Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-05
MR.. TAT IT'S OBJECT
Purpose of His Trip to the
Philippines.
THE TREND OF OPINION
F1LIPINoS ARE BoLDER IN CRITI-
CIsM OF GOVERNMENT.
There Are Said to Be Two Parties, but
Mr.. Taft Will Seek to Har-
monte Differences.
THE TREND OF OPINION
Special Correspondence Of The Star
ON BOARD s. S. MANCHURIA,


ON BOARD s. S. MANCHURIA,
LEAVING HONOLULU, July TO- 1905.
The impression that the trip of the Taft
party to the Philippine Islands is nothing
but a junket will quite certainly be cor
rected before the trip is over or at any rate
after its results shall have become appar-
ent. This, SO far at least as the Secretary
OF War himself is concerned. The junket
feature enters into it quite considera bly, of
course. as the presence of ladies with the
members of Congress and of unofficial mem
bers who are going along for Their own
pleasure as well as for information would
Indicate
So far as Secretary Taft himself is
concerned, the idea of the trip began
in his promise to the F'ilipinos when he
left the islands at the end of 1913, TO re-
turn within two years and pay them per-
sonal visit, promise repeated TO the Fill
pinos who were commissioned to visit the
United States last year. But any visit to
the islands, under any conditions and at
any time. would be sure to bring before the
man VINO, more than any other built up
the present structure of government in the
islands many questions, petitions and propo-
sitons for resolution. And it Is known to
all VINO are at the present moment familiar
with the undercurrents of political opinion
in the islands that this visit Is :raueht with
great possibilities of administra tive changes
and of declarations of policy in matters of
detail on which there has arisen some con-
fusion of minds and of interests both
among Filip!nos and Americans
In his newspaper interviews before leav-
ing the United States and in his speeches at
San Francisco, Secretary Taft quite frankly
preached some of these matters ard more
than limited that he fully appreciates that
he has large amount of work before him
during his all too short stay in the islands.
Actual Status of Filipino Opinion.
Owing to very faulty and insufficient in
formation from the islands there are prob
ably but few persons in the United States
who are capable of furnishing an opinion
at any time, and just now above all, re-
gard!ng the actual status and the currents
of Filipino opinion. No hint seems to have
reached the press of the United States
barring some garDled press dispatches
about Taft party and Wright party
among the natives and some agitations
within the federal party about change of
its program for future government, as to
the recent campaign of criticism among
the Filipino newspapers of the present ad-
ministration of affairs in the islands. Pri-
marily this campaign of criticism has been
directed against the conStabulary which
has been charged. in a few cases categori-
cally and with publication of facts or al
legged facts, and in other cases merely upon
rumor proved, in some instances. to have
been untrue or exaggerated). with perpe-
trating many of the worst abuses of the
old Spanish civil guard. a similar organi-
Zation responsible in part for the revolt of
the Tagalogs against Spain.
All the newspapers printed In Span
ish or the native dialects have Joined
papers in part through desire to
make sentiment against the Ameri-
can administration. In the ranks of the
Filipino press the organ of the federal
larfU hoc n a
outspoken and vigorous in it's denunciations
of the constabulary than has Ell Renaci-
miento. the independent Filipino neWspa-
per, which represents in the main the bet
ter class of radicals. 1t is the first time
that there has been such unanimity among
the Filipino editors 1t is the first time
that the Filipino newspapers have been re
ally quite frank and outspoken in their
criticisms. They have even dared to crid-
else openly and by name at times individ-
ual American members of the Philippine
commission, and commissioner has been
a most august parsonage In the islands up
to date
1t is not the time, at this stage Of the
trip to examine into the justification for
this campaign of criticism of the constabu-
larry. Suffice 1t to say that there is I'M
uuestionably some ground for the criticism.
In several conspicuous cases, which will
be detailed further along in this correspond
ence when the facts shall have been indie
pendently ascertained. the weight of evil
y
officials who are accused. Politically, 1t is
sufficient to know that the Filipinos believe
there are serious abuses on the part of the
constabulary. including some officers and
large part of the uniformed force Ia uni
formed Filipino WILL all too commonly take
advantage of the power which he possesses
to make his own humble fellow-citiZens
yield to his wishes, and here lies the foun
Gation of the whole trouble). Connected
closely with this is the question as to the
securing of convictions by intimidating,
sometimes actually torturing. witnesses, and
the abuses committed in more sinister
way by the ununiformed members Of the
secret police, on whose information the con-
stabulary move, and who have been re-
cruited very often from the men who turned
informerS on their people during the guer-
rilla warfare against the United States.
Every phase of the questions related to
matters of public order and its mainte-
nance and to the penal laws now in force
and the popular confidence to be inspired in
the Judiciary is involved, In one way or an
other with this general issue as to the con-
stabulary and police power in general. 1t
was significant that before leaving the
United States Secretary Taft spoke quite
plainly as to the likelihood of his being
called upon to correct existing conditions
and institutions in some respects.
Secretary's Views Unknown.
The Secretary, as might be supposed, has
sources of information unofficial as we'll as
official. from the islands. Just what his in
formation has recently been. and what are
his views upon the pros and cons of this
question. he does not care to say at this
stage of the trip, quite naturally preferring
to canvass all sides of it after he shall ar
rive at Manila. When interrogated the
other day, he himself expressed some con-
fusion of mind over recent reports from the
islands regarding a split of the federal
party, which has been since the close Stf
1900 an instrument for the crystallza ton Of
Filipino sentiment favorable to American
administration. either temporary or permd-
nent, and over the formation of Wright
party and a Taft party" The truth is,
the cablegrams from the islands were writ