New-York tribune., 1902-01-30

A. Burlingame Johnson, formerly United
States Consul at Annoy China, was during his
official term located at point in China which Is
in closer touch with the Philippines than any
other port in China and is. in fact, the only
port between which and the Philippines reg
ular lines of steamers ply Practically all the
Chinese in the Philippines are from this port
and these Chinese disseminated over the
entire group of islands. They mingle with the
natives intermarry with them and finance the
little villages enabling the natives first to grow
their crops and then to find markets for them
when grown. Because of these relations be-
tween the Chinese and the natives much valu-
able information as to the existence of pros
pective outbreaks was disclosed to Mr.. Johnson
in his official capacity by wealthy Chinese.
whose agents still remain in the Philippines,
and who anxious to prevent outbreaks,
which always have resulted in great loss TO
them. This knowledge extremely useful in
the early stages of the insurrection
A Tribune reporter sought out Mr.. Johnson
at the Hotel Imperial yesterday. and asked him
if he had read the recently published criticisms
of the administrations course in the islands
and the descriptions of the alleged unsatisfac-
tory conditions existing there.
Indeed 1 have" replied Mr.. johnson, "and
have hesitation in describing them as false
and misleading whether ignorantly or inten-
tionaly 1 shall not undertake to say. but
certainly without justification. The facts
given. perhaps. are true. were true. but not
as applied to the present time. Incidents are
cited of current happening which took place
one and two years ago. For example. a terri
BILE story is told of the burying alive of friendly
natives in the village of Tay-Tay, the impress
sion left being that it was of recent occurrence.
AS matter of fact. the insurgents committed
this horrible crime in 1900. Other incidents of
ten. twelve and eighteen months ago are skill
fully woven into the narrative without dates.
and leave entirely false impressions on the mind
of the reader"
THE ACTUAL CONDITIONS.
What are the actual conditions in the islands
as you have observed them personality"
Let preface my answer by saying that
have made a careful personal study of the situ-
alton. without bias prejudice with view to
Eet at the actual conditions, and with the ad-
vantage of long personal familiarity with the
country and it's people. have made numerous
tri7s through the islands. having visited them
every year since the American possession, and
studied the matter for the purpose of making
reports, and believe that l am reasonably IA
miliar with the situation as it exists.
IF you will take map of the islands and
draw line east from Manila across Luzon, you
will find that the portion north of this line COM
prises roughly about twO-thirds of the area OF
the island This is the richest and most popu-
Ious part of the island, and is entirely paciied.
There are no insurgents north of Manila. The
natives have never been peaceful and the
country never has been quiet to-day. An
American can go anywhere there through the
country unarmed and alone. 1 was up there in
the latter part of September, north of Manila, in
the interior, and everywhere that went found
the troops peacefully eucamped, living in their
quarters and with the exception of here and
there where there were some ladrones. who had
no connection with any organized body, and
would make a swoop down on the natives and
get COW or a little money from the planters.
there was absolutely no disorder. There was no
trouble whatever, and there mas not been Tor SIX
What are the people there doing and how do
they get on with the American soldiers?"
PEACE IN NORTHERN LUZON.
THE people are doing just what they have al
ways done. They come very little in contact
with the American soldiers. They are devoting
themselves to cultivating their crops and taking
life as easily as possible. The district includes
the rich valley of the Cagayan River and the
country penetrated by the railroad running from
Manila to Dagupan. Here are possibly three
fourths of the population of the island of Luzon,
and here are the great hemp tobacco copra and
rice fields. The Cagayan River is navigable
for 200 miles into the Interior and small steam
ers are plying it all the time. carrying up
merchandise and bringing down tobacco and
other products.
From the mouth of the river along the coast
down to Manila, distance of something like
three hundred miles, the country is quiet and lit
tie steamers are visiting the various ports every
week carrying cargoes and passengers, with
never disturbance. The same condition of af-
fairs obtains all along the line of the Manila
Dagupan Railroad"
How about the region south of the line you
have drawn east from Manila?'
BANDITS IN A FEW SMALL PROVINCES.
ITO the south of this line and Immediately
surrounding the inland lake Laguna de Bay are
several small provinces. of which Batangas
is the largest The area is only small per-
centage of the total area of the island. Here is
located the insurrection of which much has
recently been heard. The country largely con-
sists of jungle and inaccessible swamps which
are difficult to police. Here have congregated
the bandtti or ladrones of the entire island. The
dispatches name these provinces. and the area
sounds large to the unntiated reader. Still
further south, in the larger area known as the
Camarines, the entire country has been paci-
fed"
Recent dispatches have referred to what is
described as bad conditions existing in the
island of Negros.' Do you know anything per-
sonally of the situation there?"
Yes was there only few months ago The
island of Negros has population of about half
a million, and there has been no insurrection in