Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-26
GEN. DAVIS REPORT.
Army Operations in the
Philippines.
rHBTouReF DurYrHERE
FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
Mistake in Making the Bates Treaty
Moros Easily Observation-Disclosures
Can Be Made Faithful Soldiers.


| The annual report of Major Gen. George
w. Davis. commanding the division Of the
Philippines, presents some interesting in
formation concerning the far eastern archi-
pelago Speaking of the employment OF
cavalry in the Philippines, the report re-
cites that the losses among cavalry horses
in the islands have been very great, and 1t
is stated that there has not yet been found
any means of preventing the ravages OF
some of these tropical animal diseases.
For that reason 1t is recommended that
mounted troops serving in the islands, as
their terms expire, be largely replaced by
infantrymen.
Referring to the policy Of the department
in limiting the term of service in the Philip
pines to two years the report says: IF Eng
land Holland and France had adopted the
policy of shipping their troops home every
two years there Is little hazard in saying
they would never have effected the con-
quest of those vast tropical regions they
now govern with so much advantage to the
governed"
for four or five years. 1t being added that
while the health Of some will fail, of course
with better quarters and a resort to the
hill stations. the jeopardy will be slight"
The Juramentado.
A Spanish description of the "Juramenta-
do" is given in the report, In which 1t is
| said:
THE Moros are accustomed to suffer all
Of the caprices Of their despotic authority.
The laws of centuries permit them to be
recruited for any purpose whatsoever. The
| family, the slave Of the creditor; and the
Moros are so Indifferent to these conditions
that their owners do not encounter any
difficulty in making them contract such
oht tn for fhnfr fuUn hn
thus loses all his rights and his children can
be sold throughout the archipelago. He
can. however. buy the liberty Of his family
| at the risk Of his own life: that is for the
largest number Of Christians whom he can
| slay. II the debtor accepts that proposition
he becomes that moment a Juramentado
knowing perfectly well that II he manages
| to get In the midst Of Spanish settlement
all hope for escape is dead. Death is
| therefore certain for all Juramentados."
Continuing. it says OF them: When they
arrive at sufficient state of exaltatiOn, but
| never before. they are sent into Christian
| community
Reason for the Bates Treaty.
In dealing with affairs in the Moro coun-
| try the report says: THE Bates agreement
with the Sultan OF Sulu. which it appears
| was advised by the Schurman commission.
| Is an obstacle to the establishment of good
government, but there have been many
| instances of failure on the sultan's part to
| observe the requirements of the compact,
| and the bargain Is yoidable on the part of
| the United States in it's discretion The
| continued practice Of slavery is instanced
| as justification for declaring the agree
| ment null and void. Continuing, the report
| says: .--.e rr-r
! those who favored the negotiation of this
instrument that its making would probably
prevent an uprising Of the Moros, and so
| spare the United States from another war
| wifi fa pa The
! fact is that there never has been a time for
three years when force of 800 soldiers in
| Moro and two or three small gunboats
could not preserve the peace or suppress
| any uprising. but this was not known or not
| fully understood when this agreement was
| entered into. With the Bates agreement
out of the way the government will have to
| deal only with the chiefs or the village head
| men called dattos There should be no great
| difficulty in establishing a satisfactory re-
| lation with these village chiefs"
| Speaking of the Sultan Of Sulu. 1t Is said
to be apparent to everybody that his power
| has departed, his ancient rights and privi-
leges are intangible. and that very soon he
| will only be character in history, and that
no one not even his own people, will regret
his exit.
| Order in Luzon.
Under the head of public Order 1t IL
| stated that in Luzon. north Of Tayabas, 1t
appears that since February II. 1908. 101
| lduIoiicS were Cdptufcu. 20 hillco duo 81
wounded. In all the cities and large towns
throughout the archipelago and throughout
every large part of the rural districts inhab
iterd by Christian F1lipinos 1t Is stated life
and property have been secured and the in
| habitants have pursued their ordinary avo-
cations without annoyance by the law break
ers. It seems certain. says the report. that
| there must be a native contingent in the
| regular army, but. it Is added no necessity
exists for conceding demand for more
1ar oh f,n no 1yra M he
same pay or clothing allowance received by
| white troops.
Americans in the Philippines" the re-
port continues. "have not been an unmixed
blessing to the native inhabitants. We have
| raised their hopes and expectations to a
level far above the possibility OF realiza-
| ton: We have paid extravagant wages
rents and prices for commodities. at a few
places. but we have not succeeded in doing
anything that has raised the general social
industrial and economic level. To concede
pay and allowances out of all reason to a
few thousand native troops would to a
certain extent debauch the recipients and
only excite the envy and unrest of the vast
| mass of the population who must still de-
pend on agriculture for subsistence
The Filipinos as Soldiers.
1.-THE native Filipino" says Gen. Davis,
| under American officers will be as true
and faithful as any troops could be, pro-
vided they are we'll treated and paid
| promptly"
Discharges by favor and by purchase in
the Philippines, the report says. have
proved detrimental to the morale of the
| army, and in some instances. it is added,
discharged men had reflected upon Ameri-
cans In the islands, Gen. Davis says the
| fertilization of Subig bay should not be
undertaken until Manila shall have been
fully protected. for, he says. the capture
| of Manila means the loss of the islands.
The defense OF Manila, he adds, is a very
serious proposition, owing to the physical
conditions. "f
On the subject Of transportation figures
are given showing the total cost of inter-
island transportation to have been for the
fiscal year s2,53G3sfs The transport serv-