Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-11-06

CAPT. ROCKWELL ABROAD
Interesting story Of Conditions in the
Orient.
Capt. B. Rockwell Of junction City
returned last week from . trip to the
Philippines and China whore he has
been the guest Of bis brother-in.law,
General Chaifee. OF his trip and the
conditions in the East be says:
returned on the Transport Logan.
landing at San Francisco Oct. IS,
having been on board ship seventy
days, since July l. On the Logan
were Gen. Fred Grant and Col. Cod
frey, 9th cavalry, and officers and
men Of two s~quadrons Of the 9th cav
airy, 200 casuals, l75 sick, a number
of volunteer surgeons coming home
for muster out and q number Of ladies
and children. l spent most Of Aug
ust in Manila. During that time
went with General Chaffee to the
southern Philippines, stopping of at
nearly all the military posts on the
~seacoast, including Iloilo, Zamboanga,
Cebu, Ilegan, Jolo and Batangas; met
many old friends who we're satisfied
with their stations and duties, still
were waiting rather impatiently for
orders to return to the United States.
All SO expressed themselves, except
General Bell, former ad%jutant 7th
cavalry, who wished TO remain q few
months longer to see that the people
Of bis province were relieved from
distress, caused by shortage Of crops
and death Of cattle, a disease having
! swept off many caribous. Among
the formerly Of Fort Riley" were
Generals Wade and Sumner, Colonels
Wallace and Godfrey, Major West,
and Captains Marshall, Fuller and
Arnold. l also met Major Whitman
and Lieut.. Enslow. formerly Of the
goth Kansas. At each post q recep.
ton was given General Chaffee and
party. l had an opportunity Of see.
ing q little Of the country outside the
cities and some Of the natives.
The population Of the islands Of
Mindenso and Sulu 10 almost entirely
Malay. In 800 years in these islands
the Spaniards were safe SO long as
they remained inside their guard
lines. The same is also true Of our
troops who as yet have not gotten to
the interior so far as the Spaniards.
1t will certainly be some years before
the Malays will entirely submit to
our control, and in the meantime
they will resist us with force. 1t is
said that some Of the tribes are con.
stantly at war with each other. In
the balance Of the Philippine Islands
there has Of late been little trouble,
and the civil authorities have asked
for a reduction Of U. S. troops to IS,
900, which is being rapidly made.
There is no doubt but Gov. Taft
and Lieut.. Gov. Wright are making
every effort possible for the welfare
Of these people and are as well quail.
flied for their herculean task as any
gentleman who could be sent there.
They are at work night and day earn
estly and intelligently. The mater.
ial they have to work upon is about
the lowest grade in the world, SINH.
lar to the Poems in Old Mexico, not to
be compared with the Chinese or Jap
anese, being far below either phys
ically and mentally. would be glad
to sell the Philippines to Japan. A
prominent memb Der OF our legation at
Toxic told me he thought Japan
would buy them. II this cannot be
done we must keep them, and in time
their condition will improve. The
majority care little who governs them
so that the government is honest,
strong and capable Of protecting
them from outsiders and each other.
A stable government the Filipinos
could not maintain. The M~accabebes
and ~Ilocanos in the north, and the
Malays in the south have always
hated and have been hostile and at
war with the Tagalogs.
The influence Of the Anglo Saxon
and English-speaking people is for
good, and better than that Of any
other nation, and a score Of years
under American rule will greatly i'm