Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-01-14
The Philippines as Seen by News
paper Man.

Somewhat OF Il IOCdl iheeA0N -
IN the book LAS 1t Is in the Phllip-
mines" lust published by Lewis, ScflD-
nor g. Co. of New York, as the author
Mr. Edgar q Bellairs, is now making
his home in Arizona. Mr.. Belalrs rep
resented the Associated Press in Cuba
during the campaign against san
tiago. and for some time there-
after. and later went to the phil
innines in the same employment. sta
toned at Manila. he was at the
head of the Associated Press stan IN
the islands until he left there in July
last. 1t is evident, therefore, that ne
has had exceptional opportunities TOT
acquiring accurate knowledge of cor
d't.ons in the Philippines. The book =
q rain statement of fact from inc
authors viewpoint, and straightfo.
ward comment, such as trained neW:-
paper man would write. There are no
efforts at fine writing or literary
effects. but the volume has distinct
i've literary merit and is interesting
through bout Being an Englishman by
b;rtE. and a former officer of the hit
ish army. Mr.. Bellairs was in a posi-
ton to pass judgment on affairs With
ont of bias or prejudice. If he betrays
s1y Pronounced prejudice it is against
the civil government of the Philip
pines: he is without reserve in his
praise of the officers and enlisted men
of the army, and especially General
Chaffee.
It is clear that the author does not
agree with the popular view of Gov
ernor Taft In view of the fact that in
the near future Mr.. Taft is TO be ele-
waited to seat on the supreme bench
of the United States to succeed Justice
Shiras, Mr.. Bellairs' comments upon
the personality of the governor are
worth more than a passing notice. For
example:
ANYBODY who has met Governor
Taft knows him to be a smiling, court
eous, suave gentleman, greeting one
with q cordial hand-shake- and CHEEKY
words, making the caller think that he
is the one individual that the governor
has been anxious to meet, and one gen.
orally leaves his presence 'on very good
terms with oneself To any one who
has read the evidence of Governor Tar
before the senate committee, or at all
events to any one familiar with the
Philippines, he is stamped as politi-
clan of the first water, and not single
senator was able to succeed in getting
out of Governor Taft anything he did
not wish to appear. Governor
Taft is an able lawyer, but without the
highest grade of executive ability; at
least, if he has it, it has not been de-
veloped in the Philippines. A large
number of bureaus have been estab-
Iished, some apparently for the purpose
of making salaried positions. .
From a social point of view the COVER
nor fills the position admirably, and the
majority of Americans in the Philip
pines who have come in contact with
him admit that he is most agreeable
man, even if his promises or his sin
cerity are not certain to be real. Just
as Governor Taft was about to leave
for America on the transport, he shook
hands with a member of the municipal
board, and in his CHEEKY way wished
him well. and hoped to find him in the
same position or a better one when he
returned from the United States. Gov
ernor Taft himself, only two days be
fore. had arranged with Acting Cover
nor Wright that this mans resignat ion
was to be asked for, and his successor
had already been approached on the
subject of accepting the position.
"A few weeks after the arrival OF
the author in the Philippines, he re-
ceived letter from a newspaper friend
l. -, Eel H.
dealing with Governor Taft, for the
writer had seen letters in which Taf
had urged that influence be used e
TCmove a certain correspondent from
the Philippines. as he was too young
and had too many friends among milt
tary men; while all the time to n,
man in question he was saying thai
wien the time came for him to leave
ne dill not know what the comm!ssInJ
would do. anti when he did leave, CAV,
him a Iettec containing most glowi:i
Jr.l utes to his personality and tbs
wCrk he had done"
OF the Filipinos themselves, Mr.. Bel
lairs has a very poor opinion. After
talking with officers and soldier!
throughout the army, he is convinced
that the Filipino is not a coward
Many Filipinos have shown such indi
vidual courage on the field of battl
that, had they been Americans anC
acted similarly, they would doubles
have earned the congressional media
of honor" In this sense the author i
impressed with the fact that the Fill
Pine is anything but coward, but a
he prefers stabbing a man in the bac
or shooting him from behind, whe
possible. rather than fighting him fac
to face" The author holds that tw