Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-24
AT LAST At PEACE
Tranquility Prevails in the
Philippine Islands.
WAYS OF LANDLORDS
ORDINARY TRAVELLERS ARE
NEVER MoLEsTED.
Wealthy Planters Captured and Held
for Remembering Out
the Brigands.
WAYS OF LANDLORDS
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star end
Chicago Record Herald.
MANILA, April q. 1904
For the first time since the insurrection
against Spain In 1896 the Philippine Islands
are almost entirely at peace A dictator
general has organized democratic repub-
lie" In the woods somewhere in the noun
tains Of Luzon, but nobody has been able
to locate It; occasionally General Wood is
compelled to chastise a band of Moros In
the southern islands who are no more
civilized than our North American Indians;
and the native constabuiary In certain Sec
tions are kept busy looking after bands
Of "ladrones' or highway robbers who live
by plumber and in Spanish times were per-
mitted to levy blackmail upon planters and
villagers. If payment was refused death
and destruction followed They are mostly
outlaws. fugitives from justice. escaped
convicts and hereditary criminals.
General Davis, In his final report. describ-
ed them as rowing bands whose members
men engaged in the same avocation-law-
breakers and robbers by occupation. They
sometimes call themselves fnsurrectos, and
resent the characterization of 1adrones.
but the real motive of almost all these out
laws L. loot, pure and simple and to be
supported by the peaceful and industrious
Inhabitants"
Governor Taft, in his final report. said:
zone Of the greatest obstacles that this
government has to contend with is the
presence In q large majority of the towns
of the archipelago of dissolute. drunken
and lawless Americans, who are willing to
associate with low Filipino women and live
upon the proceeds of their labor. They are
truculent and dishonest They borrow. beg
and steal from the natives. Their conduct
and mode of life are not calculated to i'm
American civilization. When opportunity
offers, however, they are loudest in denun-
citation of the FiHpnos as an inferior, lying
race. To rid the country OF this class of
Americans the commission passed two acts.
defining vagrancy and Furnishing severely
all persons who have no visible means of
support, or are suspected Of being asso-
ciated with organized bands of thieves or
ladrones. These acts have been useful in
the neighboring municipalities to get rid of
the spies and agents of the bands of rob-
bers who lie around the cities towns and
plantations seeking Information to guide
the ladrones in making lucrative raids
A Renegade American.
One of the most dangerous bands of la
drones Is led by an American named Sib-
ley, who deserted from Company L, 18th In
fantry, in 1901. and became bandit chief
He Is man of good education. claims that
his parents were French. and has a good
knowledge of the French language. He
was habftual scribbler while with his reg
iment and wasted great deal of good
stationary writing essays. addresses and
poems, OF which he was very proud He
used to read them to his comrades by
whom they were received with jeers, and
he became typical crushed genius-the
butt of ridicule of the men and an object
of derisfon among the officers The SER
geant or his company despIsed him and
treated him rather more severely than was
necessary. The only person who appreciat-
ed his genius waa Ambrosio Logan. a half
breed Spanish-Tagalo, who had a position
as interpreter at headquarters, but turned
out to be spy of the Instruction leaders.
he became intimate with sibley. and seems
to have convinced h;r1 that his talents
would be more appreciated among the reb-
els. Sibley was won and given a commits
sion as major in the rebel army
Before running away he wrote his win In
French, with a farewell address to his COM
radeS and several stanZas of poetry in the
same language. and left them where they
could be found after his departure He has
been out ever since at the head of gang
OF native desperadoes. and has given a great
deal of trouble. Two months ago he made
raid upon small town where there are
several rich planters. and demanded black
mail n money and food supplies. which
were furnished him to prevent destruction
and murder. but he has not been seen or
heard Il ON since. Several expeditions have
been organized for his capture. and he has
Hao tuFCe Vi TOUR narrow escapes. His for
mer comrades believe that he is insane.
Travellers Not Molested.
The ladrones spare individuals. II they
capture a man with large sum of money
upon his person or with a reputation for
wealth they rob him or compel him to pay
blackmail. but ordinary travellers are never
molested. and II Is now possible to go I'M
armed everywhere throughout the islands
N 1bSh Tod bvr
tribes. The scientific agents of the gov
ernments are scattered all over the archipel-
ago, exploring the forests. the mountains
and the rivers searching for new varieties
of timber, for botanical specimens and for
minerals. and. although they have no es-
cort, they are never harmed and have no
fear. Henry Savage Landor the author,
recently made tour through Luzon on
foot, visiting every district, and was not
molested in the slightest respect Planters
who left their estates in different parts of
the islands and fed to Manila for protec-
ton during the instruction have all re-
turned. and are now In peaceful possession
Of their property. suffering no embarrass-
ment and meeting no difficulties except
from the lack of labor, for 1t Is almost inn
possible to secure farm hands for any
wages. Labor was scarce during the SPAN
demoralized and scattered during the six
years of internal disturbances The plant
ers are almost unanimous In favor of the
Importation of Chinese laborers. and Insist
that 1t Is absolutely necessary The Chi
neSe planters are embarrassed to an even
greater degree, because no Filipino will
work for them, and there are not enough