New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-07
REPLIES TO H. P. WILLIS.
Eaaggerations and Measurements of
Judge Parker's Informant Shozcn.

William NJ Chaobou-ne. graduate of Harvard
and the Harvard Law School, was in the Philip
mines in May and June of this wear He travelled
through provinces of Northern and Southern Luz
ron. the Islands of Panay ane Min6anao and the
suu Archipelago. Through his knowledge of Span
ish he able 20 talk at first hand with Spanish
speaking natives In the light OF what he saw and
heard Mr. Chadbourne makes the following state
ment regarding Judge Parker's knowledge OF
Philippine conditions:
The authority for Judge Parker's extraordinary
the RhPPlne Islands has at
willis and his credibility is vouched for by five
I'M n he Phppne IN IN Se q wnS mas set
Tnancation OF Mr.. Willis forwarded by the five
@ IN wch Mr. % ws forR on at some
length his views upon our Far Eastern possessions.
secretary Tafts account Of nsuiar conditions is
e all oe at YAM ace Stn he raS
represents them 10 be-Quite otherwise
second class of our informers. residents of the
Represented Pre- dl by such mep as Arfh
Islands and Bishop Brent, of the Episcopal
m s fe 6an a9S oeF sn %S6 ha2e o
Islands, -, ..,,,on..
Of Philippine conditions who have actually been
in the Islands when he asserts that the civil gov
Improvement in the condition of the Philippine
S2eegs Of other Competent observers be they Off
eisls residents or correspondents are either un-
truthful completely deceived should Of Itself
wellnigh suffice to convince that Mr.. Willis is
He asserts in the first place, that the Philip
pine Islands are to-day absolutely Frustrated eco
the decrease in the number of Americans doing
business In Manila but he falls to observe t+ that at
Islands such decrease was inevitable when the
number Of fas 53s m fhe 15ae epen mR9h
was reduced from seventy Thousand TO twenty-five
Again. no mention is mada of the than
doubled foregn tTaog SINCE 4o OIL Ihe eLtn6 9s
lines in several directions and OF the entrance of
ton field, ali of which indicate a great improve
n Ei,t most Of all Mr. wits biames American ad-
rrisration for all that is unsatisfac Glory In the
R2t at the great Block to insuar economic prog
ress the low value OF the native as laborer whlGn
clubs and among the merchants. and to ment i9
Phifppines would be among the most prosperous
OF tropical countries put wholly false face upon
In dealing With the efforts Of the Philippine Coy
eminent to put down & % or soIT A6o1gh
these lawless bands cali themselves ladroneS or
but one mode of operation-the levy Of blackInail
upon peaceful natives by threats Of murder ana
To cite, as Mr.. Willis has done. the laws dis
IA the case of ladrones without mention of the
commissions reason is utterly unfair I IN
against ladrones from fear OF vengeance, so tnat
be found guilty upon evidence which in the United
States would be considered circumstantial, and
furthermore. the OF the evGehSe
OF all Raye even th1s ta IN e ndeary Of the
Philippines is incompetent and yeniaL AS usual
he confines himself to vague hints, ana genera
men Ike Judge Beekman Winthrop now Governor
present or past members Of the Philippine udei
airy who are personally known to me AS MT.
,nsaisr judiciary is based upon the statements Of
Others and can be assigned no value since he does
On the other hand; members Of the best Legal fd
and Pilsbury & Sutro. branches of parent firms in
NewYoTk and san FTancse0 81 o fbe la arc
American business house in the Philippines. inform
me th s fh ' fsson eGy Wits the
stabuary and the scouts whom he accuses OF an ~
inquire why he did not lay his evidence before the
proper authorities. that the offenders might be
AS Mr. Willis received the impression that the
constabulary Is feared and hated by the peaceful
Inhabitants his conversation must have been chiefly
the operations of the constabulary were naturally
distsstefu- With the exception of some inevitable
friction, school teachers and intelligent natives
agree that the relations between the people and the
Ee IN Who's hee IS m b1 Lac PG p e co
slider themselves fortunate since they are thus safe
Mr. Willis asserts that in the Philippines there is
and cites B sp2 Of q hfs eonte or me
sedition and Criminal Libel ac5s Of the Phiiipphe
hardened for being Ignorant Q. the fact that both
speech in the Philippine as there is in the United
Philippines would be punished il this country as
Mr. Wills's final criticism of the Philippine gov
eminent IS on he score Of extravagance since in
against estimated expenditure by Spanish au-
tnoIlues Of l5.5H.ttO Mexican dollars year Again
Nj Wills leads his readers to suppose that in
crease IN cost has been without reason.
The reason IS this: First. the Spaniards following
Inc IhlneSe practice, paid many of their officials
ana magistrates little or nothing. allowing them 10
coect thelr salaries in the form Of eXtOrtOns and
pribes. Second the Philippine government is spend
Ing, II my memory serves me IN the neighborhood
eight million Mexican dollars year for popular
sdQcatlon. whereas me SpanLards spent nothing.
departments further the -wellbeing of the Phil
:ppiEe people. It is very doubtful that ~ the
amount OF increase IN expenditure be considered
any otner people has ever received much in the
have the Inhabitants Of the Philippine Islands
TO sum up Mr. NillS's communication. CON
ssts wholly Of criticisms Of the Philippine govern
ment. not one word OF commentator being present
i does not mention that the insuar tion
IS the cleanest under the American flag because IN
the philippines honest men make the laws and hon
complete operation in the Islands. evidenced bv
the fact that Governor Wright is q Democrat and
eX-Confederate general: that order is main
tanned and violence suppressed among the Ameri-
cans TO extent unknown in this country that the
native is being raised slowly but surely, to a
higher level of intelligence and civilization
II is surprise that Judge Parker should have
believed Mr.. Williss account for Judge Parker's
President Roosevelt and Mr. Cortelyou, has shown
that he lacks the ability 10, form sound judgments
II political matters. But IL is disheartening thai
the five gentlemen who Vouch for Mr.. Willis
namely Charles Francis Adams. Carl Schurz Ed
win Burrft Smith Herbert Welsh and Moor1eld
Storey. should have shown themselves willing tC
countrvnen who have gone to the Philippines. that
they believe the witness and not the hundred.