New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-03
THE PHILIPPINE INQUIRY.
COMMITTEE TO CALL WITNESSES OF
MASSACRE AND WATER CURE"
ACTION REGARDING MAJOR GARDENER
Neutrality-suspicious. TESTIMONY
FROM GENERAL MACARTHUR.

Washington. May 2.-The Senate Committee
on the Philippines in executive session to-day
agreed al the request of Senator Rawlins, to
summon Corporal William J. Gibbs, now at
Springfield. Mass. he having been an eye wit
ness of the massacre of Balangiga. the Senator
said; also DR.. A. L. Parker. of New Hampshire
who is said to have been witness OF the
water cure" The committee reconsidered Its
action Of yesterday in deciding to ask the
War Department to have Major Cornelius
Gardener brought from the Philippines TO Wash
ington in advance Of his regiment, in order 10
testify before the committee. 1t was said that
at last accounts Major Gardener had not filed
the specifications to sustain the charges made
by him as Governor of Tayabas Province, as
directed by the Secretary of War. and that 1t
was not considered desirable to bring him from
the islands before that order had been obeyed
1t was further said that inquiry as to the status
of this matter had been made by cable. and 1t
decided to suspend action until a response
could be secured.
General Macarthur was examined to-day by
Senator Culberson. of Texas, in a rather ironical
vein. The general had referred to the advan-
tage of planting republican institutions in the
islands.
Mr. Cu!berson asked If the Declaration of In
dependence ard the constitution We're not the
foundation of Republican institutions. General
Macarthur answered that the whole constitu-
tional history of the country, with the preceding
English history. together with the Declaration
OF Independence and the constitution, had to be
considered. Mr.. Culberson took up each of the
principles OF republican institutions free speech.
free press, Self-goYernment, trial by jury etc,
and asked how far these had been established in
the Philippines AS to free speech, General Mac
Arthur said he had told the Filipinos that If
they would give him their guns they could have
a mass meeting on every corner. He said SOL
ders We're Quartered in private houses in
cident TO This led 10 a discussion OF
whether war was in existence General Mac
Arthur insisted that there had been a great up
heaval. and the ground swell still apparent
some of the incidents Of continuing even
after the pacfcation of q locality.
Senator Culberson went through most of the
Bill of Rights, his questions seeking to develop
that the fundamental rights had not been inn
planted in the islands
General Macarthur maintained, however that
all the fundamental rights except trial by jury
and the right 10 bear arms were in operation 80
far as the conditions would permit He read
proclamation he had issued specifying most of
the constitutional rights.
Mr.. CulbersOn drew attention 10 General Mac
Arthur's prohibition of slavery. and asked if
slavery did not in reality exist. The general
said Ii was not slavery in the sense understood
In this country. It was more a tenantry and
he had no doubt II would be eradicated without
difficulty. The buying and selling Of slaves. such
sytsem loose that some Of the dattos
were voluntarily manumitting their slaves
Senator PattisOn questioned General MaCAr-
thur as TO his preventing Palermo from making
a speech at the banquet in Manila. The general
said the speech contained differences OF Fill
pino independence and that Palermo had sug-
gested small Filipino flag be used as well as
the United States flag.