The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-06
THE FILIPINO WOMEN
ITCH SUPERIOR TO THE MEN, SAYS
GOV. TAFT.
THEY LOOK AFTER AFFAIRS.
x.rIyEs NEITHER ANGELS NOR
DEVILS, HE SAYS.

v,.,4Diuos Arc Polite and Courteous,
mt Arc Not Industrious-A Major
i,x Cannot Read and Write-wo-
non Much Better Equipped for Po-
U,,caI Authority Than the Men,
said spanish Archbishop-Chine
Labor Necessary in the Islands.
EiIipinos Not Any More Honest
Tban They should Be.
washington, Feb. Sin his state
want before the Senate Committee on
tho philippines to-day Gov. Taft dealt
esnecially with the question of the re-
Iotionship of the civil and the military
authorities in the Philippines.
Gov. Taft said that there had been
son,e difference of opinion between the
military authorities and the commits
sion. Cen Macarthur commended that
authority over the islands was vested
in the military as the representative
of the chief executive, because the ISL
ands we're in a state of war. In this
view the commission did not concur.
Gov Taft explained at some length
the COlllGHtlOli bClWCCll bAiS
and Gen. Chaffee which had, he said,
arisen over the habeas corpus provision
in the commissions code. The ques-
lion had been referred to Washington,
with the result that instructions had
come back that the differences must be
compromised. A compromise was
reached on the understanding that a
writ of habeas corpus would not lie
against military officers, a civilian en-
ploye of the military branch, or pris-
Oner of war.
Gov. Taft also. said that there had
been some differences of opinion as to
other matters in the method of admin
istration, and that naturally the ma
tives we're more favorably inclined to-
ward civil government because they
were represented by men of their own
nationality in that branch of the serv-
ice while on the other hand the army
was principally concerned in bringing
the war to an end. He thought, how
ever, the military authorities were
coming to look with more favor on the
civil institutions.
Women Are the Leaders.
Gov Taft said it was not true that
a majority of the people can read and
write The women of the Philippines
hold a superior position. They are the
active managers in general affairs, and
the Spanish archbishop had said that
II it was intended to confer any polit-
ical authority upon the Filipinos it
should be conferred upon the female.
rs it not true" interrupted Senator
Dietrich, who has visited the Philip
pines, while the women are engaged
in conducting the affairs of the fam
lily the men are general engaged in
attending cock-hghts or going about
the country with ROSTERS under their
arms?"
Mr. Patterson replied to this question
by reading from a War Department re-
port to the effect that the Tagalogs are
Industrious, courteous, artistic, quiet
and orderly. Gov. Taft did not agree
that they were Industrious, and it also
was true that the uneducated classes
among them show low tendencies.
IAN Filipino crowds are" he said,
well behaved and polite, and the peo-
pie are courteous. The Filipino also
shows capacity for skilled labor, but
he is negligent of machinery. l wish
It were true that the Filipino is as
industrious as it claimed, but he is not.
Indeed, there are many of them who
might secure work who do not seek 1t.
This condition leads to a demand for
the bringing in of Chinese"
Chinese Labor Needed.
This statement led Senator Hale to
make inquiry concerning the presence
of Chinese. The witness replied that
the contractors and business men gem
orally contend for the necessity of
bringing in Chinese labor. This i'm
portation was, however. generally re-
scented by the natives, not so much be-
cause of their competition as laborers,
as because of their competition as
merchants. Under the present regula-
tons no Chinese are admitted.
Gov. Taft stated that in the islands
there are about 5000, 900 acres of land
held by private persons, and that of
this 100000 acres are owned by the
Catholic friars. OF these 100000 acres,
100000 are the best lands in the ISL
ands
AS to the honesty of the native Fill
Pine Gov. Taft said that many exag-
gerated and extreme pictures had been
drawn. They We're neither so bad nor
so good as they had been represented.
Many were arrested for theft, and
mere were charges of treachery and
duplicity. That some are dishonest
ana others double-faced was true, but
mat all present these characteristics
was not true. Hence, no general
characterization was possible.