The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-21


which conserves and uttlizes the lear
less bravery Of the native Filipino
fgh.ing man for the purpose OF main
tanning peace and quiet in the islanda
When the military occupation OF the
islands terminated prematureiy In lSol
IL became absolutely necessary for the
civil government to provide q military
force to cope with the condition OF
lawlessness in the country. The con-
stabulary, organized over night. was
the result of that urgent necessity. II
was severely criticized at the time, ana
at first it's career was far from peace
full. But time has corrected the mis-
takes of the early days and the con-
stabulary has proved Its usefulness
over and over again.
In the eight years OF Its existence
the constabulary has to its credit the
practical humiliation of brigandags.
The records show that more than 1l.u00
ladrones have been captured, more tnan
1000 have been killed, more than 5000
fire arms captured. 1000 animals re-
turned to their owners and vast
amount Of stolen property recovered. In
the same length Of time the constabu'
larry, In almost every instance. has
faced superior numbers and in most
cases has been outnumbered by Ave Or
ten to one.
The Old Guardia Civil of the Spanish
regime was cordially hated by the FIJI
ipinos. Its methods were often effect
I've, but were usually those OF the Sew
enteenth Century applied to Nineteenth
Century problems. 1t was assumed by
natives that the constabulary, made up
of Filipinos, Differed by Americans.
would be worse than the Guardia Civil.
and many Americans prophesied that
the men would prove neither courage
Gus nor loyal. With q few ex-
ceptions. they have been both brave
and loyal. The activities Of officers
and men have enriched American his
tory with much picturesque incident.
Among the wearers of medals for valor
there are numerous brown brothers."
and soldiers graves are occupied by
many more who were equally valiant.
The constabuiary 10 an organization
OF peace officers which occupied most
of its time. until recently. in lighting.
1t IL q police force acting under the
supervision OF the Governor General
"to maintain order, aid in the enforce
ment of laws and detect and punish
crime" The CHIEF object was TO sup
press brigandage. When not otherwise
occupied, detachments of constabuiary
escort public funds through unsafe
territory, accompany ethnoIogists, for
esters or surveyors through the wilds
where naked savages may spear or bolo
the unwary. and look for the scene Of
the slaughter when a government en-
ploye, trusting too much to the COM
plete pacification Of the islands, VEN
lures into the hills IN q remote prov.
ince and does not return. These and
other duties, including the maintenance
OF O show OF force where brigandage
would occur without II, keep the 5000
members of the constabulary busy. In
its makeup the constabulary consti.
tutes a congress of the tribes, inhab-
f~ he H0hffanntna Yafa
Igorotes. visayans. Bicois. flocanos,
Macabebes. Tagaiogs, Moros and a
score of other divisions of the Filipino
people. The Moros wear the red tar
booshes that proclaim them Mohamme-
dams. Their national history has been
written In blood for more generations
than they know how to count. Many OF
the men of other tribes never wore
headgear Of any kind before they be-
came constables. and many were stran-
gers to coats and trousers a few
years ago. although some were starchy
Manila boys when they were enlisted.
Licked into shape" by competent OH
hard fighting men. The officers are in
part from the army and In part from
civil life. The commanding officer, Gen.
eral H. H. Bandholtz, is a regular army
captain with the rank and pay of
brigadier general while loaned to the
constbulary.
When the conarabuIary was first
formed, officers were badly needed, and
requirements for commissions were less
rigid than they are at present. Now
adays a non-commissioned off1cer of the
army may secure a constabulary COM
mission by passing satisfactory ex-
animation in Manila: or a graduate of
military school of standing may be
appointed by the Bureau of Insular AZ
fairs. After examinations the new con-
stabulary officers are put through a
training school at Baguio where they
are instructed in the work they are TO
undertake. Enlisted men become nom
commissioned officers and may stand
examinations for commiss' ons. At pres
emit the highest rank attained by an en-
listed man is Sergeant Major. Sur
geons appointed at $1,4ooa year. have
always been too few. At one time
twenty-seven companies operating at
widely different points between which
transportation facilities were poor. de-
pended upon three surgeons. After
desperate fight with outlaws several
years ago wounded men were forced
to wait a week before the services of
q surgeon were available
Handicapped by disadvantages in
point Of numbers and equipment. the
constabulary during its busiest years
had adventures in the field stranger
than fiction and more romantic than
romance. DArtagnan never had an
experience more remarkable than that
of Inspector Fletcher. who was in
charge of a small garrison at Virac. in
the Province Of Albay, where the crew
of the steamer DOS Hermanos" mu-
tinted, murdered the chief engineer,
and steward and wounded the second
engineer and a passenger When In
spector Fletcher, with Acting Corporal
Panalosa and Second Glass Private Mol
Ia arrived. the vessel was putting to
sea in charge of the mutineers. The
three men reached the vessel In small
boat. boarded her. and engaged the mu-
wounded Ave. drove two Into the sea
and arrested thirty-hve.
In Samar a band of pulajanes agreed
to surrender to the constabulary. Head
ed by the notorious Nasairo Aguilar,
$50 outlaws armed with rifles and bolos.
marched to the station where fifty
members of the cOnstabuiary occupied
Quartet. Captain Ralph Jones no.
ticed a suspicious movement upon the
part of ABuilar and was attempting to
quietly reach the Quartet when Aguilar
gave the order to attack. During the
hand to hand fight that ensued, forty
three pula james were killed and when
the victory was won by the constabu-
larry only seven OF the fifty were in
lighting condition. Twenty two were
dead and seven seriously wounded
Captain Jones had fought through the
battle with a ragged spear wound In
his breast. These two encounters
which resulted in valor medals being
struck for a number of Filipinos as