The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-02-07
Philippine Investigators Hear
the Civil Governor Of
the Archipelago.
WORK OF COMMISSION
Nearly All the Provinces Visited, and
Governments Established in 81
Always Well Received by
the Natives.

into the conditions in the Philippines
archipelago apropos of the effort to Sc
cure legislation for the government Of
these islands was begun by the senat
committee on Philippines today. A. w.
Taft, civil governor of the archipelago,
was the first witness called.
There was a full attendance of men,
bers of the committee and senator
Lodge, chairman of the committee, eX-
plalned that the committee desired not
only the fullest Information concerning
the islands, but any advice that Taft
might offer concerning the questions at
issue. Taft began by saying he had
gone to the Philippines in the spring
of 1900, and had visited almost all the
provinces during the past year. He
said in all the Filipino or Christian
provinces there is a form of civil gov
eminent. There are thirty-four of
these provinces. The Moros are all
friendly, except a few who had never
been otherwise than hostile to the
Spaniards. Even these are now being
Drought over by the prospect of trade,
OF WINCH they are very fond.
Tour Of the Island.
Going back to the beginning of the
commissions tour Of the island, Gov
ernor Taft said it had only been after
the reelection of President Mckinley
IA iiiiI SCStllcu IlDe 1OI. Tie GS-
adjustment OF local government in the
Islands. Describing this tour he said
the course was to present to the digni-
tarles of h various places visited an
explanation OF the provincial and mu-
nlclpal acts.
we had some oratory." he said,
from the rear platform of the train,
put generally from the windows Of a
car"
He then gave in detail the proceed
lngs of the meetings at the various
places. visited, saying some seventeen
capitals of the provinces were visited
on the first tour. AT each place dele
gates OF the people were met. the pre-
scribed special act was passed and a
governor appointed who was author
lied to organize municipalities. These
provincial governments consist, he ex-
planned, Of a governor. secretary, sup
s~rintendent n treasurer, and fiscal
or prosecuting attorney.
In all cases where the selection could
be made without arousing jealousies
natives had been chosen. All these
appointments were temporary, and
next month their successors will be
elected. When factions were strong
Americans were placed at the head OF
each provincial government. In al
cases the treasurer and superintendent
were Americans. The commission haG
first giv-n it's attention to the northern
provinces, and in April started south
on a trip Of tifty-four days. They had
been received most cordially every.
where. '#
Filipino Hospitality.
This remark led the witness into
fed discursive remarks upon the sub.
ject of Filipino hospitality. "A Span.
lard" he said, will always tell you
his house is yours, but he does MOI
always mean that you should take
him at his word, but Filipinos will tel
you the same thing. and he always
means what he says. He will turf
his family out and install you in hi.
habitation."
Speaking of the island Of Negroes he
said it was peculiar in it's topography
and previous to the coming of the com
mission there was difficulty in the mat.
ter Of government. There were 81
many officers in the government tina
of $780, 900 lMexican) only about $40, 00(
was left for other expenses than thu
payment Of salaries. Taft said the
commission had an interesting expert
ence in trying to reorganize the prov
ince of Antique, but the people resist,
ed vigorously. He mentioned that a
San Jose, the capital, they displayed {
model Of Liberty Enlightening thu
World, which was twenty feet high
and had been dragged seven miles owe
very rough roads. On his
there were statues of Washington ant
Mckinley. Taft said it had been fount
impossible to put the Filipinos over thu
Moros. They are subject to thei,
datos or chiefs, and refuse to recognize
the authority of the Filipinos. Their
were, he said, two sultans, one il
Mindinao and the other in the Jol'
group, but the su!tans do not Away
control the datos. The sultan Of Min
dinao Is, he said, very poor, but thu
sovereign of Jolos is a thrifty mai
who is constantly trying to increase hi
income, and constantly getting into
row about it.