The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-08
orourly pushed and a large number Of

DapuSmS are reported.
Several of the Protestant Churches are
gaining a foothold, there being upward oi
10000 Filipinos enrolled in the evangelis'
teal churches. The Presbyterian church
of the Tondo district, Manila, has some
thing like 400 natives, Senior Buencamino
Secretary Of State under Aguinaldo ano
afterward a member of the Civil Service
Commission, being president Of the Tondc
congregation.
No discussion Of the religious situation
in the Philippines would be complete with
out a reference to the independent Catholic
Church, OF which Senior Gregorio Aglipay
is the head.
"Obispo Maxine" Aglipay is a native
Filipino, 40 years old, with an intelligent
face and fine presence. In three and a hall
years he has established a'Church witt
some 300 priests and about TOO congre-
cations.
He claims a membership of about 4 900 900
but the clergy of the regular Catholic
Church. do not ooncede nearly 80 large a
following. In fact they deny that he has
made any considerable impression upon
the Catholic population, and as there is
no accurate church census it is impossible
TO say in what proportion the Catholic mem
bership Is divided between these two church
organizations.
FILIPINO CRIMINALS AND AMERICAN CR1MI'
NALS
Az to the honesty of the average Filipino
different opinions are to be heard from
Americans, but we were told that less care
was taken to lock the doors than in America
,r,At,h ,,,l,,Il ,lt..t. 1a-- T,,- 80 It,r rlo Fv
The Philippine court records would en-
barrass us If we became too harsh in oul
reflections upon the integrity of the Fill
pinos, for during the years l802-05 thirty
Office holding Americans we're found guilty
OF shortages and defalcations, the tota
amount embezzled exceeding 5000 gold.
Bilibid prison at Manila is the peniten-
tiary for the northern islands, and most
Il think ally who receive more than a jai
sentence are confined here. There are
now about 1900 prisoners in Bilibid, nearly
1 100 serving terms for brigandage, insur'
~rection, rebellion and sedition, the re-
mainder for other crimes.
II the convicts average a years sentence
each, the number OF natives sent to the peni'
tertiary during four years would have
TO be about 20, 600 to give the native popu'
lation a criminal class equal to the pro-
portion which the thirty convicted Ameri'
cans lear TO the entire American popula'
ton in the islands, and it must be remem'
bered that the deialcations have heen
among Americans selected because of Their
supposed character and capacity.
There have been many defalcations
among the fiscal officers appointed
1900 lLo ..t;,.-, lrN - l-.- i, ~
total number of the Filipinos occupying
fiduciary positions and the number OF
Americans occupying similar positions,
! cannot make a comparison. Our CHIEF
consolation is to be found in the fact that
Americans guilty Of dishonesty have beer
promptly punishedby the American officials
but this does not entirely remove the stain
which their conduct has brought Upon our
nations good name.
AMERICAN OFFICIALS PRAISED.
! cannot conclude this article without
expressing my appreciation of the courtesy
shown me by Acting Gov. Ide, Secretary
Ferguson, the members of the Philippine
Commission and the other officials, civil
and military They were all willing &c
furnish information, records and statistics
regarding the things lone under American
authority.
While mistakes have been made, some
of them expensive, while there have beer
outrages by the constabulary (Which i:
merely a native army Differed by Ameri'
a and serving under another name),
and while there have been instances oil
seeming Partially to Americans where
conflict has occurred between them anc
natives, l believe that the serious evils
to be complained Of are not personal but
are inherent in a colonial system, and can
not be eradicated 40 long as such a system
is maintained.
The greatest need that l noted in the
islands is an increase in what we call the
middle class, but this need is noticeable
in the other Spanish colonies which | have
visited and will lie corrected as education in.
creases among the masses. With more edu,
cation among the farmers there will be i'm.
proved methods of agriculture, and with
more education among the artisans will
come diversification Of industry.
This middle class will be a balance wheel
as it were, to regulate the machinery OF
society, and it will furnish a public opinion
which will control official representatives.