Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-11
GEN. WADE'S REPORT
DISCUSSES GENERAL CONDITIONS
IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Major General j. F. Wade, commanding
the Philippines division, in his annual re-
port to the Secretary Of War, says cholera
has disappeared from the Philippines.
Although the troops have not been
actively engaged" says the general, their
presence Is necessary and enables the
authorities to accomplish, by other means,
much that could not be done without their
support and readiness to respond to any
calls that may be made upon them. Since
the scouts and constabulary reached the
United States ca route to st. Louis much
that is extravagant and absurd has ap-
peared in print regarding the qualificat tons
of the Filipino for the duties of soldier.
He has been compared with the American
soldier, and not to the advantage of the
latter.
1.-The Filipino soldier, both scout and con-
stabulary, has done and is doing good
work, but 1t is the work of the trained SOL
der against the mob. He has been well
armed. drilled and disciplined by American
officers and led by these officers against
the undisciplined, undrilled and poorly arm
ed outlaws Of the provinces; men of his own
race, but lacking his advantages and hav-
ing nothing to gain and all to lose by
fighting. This talk of the Filipino soldier
has gone so far that many persons have
evolved theories for a. continental army to
be composed in whole or In part of natives
In fact to Judge by what one sees and
hears, most army officers and many civil
stock, fully developed and ready to be
drawn up in the form of an act of Con-
gress. In one respect too many of these
schemes resemble the numerous projects for
a Filipino republic, which provide. by name,
for dictator and a lieutenant general"
Constabulary Sufficient.
Gen. Wade says further that it is to be
hoped that within reasonably short period
conditions will have improved sufficiently
to enable the Philippine constabulary to
keep the peace throughout the islands. Re-
ferring to the regular troops and the con-
stabulary. Gen. Wade says:
= "This dual control is not IDEAL but at
present 1t seems necessary. So far there
has been no friction worth mentioning and
there should be none. l fail to see how
matters can be improved. So long as 1t is
necessary for the civil government to bor-
row troops and the troops borrowed con-
tinue to be paid, disciplined and supplied as
a part of the army, no amount of reorgani-
zation will change the conditions above
mentioned.
More officers Will not lessen the chances
of friction. It Is to be hoped that within
a reasonably short period conditions will
have improved sufficiently to enable the
constabulary to keep the peace through
out the islands. Then the borrowed
troops can be returned, and, by order of
the President, the number of companies
reduced"
not arrived when an arrangement can
be made for the proper garrisoning of
the island: TheAactpal value of the FIJI
Pine az regular soldier, he says. is still
open to question, adding: His stavinp
powers when brought against a force
equal or superior In number. drill and
arms; his loyalty to those who employ
him. and nanyl other questions Of Vital
Importance, haze not been decided He
has to some extent been q pupil to the
American soldier, but Is far from being
a graduate" He u convinced that the
interests of all would be best served INV
a two years tour m the islands.
Favors the Canteen.
My experiences shows me-" the general
says. that the canfeen was by far the best
system of all" Continuing, he says.
Under the cahtetn system more man
will remain in the post keep better dress
ed, have more money and more self-respect.
The young recruit will be less liable to be-
come a drunkard; as-he will not he brought
In contact with the low dives that flourish
In the near vicinity Of military posts when
prohibition rules on the reservation Rut
however much we may regret the effecf OF
the present unfortunate Conditions unon
the individual we know that the arnv Will
continue its long record of duty well done.
regardless OF surroundings
He says that until there IA a yarv ereaf
Improvement In the commercial freieht
and passenger service 1t viii be necessary
to maintain the inter-island service 81 fhe
liability TO local epidemics Of disease are
constant source Of danger. but the losxs
from these causes has been less than IN
previous years.