Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-15
IN THE PHILIPPINES
SPECIAL REPORT ON ISLANDS
By SECRETARY TAFT.

to say that conditions in the islands show
steady Improvement "The commission" the
Secretary says, has used every effort to
cut down the expenses of government and
has found this not inconsistent with rem
oering the government more efficient In
every part Of the islands, except in the two
provinces OF Leyte and Samar, peace and
tranquility obtain. The capture or surren-
der of eight or ten OF the leaders Of ladrone
bands In the Island Of Luzon, comprising
all but one Of those who have vexed the
peaceful Inhabitants Of the Tagalog Prov
inces, has brought about a better condition
than ever before existed in the islands,
These men who were captured or who sur
rendered have been tried before Filipino
Judge ana have been shown to have been
guilty. without exception, of many fiendish
and cruel murders, and all but one have
been sentenced to DEATH that one being
is significant that all these ladrone leaders
styled themselves high officials in Filipino
republic that had no local habitation, but
followed the officials from one jungle to an
other until they were captured. The inn
petus given to agricultural operations, and
the increase In the demand for farming
property due to the destruction of these
iadrone bands. are pointed out In the report
OF the commission.
A Bitter Feud.
In Samar and Leyte there has been for a
long time bitter feud between the noun
tain peoples of those two islands, known as
Pulajanes. and the people Of the coast
towns In these islands the Pulajanes raise
hemp and dispose OF 1t to purchasers from
the coast towns. They are at times subject
to oppression and fraud by the local deal
ers In hemp and by the municipal officials
who attempt to monopoaze their sales at
nl1Oh ho1n fIn no~1~n%
and other causes create q constant feeling
OF suspicion and resentment on the part of
the mountain people against constituted au-
thority. and much more through misunder-
standing than real spirit Of lawlessness,
disturbances arise and are famed into flame
by the ease with which fakirs and pseudo
religious leaders are able to arouse the
mountain peoples into the formation Of
armed bands and the making of forays into
the lowlands. ,l-.. --t--,
"On the whole the conditions in the Phis-
ippnes give much cause for satisfaction.
The government is doing the work there
that 1t has proposed to do 1t Is maintain
ing peace and order with firm hand: it is
teaching lie people by practical experience
lessons in self-government. and 1t is giving
them an opportunity by the raising Of crops.
the proceeds OF which they may with GER
tainfy take to themselves as their own the
means of making the islands prosperous.
The Improvement is slow and does not come
with spectacular demonstration, but 1t is
not for that reason to be regarded as I'M
important What Is most needed now is
legislation from Congress which shall con-
vince the Filipino people OF the anxiety OF
the American people to aid them as far as
possible to a prosperity which has been alb
sent from the islands throughout the period
Of American occupation.
Census and Election.
THE census was completed late In the
spring of 1905, and under the organic act Of
the Philippine Islands. past July l. 1902. an
election for a popular assembly to act j. =
ly with the Philippine commission as the
legislature of the Christian Filipino prov
inces was to be held two years after the
completion and publication of the census, IL
the President should find the conditions as
to peace and tranquility satisfactory. as,,--
If serious disturbances in Samar and
Leyte were to continue the question might
arise whether the conditions Of peace and
tranquility In the islands were such as to
justify your calling an election for popu-
lar assembly. AS I say, however. hope
there will be no reason for hesitation In
this regard"
Secretary Taft says that the controversies
between the Roman Catholic Church and
the so-called Philippine Catholic Church,
led by Agiipay, have been transferred to
the courts, where they are reaching set
but have a most salutary effect upon the
religious controversies which have disturbed
and distressed the churches In the islands
from one end to the other.
The Secretary says he concurs In the rec
ommendation Of the commission that that
provision Of the act Of Congress which
takes out Of the Philippine treasury the ex-
port tax which It collects on exports OF
hemp, If the hemp is conveyed directly to
an American port. be repealed. He strongly
recommends to Congress the passage OF an
act authorizing the Philippine government
to guarantee to a private agricultural bank
a dividend Of per cent on $10,00O.O00. The
Secretary says that the experience OF the
Egyptian government under the plan adopt
ed and approved by Lord Cromer has been
go successful as to Justify the making OF
such an effort with respect to Philippine