The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-08

mote the welfare and liberties of the islanders. In a series of exceedingly har- assing and diflicuit campaigns they com pletely overthrow the enemy, reducing andage; and wherever they conquered. they conquered only to make way for the rule of the civil government, for the in- troduction of law and of liberty under the law. When. by last July. the last ves- tige of organized insurrection had disap- claimed.
 Civil Government.
 As rapidly as the military rule was ex- tended over the islands by the defeat of the insurgents, just so rapidly was 1t re- placed by the civil government. At the preme and the army in the Philippines has been reduced until 1t is sufihcfent merely to provide against the recurrence of trouble. In Governor Taft and his as- sociates we sent to the Filipinos as up- right, as conscientious, and as able a group of administrators as ever any country nas been blessed with having. With them and under them we have as- sociated the best mon among the Filipi- nos. 50 that the great majority of the rank. are themselves natives of the is- lands. The administration is incofrupt- ibly honest: justice Is as jealously safe guarded as here at home. The govern ment is cohducted purely in the interests of the people of the islands: they are pro- tected in their religious and civil rights: they have been gwen an excellent and well administered school system. and each of them now enjoys rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, such as were never before known in all the history of the islands. X.
 The Congress which has just adjourned has passed legislation of high importance and great wisdom in the interests of the Filipino people. First and foremost. they admirable civil government: In addition they gave them an excellent currency. they passed measure allowing the or Eanization of native constabulary; and they provided, in the interests of the is- lands for a reduction of 8 per cent in the tariff on Filipino articles brought to this country. I asked that a still fur ther reduction should be made. It was not granted by the last Congress. but I think that in some shape 1t Will be grant ed by the next. And even without 1t. the record of legislation in the interests of the Pilipinos is one with which we have a right to feel great satisfaction.
 To Relieve Distress.
 Moreover. Congress appropriated three million dollars. following the prec- Rico were afflicted by sudden disaster; this money to be used by the Philippine Government in order to meet the distress occasioned primarily by the terrible cat tile disease which almost annihiiated the most important domestic animal in the islands. Comin,- as the disaster did up- on the heels of the havoc wrought by the fnsurrectionary war great suffering which this Governm snt is in no way re- sponsibIe will doubtless in turn increase the difiicuities of the Philippine Govern ment for the next year or SO. In con sequence there will doubtless here and there occur sporadic increases of the armed brigandage to which the islands have been habituated from time imme- mortal. and here and there for their own purposes the bandits may choose to style themselves patriots or insurrectionists; but these local difficulties will be of lit- tie consequences save as they give occa- sion to few men here at home; again to try to mislead our people. Not only has the military problem m the ph,lip- mp ter than we had dared to expects hut the progress socially and in civil governmnt has likewise exceeded our fondest hopes
 Remember always that in the Philip pines the American Government has tried and is trying to carry out exactly what the greatest genius and most revered patriot ever known in the Philippine is- lands-Jose Rizal-steadfastly advocated. This man, shortly before his death, in message to his countrymen, under date Of December IS, 1896. condemned unspar- ingly the insurrection of Aguinaldo, ter minated just before our navy appeared upon the scene. and pointed out the path his people should follow to liberty and enlightenment. Speaking of the insur- rectjon and of the pretense that Fill pino independence of a wholesale charac- ter could thereby be obtained. he wrote:
 RizaPs Advice.
 "when, in spite of my advice. a move ment was begun, offered of my own arCArd not Aniv SarviCAa Dtlt life and even my good name to be used in any way they might believe effective in stifing the rebellion. thought of the disaster which would follow the success fortunate if by any sacrifice 1 could block the progress of such useless ca- lamity.,
 My countrymen. I have given proof our country and I still seek 1t. But as first step insisted upon the development of the people in order that, by means of education and of labor they might acquire the proper individual character thy of 1t. In my writings l have com mended to you study and civic virtue, without which our redemption does not exist. can not do less than con- demn, and do condemn, this absurd and savage insurrection planned behind my back, which dishonors us before the Fil- ipinos and discredits us with those who otherwise would argue In our behalr. abominate its cruelties and disavow any kind of connection with 1t, regretting with all the sorrow of my soul that these reckless men have allowed themselves to be deceived. Let them return, then. to their homes. and may God pardon those who have acted in bad faith.'
 This message embodied precisely and exactly the avowed policy upon which the American Government has acted in the Philippines. What the patriot Rizal said with such force in speaking of the before we came to the is- lands applies with ten-fold greater force to those who foolishly or wickedly op- government we were ilstituting in the islands The judgment of the martyred public servant, Rizal whose birthday the Philippine people eel ebrate, and whom they worship as their hero and Ideal, sets forth the duty of American sovereignty; duty from which the American people will never finch.
 While we have been doing these great and beneficent works in the islands, we have yet been steadily reducing the cost gress repealed the law for the war taxes, and the War Department has reduced the army from the maximum number of 100. 900 allowed under the law to very nearly the minimum of 5000.
 The Militia Bill. ..
 Moreover, the last Congress enacted some admirable legislation affecting the and then the bill to create a general staff The militia bill represents the realization of reform which had been championed neffectively by Washington, and had been fruitlessly agitated ever since. At last we have taken from the statute books the obsolete militia law of the Revolu- tionary days and have provided for etfi- cient aid to the National Guard of the