The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-12
CRUELTY TO FILIPINOS
The Governor of Tayabas Draws a
Sad Picture.
Military AND CIVIL POWERS CLASH
Often Our Troops Burn and Lay Waste The
Houses and Lands of Friends as
Well as Foes in the
Islands.
(By the Associated Press

Washington. D. c., April 10.-When the
Senate Committee on the Philippines met
today, Mr.. Lodge, chairman of the COM
mittee, laid before the committee the re-
port of Major Cornelius Gardiner, civil
governor of the Philippine province of
Tayabas, to which reference was made by
General Miles in his correspondence with
Secretary Root. This report had been
withheld and this caused the adoption
of a resolution at the last meeting of
the committee requesting the Secretary
of War to send the report to the COM
mittee
The governor recommends that the OPP
erations against the insurgents should
be by force of natives. He says:
LAS civil governor, l feel it my duty
to say that it is my firm conviction that
the United States troops should at the
earliest opportunity be concentrated in
ole or two garrisons, if it is thought
desirable that the good sentiment and
loyalty that formerly existed to the Uni
ted States Government among the people
OF this province should be conserved and
encouraged.
Being in close touch with the people,
having visited all the pueblos one or more
times having lived with them i'm their
homes, | know that such a sentiment once
existed. OF late by reason of the conduct
of the troops such as the extensive burn
ing of the barriOS in trying to lay waste
the country so that the insurgents can
not occupy it, the torturing of natives
by so-called water cure and other meth
eds, in order to obtain information, the
harsh treatment Of natives generally, and
the failure of inexperienced lately APP
pointed lieutenants commanding posts,
to distinguish between those who are
treat every native as if he were, whether
or no, an insurrecto at heart, this ia
vorahle sentiment above referred to, is
being fast destroyed and deep hatred
toward us engendered. If these things
need be done, they had best be done by
native troops SO that the people of the
United States will not be credited there
with.
almost without exception, soldiers and
also many officers, refer to natives in
their presence as 'niggers' and natives
are beginning to understand what the
word niger means.
1.-The course now being pursued in this
province and in the provinces of Batan-
gas, Laguna and Samar is in my opinion,
sowing the seeds for a perpetual revo-
luton against us hereafter whenever
good opportunity offers. Under present
conditions the political situation in this
province is slowly retrogradng and the
American sentiment is decreasing and We
are daily making permanent enemies.
I'm the course above referred to, troops
make no distinction often between the
of who inSllr-
gent or insurgent sympathizers and the
property Of those who heretofore have
risked their lives by being loyal to the
United States and giving us information
against their countrymen in arms. Often
every house i'm barrio is burned.
'In my opinion the small number OF
irreconciliable insurgents still in arms,
although admittedly difficult to catch
does not justify the means employed es-
pecially when taking into consideration
the suffering that must be undergone by
the innocent and its effect upon the Tela-
lions with these people hereafter.
1.-The work of the Philippine Commits
sion and the laws that have been en-
acted by it, are everywhere favorably
commented upon by the natives. The
efforts being made for the general educa-
tion of the people are appreciated py
ALL The provincial government and the
municipal governments established are
slowly bringing order out or cnaos ana
anarchy. and there begins TO be visible
everywhere in this province progress ana
prosperity. True loyalty and content
ment can only come under benign civil
government.
1.-The attitude of the army, thereby
meaning most of its officers and SOL
diers, is, however, decidedly hostile TO
the provincial and municipal govern
ment in this province and to civil gov
eminent in these islands in general. In
Manila especially, it is intensely so, even
among the higher officials. The work
of the commission in the establishment
of provincial government is ridlcuied
even in presence of the natives. IL is
openly stated that the army should re-
main in charge for the next twenty years.
Outrages committed by ofncerS ana
soldiers against natives in an organized
municipality and province, when report
ed by the presidentes, or governor TO
the military authorities are often 2et
punished This, in my opinion, is un-
fortunate because natives begin TO
fear that local self government prom
ised them, will not last long and that
any slight disturbance in province,
may at any time be made the pretext
to again place it under military rule,
and this is just the thine the insur-
gents at heart. most desire.
1T has been stated that Filipino
or an oriental docs not appreciate just
or kindly treatment and that he ccnsid-
ers il an evidence of weakness and that
severe and harsh measures are the only
ones that are permanently effective
with F-ilipinos. / have found that just
and kind treatment, uniform and con-
tinued, is the only way by which these
people can be permanently retained as
our friends and satisfied with United
States sovereignty.
With the report is copy of "a letter