The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15
GEN. CHAFFEE'S REPORT
An Interesting Discussion of Philip
pine Problems The Moro
IL .. : Situation. 2@s:*

Washington, Nov 15.-The annual re-
port Of Major General Adna r. Chaffee,
just made public. closes, Sept. 80, the
date when he srelinquishes his command
of the Lewiston of the Philippines. The
report covers the campaign Of General J..
II. Smith In Samar. ~, ~
General Chaffee warmly defends the Of
ficers and assumes full responsibility for
all that was done under official orders.
He says that the various Filipino bands
We're of little military Importance, and in
time can be handled by the insular con-
stabulary.
Speaking of the campaign in Samar
General Chaffee says that he finds moth
ing In the written instructions which was
mot justified by the conditions there to
be overcome" General Chaffee says the
formation Of concentration camps was
necessary to suppress the insurrection in
the provinces Of Batangas, Laguna and
Tayabas. He asserts that the civil au-
thorities in some instances aided the in
lSurrectionists, and says lit was found nee
essary to arrest and cont1ne 800 of the
intelligent class in order to remove the
influence Of the masters over the masses
of the population"
General Chaffee requests the removal of
all censure that has been passed publicly
upon General Bell regarding the orders,
circulars and instructions which he issued
while putting down the Instruction An
report relates to the Moros of Mindanao
and Jolo. He says:
THE sooner the sultan of Jolo's title,
actual or assumed, as sovereign and sole
owner OF land In the Jolo archipelago, Is
quieted, the better for the situation. Prob
ably there Is little dougbt that money
consideration would relieve the situation
of his claims and presence and If that
be DONE, laws, just but simple, and Sc
plainly stated as to, be understood by
the Moro population generally, could be
enforced through the dattos. upon their
followers without much trouble or fire.
quent resort to force. '...
1T will be impossible for many years to
ignore chieftainships-datt to dea
directly with the Individual Moros, as is
done with civilized, Christian people. II
will however, be long step ahead for the
Inhabitants Of Jolo archipelago when dat
tos are independent Of the sultan and
recognize the United States as the only
sovereignty to which allegiance Is due anc
as the only authority; that all the inhab-
itants are equal before the law; tha
Christian people have right to live.
''All parts of the archipelago, excep,
what is known as the, Moro country have
been formally organized for civil gov
eminent and turned over to it's officials
thus freeing the. army. from supervisory
or actual control over its inhabitants OF
their affairs.
Deaths from cholera he ascribes to will
full disregard. of timely explained prac
tees and failure. to avoid known localitie:
of infection. While the number of death:
| of natives and others not of the militar!
| services reaches nearly 1000, the live.
of many thousands of natives have beef
saved through the influence of the army
| in localities where precautiOn Is REGARDED
as of little or Of no avail.
Under the reorganization army act
/ there have been organized fifty companie
Of Philippine scouts, total strength o
5000, composed of six different tribes.
IAN individual soldier here and Their
has no doubt wronged a native. or will
threat of physical force compelled obedi
ence to his demands, but these instance
are exceptional, not the rule, so that un
less the alleged demoralizing influenc
broadens so as to make the presence o
the white race, as race, >demoralfzing t.
the native races, the influence for evil b,
the soldiers is indeed small and unde
serving Of comment, compared with thei
/ many virtues. which by precept and ex
ample are object lessons for good
:, General Lloyd, Wheaton, who was Gen
eral Bells superior, says in a report o
the operations in upper Luzon:
II authorized the policy and fully ap
prove Of the methods by which the insur
rection in the provinces of Batangas
LIB dllO 4oSdUdS was .cuOSO. LIE nu
name code Of the laws of war as pub
lished during the administration of Presi
dent Lincoln was followed In all opera
lions against semi civilized .insurgent
habitually violating every law of wa
/ known to civilized nations, and treatin
their own people with every barbarit
that can be inflicted upon the helpless"
General Davis, now in command of tn
. Philippines, made g. report July g., 100:
on the subject of slavery. The, report wa
based upon the action of Colonel Williar
NJ. Wallace, commanding at Jolo, in whic
he refused to return escaped slaves. Til
sultan made a complaint to Genera