The Elbert County tribune., 1909-08-19


OF the Twenty-third and Twenty-ffth
United States infantry. chased the 7 a
Would-oe reyolutionares back into kRNX
the Businesses of the Davaoan hills 8
and, within 4S hours of the first no. taz27&y
ice of the difficulty reaching head WEs
quarters the first internal serious XSEa
trouble since the organization of the Wzts
corps was at end. W.
The Philippine constabulary was w
organized just nine years ago At the
conclusion of the insurrection of
1Ss9-ls0O the military governor of
the Philippines. Gen Arthur Near
thur issued the following order:
In order to encourage among the
people the idea of self-protection
against robbers and rowing bands of
criminals, with which the country
abounds, department commanders are
authorized TO arm the local police in towns
where such action, in their Judgment. would
De prudent and expedient For this purpose
acquisitions may be submitted to the division
headquarters for caliber As Colts reyolvers
ana an adequate supply of ammunition. This
arm. will be replaced at an early date bv a
moH suitable weapon
For the better performance of the duties
contemplated 1t is desired that the organiza-
ton OF police be systematized and If possib,e
the scope OF action extended so as to make
these constabulary bodies by means of mount
go oetachments, conservators of the peace
and safety of districts, instead of confinine
their operations to areas limited by the boun-
daries of towns and barracks
Department commanders are empowered to
enforce the provisions of this order by appro-
pirate instructions"
BY the autumn of 1900 some organization of
the constabulary had been effected and in
February, 1901, the Philippine government
had, in addition to the army and the native
scouts then on duty an embryo of the present
efficient constabulary force numbering 2.571
men.
The newly organized body had an amusing
compleMty of personnel and diversity of ar
mament. 1t included every race and every
color. every language and every degree of
civilization, from cultured Castiians of the
Malecon drive to the dusky savage of Minda-
mao and Negros. The catalogue of their weap-
ons was fully as mixed as their racial afilia.
tons.
The organization grew in numbers and in
popularity. At first the ill-disposed were prone
to take chances with the little "coppers"
They had seen them soldiers of the army
of Aguinaldo driven from point to point by
the husky soldiers of the United States until
they had become imbued with the idea that
running was their chief and only accomplish
ment. 1t took but a few brushes with them
to show that they had gained something of
Uncle Sans determination to do things in his
own way and when the way of the preserver
of order and the native disorganizer ran
counter something had to drop, and drop hard.
Gradually the good work of the constabulary
became understood and with the spread of
their reputation for keeping things straight
the minor disorders of the urban and agricul-
tural communities became fewer and fewer
When at the last pacifcation of the civil
lied and semi-civilized portions of the islands
became established fact the constabulary
took up the work of teaching the hill tribes,
the head hunters and professional ladrones
that the plying of their various forms of nefa-
rious business pleasure anywhere near a
constabulary post a highly unwhoesome
pastime. When the hillmen and others got
enough of going out trouble hunts the con-
stabulary organized little trips on their own
account and went back into the woods to drag
out the real bad men and teach them the art
of behaving themselves even under their own
vines and banana trees.
One of the most remarkable things about
the organization of the constabulary has been
their extreme amenability to discipline and
their readiness to assimilate western ideas of
conduct and department by the members of
the force. In the illustrations will be noticed
photographs of detachment of Moro and Su-
bano recruits These pictures of the same
group of men were taken only four months
apart. In the first the barefoot disheveed.