Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1905-10-04
PROGRESS IS MADE
An Exhaustive Statement Concerning
Philippine Situation
TROUBLE STILL IN SOME QUARTERS
An Outbreak of Ladronism Recently.
Sentiment for Immediate Indenpen-
dence-Troublesome Questions Yet
to Be Solved.

San Francisco, Special.-In IN in
tervlew with an Associated Press
representative, Secretary of War w.
II. Taft, who arrived on the Korea
from the Philippines after dcscrb
ing various incidents cf the trip to
Japan, referred to the political stu
alton in the Philippines, saying:
1.-The political situation in some re-
spects was not as good as it ought to
be. A wave of ladroniSm has swept
over the province of Cavite. and il has
been found necessary to suspend the
writ Of habeas corpus in the province
OF Cavite and Batangas, the nciyhbor
ing province. The same was true of
Samar, but the use of troops on Samar
and the use of the supreme court of
the United States and constabulary in
Cavite has put an end to this busi
ness however, there were two or three
men responsible for the keeping ND
OF the ladronism, who had not been
captured. Complaints were made
against the constabulary and while
many Of them were unfounded. it
was probably true that change in
the constabulary ought to be effected.
and 1T is now under consideration by
the government. The distressing agri-
cultural depro ssion, due to the loss
OF IS per cent. of the agricultural
cattle, drought, locust and the cholera
as well as other causes, will probably
not cease to be for several years. This
naturally subjects the government to
criticism because this alien govern
ment is much more likely to be criti-
cized for existing conditions, however,
free from blame in respect to them,
than a native government.
Some of the Younger men of edu-
cation have been advocating immed-
late independence. 1t, therefore, be-
came necessary to state with consider
able emphasis the policy of the admin
istration on this subject and to say
that III the opinion of the administra-
ton there was no possible hope for
independence short of generation,
because the people could not be fitted
for self government in that time; in
deed, 1T will probably take a much
longer period.
"The party consisted, as is known,
OF Democratic as well as Republican
senators and congressman, and their
interviews represent nj sides Of the
Philippine question, but, with self
restraint and moderation which can
not be too highly commended, it was
tacjtly agreed between the members
OF the congressional party on both
sides that 1t would be most unwiSe
for them to discuss before the Fill
pinos their differences of opinion. and
therefore that any statement should
be made by the representative of the
administration as to the policy of po-
htical administration. Hence .he
sight of which some of the ir"econ-
cilable Filippinos had hoped for, to-
wit: A constant combat between
Republican and Democratic members,
with the Filipino people as an au-
dience, was not presented, and | can
not express too emphatically my APP
prcciation of the patriotic stand which
our Democratic brethren took IN this
matter in remitting diffusion of diff
ferences OF opinion to the proper rep
resentatives in congress.
"While the conditions in the Philip
pines are not as favorable as we would
like to have them and probably will
not be favorable until the depressing
conditions shall be followed by pros
porous season, still progress is being
made. The government is more effici-
ent men are being eliminated and
things are settling to business. Eco
nomy is being practiced more and
more in the government. Filipinos arc
being introduced very rapidly to the
place of Americans and on the whole,
in looking back over two years, de-
cided steps forward have been taken.
''Of the questions which were open
when we started on this trip and III
the settlement of which it was hoped
the trip might lend aid, one was the
establishment of special tribunal
the hearing of disputed questions in
relation to possess ion of churches and
rectories and cemeteries. / am glad
to say THAT before we reached the
islands a satisfactory law had been
enacted, which, it is hoped, will rap
idly dispose of these cases. The law
refers the issues directly to the SUI
preme court.