The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-31
REC0UNTED BY TAFT
Philippine Investigation Opened by
the Lodge Committee.
POUNDING CIVIL GOVERNMENTS
Governor of the Archipelago Tells OF
the Commissions Successes
and Difficulties.

Washington. Jan. S1.-The investigation
INTO the conditions in the Philippine
archipelago was begun by the senate com
Gnittee on the Philippines to-day: W. II.
Taft, civil governor of the archipelago,
was the first witness called. He began
by saying that he had gone to the Phlilp-
pines in the spring Of 1900 and had visited
almost all the provinces during the past
year. In all the Filipino or Christian
provinces there was form or civil gov"
eminent. There were thirty-four OF these
provinces. The Moros were all TREND
". except a few who had never been
otherwise than hostile to the SpanlardS
Even these were now being brought over
by the prospect Of trade, OF when they
are very fond.
had only been undertaken after the re-
elect ion Of President Mckinley when the
time seemed ripe for the establishment
OF local government. The course was TO
present to the dignitaries Of the various
places visited explanation of the pro-
Wncial and municipal acts. r.
Starting Provincial Governments.
He gave in detail the proceedings of the
meetings at the various places visited,
saying that some seventeen capitals Of the
provinces We're visited on the first tour.
At each place the delegates OF the people
were met, the prescribed special act was
passed and a governor appointed, who was
authorized to organize municipalities.
These provincial governments consist. he
explained, Of governor, secretary, su-
permit endent, treasurer and a fiscal or
fhe selection could be made without
arousing jealouses, natives had been
chosen. All these appointments are tenn
porary anC next month their successors
will be elected. When the factions were
too strong Americans were placed at the
nrnVincial
all cases the treasurer and Superintendent
were Americans The commission had
drst given its attention to the northern
provinces and in April started south on
"Trip OF hfty-four days. They had been
received most cordially everywhere. This
remark led the witness into few discur-
Piye remarks upon the subject of Filipino
hospitality. He said:
The Spaniard will always tell you that hi;
house is yours, but he does not always mean
that you should take him at his word. The
Filipino will tell you the same thing and he
always means what he says. He will turn
bis family out and install you in his habta
ton.
Salaries Chew Up Revenue.
Speaking Of the island Of Negroes, he
said it peculiar in its topography
and that previous to the coming Of the
commission there was difficulty in the
matter of government. There were so
many officers in the government that of
the $20OO00 (MeXican) only about $780,
900 was left for other expenses than the
payment of salaries. The commission had
an Interesting experience in trying TO re-
organize the province of Antique. The
people resisted vigorously. At San Jose,
the capital they displayed a model Of
liberty enlightenng the world. which was
twenty feet high and had been dragged
seven miles over very rough road. On
this monument there were statues Of
Washington and Mckinley.
1t had been found impossible to put
Filipinos over the Moros. They sub
iect to their datos or chiefs, and refuse to
recognize the authority of Filipino.
There were two sultans, one in Mindanao
and the other in the Jolo group, but the
sultans do not always control their datos.
The sultan Of Mindanao is very poor. but
the sovereign of JOlO is thrifty man,
who is constantly trying to increase his
income and constantly getting into row
about it.
The Jolo sultan had. he said, refused
to recognize SPANS claim to any property
on the islands except the customs house
and there is considerable question as to
the ownership in many instances. This
complication existed not only between the
sultan and the United States but between
the sultan and his subjects. ~
Asked if the Moors were generally
peaceful, the governor replied that, they
were so except in individual instances.
t'There is he said, no war even
1nsurrection in the Moro provinces, but
there are occasional reports of the murder
OF American soldiers.
Governor Taft said as he left the COM
4nittee room that he desired to return to
Manila by May LIST.