The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-08

confined to a few. In fact. one of the
 indictments brought against the friars by the natives was that educational facilities were denied to the masses. Tris, too. brought the Jesuits, the friends of education, into conflict with the friars. But comparatively few of the people enjoyed the advantages of higher education, and these were a controlling Influence in their respec- tive communities. As in Mexico and in Cuba, the cultured men and women of the Philippines are thoroughly refined and polished in manner
 The American government has had no difficulty in finding men competent
 to fill the offices which have been as-
 seven members of the commission and three of the seven supreme court l judges being Filipinos. The governors and mayors are nearly all Filipinos. as are most of the judges of the lower courts.
 As there is no satisfactory service by pr1 ate boats, the commission fur nished us a coast-guard steamer for tour of the islands, the passengers paying the cost of subsistence, and we were thus enabled to visit the prin- cipal cities. At all of these places we found a group of intellectual and pub | lic-spirited men. At Iliolio, Bacolod Cebu and Santa Barbara there were addresses of welcome and public recep- tions, and the views of the residents | were presented in clear and well chos- | en language. At Malolos, the first cap | ital of the sAuginaldo government which we visited as the guests of a committee of prominent Fflipinos. sim liar speeches were delivered, which met with the approval of the assem- l bled crowd
 At Manila a public dinner was given | by a number of representative Fili- pinos, headed by Mayor Roxas. at which speeches were made by Fi1ipinos | distinguished in official and profes- sional life. The addresses delivered on these several occasions would com pare favorably with speeches delivered under similar circumstances in the United States. While some of the per sons who took part in these meetings showed traces of Spanish blood. others were unmistakably Filipino, but the racial differences could not be distin- gushed by the manner in which they performed their parts.
 While at Manila met General Agui- naldo, first at the reception rendered | us by the Elks and. later. at his own home in Cavite. Since his capture he has been living in retirement and has conducted himself in such a manner as
  can officials. He is small of stature modest in department and manifests a deep interest in the welfare of his peo- pie. He has twice appealed to the government to establish an agricul- tural bank for the relief of the farm CTS. calling attention to the scarcity of money and to the high rate of in- terest Sometimes forty and fifty per cent), charged the farmers on short loans. The agricultural bank was re- ferred to by several speakers during our stay on the islands and it is cer- tair that, from an industrial stand point. the government could do noth- ing which would be more beneficial or acceptable 10 the people
 Dr. Apaoible, the head of the Hong | kong junta during the insurrection, now a practicing physician in Manila, was selected by the Filipino reception committee to accompany us on our trip and, being personally acquainted with the leaders of thought, he was able to bring us into contact with those who reflected the opinion of the people, while Captain Moss, of General Cor bins personal staff, and Collector Sinister. representing the insular gov ernment, kept us in touch with the | Americans in military and civil life. We found everywhere commendation of | the educational system established by the Americans. It is the one depart | ment of work instituted by our gov