Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-03-22
10 AVOID FRICTION


Washington, March 49, Rumors Of
cases Of conflict Of authority be-
tween the civil and military authofi-
ties in the Philippines find substen-
tial confirmation in an order recent
ly issued by Gen. Chaffee, the division
commander at Manila, to the com
manding officer Of the Fifth separate
brigade, operating in noilo. The or
der is as follows:
There appears to be some misun-
derstanding as to the extent and un-
der what circumstances the military
may act of its own motion in prov
inces where civil government has
been put into operation by the Phil
ippine commission. The division
commander desires to avoid friction
with the civil authorities, and you
are informed that the civil govern
ment entertains strong suspicion
that the army in many instances will
fully and for Interior motives unnec-
essarily interferes with the civil Of
ficials in their prescribed duties,
making arrests when they should not
do so, usually on suspicion rather
than for just cause; If not for cause,
then unwarranted arrests because Of
the fact that the civil authority, not
military, should act.
"You are advised, also, that the
yice-civil governor has been Informed
by the constabulary and others that
the presence Of the army is no long
er necessary or advisable at very
large majority Of the stations now
occupied by it in what are knownssr
pacifed provinces The division com
mander desires that strict interpre-
tation be put upon paragraphs 1 and
2, general orders No. 179, series 1901,
these headquarters, and act No. 173,
of the Philippine commission, pub
lished in same order which, proper
ly construed, embraces the idea Of
non-interference by the military in
civil affairs as stated by the division
commander in paragraph l of the
general order referred to above.
Provinces passing to civil control
since the publication of general or
ders 170 have been announced from
time to time in orders from these
headquarters.
Attention is also invited to act
No. 972 of the Philippine commission,
specifying cases when writs of
habeas corpus shall not apply. In
all other cases they may apply.
Therefore. arrests and holding of
prisoners by the military in cases not
mentioned are questionable and are
to be avoided when practicable to do
so. The military win be upheld in
attacking all armed bodies which Of
ficers believe are intended to disturb
the orderly and peaceful authority of
the United States in these islands.
1t will be well, howeved, to deter
mine in advance whether it is United
States authority aimed at, or wheth-
er n mere local disorderly band is
out for robbing, the suppression Of
which the civil authorities may pre-.
fer to deal with singlehanded, an
aided by the army of the United
States. You are advised also that
many complaints are received by the
civil governor to the effect that sol
diers are disorderly in the commune
ties where stationed; that they are
harsh and ill-treat the inhabitants.
No excuse can be accepted for com
plants of that sort, if true, from
any station of our troops in the paci-
fed provinces. 1t is the duty of ev-
cry officer to maintain good dis
cipline of his troops and to redress
at once every disorderly act COM
mitted by soldiers on the inhabitants.
Military necessity is one thing-law-
lessness is another and quite differ
ent matter.
"The division commander directs
that copy of this letter be fur
nished at once to the commanding
Office of every station, and enjoins
action in strict accordance with its
spirit"