The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-18
FILIPINOAGOODSOL
THE CONsTABULARY SYSTEM HAS
 PROVED A GREAT SUCCESS.
Force Costs s2,OO0,OOO a Year and Is to Be Reduced--Many Deserters Have Joined the Out
 laws in LuEOn.
Chicago Chronicle.

Chicago Chronicle.
 For economical and other reasons 1t has been decided to reduce considerably the Philippine constabulary forces. AL though the determination of the com mission in this matter has not been definitely announced, it Is extremely probable that the constabulary army will be cut down from 6,7O0 to 2,000 men.
 To feed, clothe, equip, transport, pay and otherwise care for an enlisted man in the United States army costs upward of $1,000 year, but the insular gov ernment- so far has kept up its con- stabulary organization on an annual expenditure of s250 a man. Yet, though the pay of the men is small, their allow ances scant and their equipments com paratively inexpensive. the Philippine constabulary as at present constituted and maintained costs, in one way or another. more than $2.000,00O a year. The sudden transition from a state of war to comparatively peaceful condi- tions, the disintegratlon of the insur- gent forces throughout the achipelago and the installation of civil government to replace the military put before the Philippine commission the grave and deep problem of preserving the peace and maintaining laws and order in a large and only partially civilized coun- try. possessing poor means of commu- nication and peopled by many different tribes of Malays, all moro or less ig- norant and unfriendly. At the outset 1t was evident that the successful po- licing of the islands would be fraught with many difficulties.
 Like the Texas Rangers. The Philippine constabulary is not to be compared with American militia. In organization, discipline and scope of usefulness this aggregation of military kA rangers of Texas that for years were so effective in repressing lawlessness and crime on the southwest frontier.
 At the time the constabulary was or ganized the volunteers in the Phillip pines were being mustered out and the enlistments of many men in the regu- lar army were about to expire This placed at the disposal of the constabu- lary large number of officers and non commissioned officers, men who had seen plenty of active service in the islands, men of experience and proved ability, good soldiers, who jumped at this chance of continuing their military career So almost before the general public in the islands was aware that such a corps was contemplated officers were commissioned, uniformed and sent to stations throughout the archipelago. A captain and three or four lieutenants
 were sent to every province where civil government nau been inagurated, and
 the recruiting of an enlisted force sims ultaneously began in almost every To-
 cality.
 Plenty for Men to Do.
 Most of the enlisted men were ex- insurrectos, and, because of the pre- vious military experience of officers and men. 1t was not long before con stabulary detachments throughout the islands were In condition to be utIl- ized; then, too, there was plenty for them to do.
 The majority of the people were peacefully inclined. The collapse of the insurrection. the horrors. waste and suffering of war had demonstrated rath- CT thoroughly to most of the Philip pine population the utter futility of fighting against Americans. But every where there was the criminal element to be reckoned with. Bands of la drones have existed in the Philippine islands from the time immemoriaL and after the war these professional plum derers and murderers were largely re- inforced by self-styled patriots" who still persisted in carrying on gueril-