venerated by the superstftious people as a
thing of miraculous and marvellous power.
A native priest, one Castillo, abandoning
his calling, stole this image and joined the
insurgents in the mountains, where a ma
jority of the poor 'ignorantes' followed to
worship at it's shrine and contribute money
to secure its protective care. The income
of this image has been VariouSly esti-
mated, but never less than many thousand
pesos per annum. 1t was soon ascertained
that many similar images were being used
by individuals to collect money, which was
divided with the insurgents.
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 his
own land. Then securing a lot of perfumes
he sprinkled 1t upon the ground and had
the attention Of natives attracted to this
perfume News thereof soon spread and
brought crowd of people to the spot, who,
digging in the ground, discovered the image
and used it as source of revenue for him
self and the insurrection. Every ablebodied
man was subject to enforced service but
of
Death the Penalty of Resistance.
Regular contributions were collected
from cockpits and markets. Natives we're
secretly licensed to gamble in private
houses, who, Notwithstanding the towns
were governed by Americans, did not dare
to gamble without license, for fear of assas-
sfnation. Small shops in the towns regu-
larry paid license fee to insurgent collect
ors and made frequent contributions upon
insurgent demands. Cinnamon were spe-
cial sufferers from heavy imposition The
penalty to all who resisted their demands
was death- Ihese taxes were regularly col
lected by insurgent tax collectors, several
of whom were in each town and one in
each barrio Each one was required to
turn In fixed amount. depending upon the
wealth and number of the people collected
from. In the majority Of cases these tax
collectors were town officials or 'cabezas' of
barrios placed in office by the American
government after taking an oath Of allie
glance binding them to well and faithfully
perform the duties Of their Offices
Gen. Wheaton continues: "All this is re-
ported at some length in order that the
conditions in the insurrectionary provinces
may be understood
Caused by Unwise Forbearance.
This condition is without parallel III the
history of any country long occupied by
an invading and conquering army. It was
brought about by the kindness and forbear-
ance of my predecessors In the command
of these provinces. They had been en-
deavoring to suppress Instruction by the
occupation Of the principal towns, by
marching the troops to every place whore