Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-20

VSSzy5SS77SVSSl ANILA, -- Americans we'll
III !: !. > = q; ! !:
loezlsAAszSsaagl serves and utilizes the
fearless bravery of the ma
tive Filipino lighting man for the pur-
pose of maintaining peace and quiet in
the islands. When the military occu-
patton Of the islands terminated pre-
maturely in 1901 it became absolutely
necessary for the civil government to
! provide military force to cope with
the condition of lawlessness in the
country. The constabulary, organized
over night, was the result of that urg-
ent necessity. 1t was severely critt-
cised at the time, and at first its ca
reer was far from peaceful. But time
has corrected the mistakes of the early
days, and the constabulary has proved
! its usefulness over and over again.
In the eight years of it's existence
! the consta Sulary has to its credit the
practical annihiliation of briSandage
/ The records show that more than 11,0OO
/ ladrones have been captured, more
than 1000 have been killed, more than
6000 firearms captured 5000 animals re-
! turned to their owners, and a vast
amount of stolen property recovered.
In the same. length of time the con-
stabulary has lost in killed and wound
ed thirty-nine officers and 4S0 men. In
their fights with the brigands the con-
stabulary, in almost every instance,
has faced superior numbers and In
most cases has been outnumbered by
five or ten to one.
The old Guardia Civil of the Spanish
regime was cordially hated by the
! Filipnos. It's methods were often eff
| fective, but were usually those of the
| seventeenth century applied to nine
| teenth century problems. 1t was as
sumed by natives that the constabu-
| larry, made up of FilipinoS, otflcered
| by Americans, would be worse than the
/ Guardia Civil, and many Americans
! prophesied that the men would prove
neither courageous nor loyal. With. a
| few exceptions, they have been both
brave and loyal. The activities of Off
GERS and men have enriched American
/ history with much picturesque Incl
! dent Among the wearers of medals for
Nalor there are numerous brown bro
Tiers" and soldiers graves are occu-
pied by many more who were equally
valiant.
The constabulary is an organization
| OF peace officers which occupied most
of its time until recently in fighting
| 1t is a police force acting under the
supervision of the governor general ito
!
of laws and detect and punish crime.
The chief object was to suppress brig
andage When not otherwise occupied,
detachments of constabulary escort
| public funds through unsafe territory
| accompany ethnologists, foresters or
surveyors through the wilds where
naked savaPes may spear or bolo the
! unwary, and look for the scene OF
slaughter when government employe,
| trusting too much to the complete
pacificatibn of the islands, ventures into
| the hills in a remote province and does
not return. These and other duties
! including the maintenance of a show
of force where brlgandage would occur
without it, keep the 5000 members OF
the constabulary busy. In its makeup
! the constabulary constitutes congress
of the tribes inhabiting the Philippine
islands. There are Igorotes, Nisayans,
| Bicols, Ilocanos, Macabebes, Tagalogs
! Moros and a score Of other divisions
! Of the Filipino people. The Moros wear
the red tarbooshes that proclaim them
Mohammedans. Their national history
! has been written in blood for more
/ generations than they know now 10
count Many of the men of other trlpes
never wore headgear OF any klhd De
! fore thev became constables, and many
were strangers to coats and trousers
! few years ago, although some we're
starchv Manila boys when they were
enlisted. Licked into shape by com
petent officers, all of them make trim
! looking. hard fighting men. The oth-
GERS are in part from the army and IN
rart from civil life. The commanding
officer, Gen. H. II. Bandholtz, is reg,
ular army captain, with the rank and
pav of a brigadied general while loaned
! to the constabulary.
When the constabulary was hrst
| formed. officers were badly needed ana
requirements for commissions were less
| rigid than they are at present. Nova
| days a non-commissioned officer OF the
armv may secure a constabulary com
mission by passing a satisfactory eX-
animation in Manila; or a graduate or
| a military school of standing may be
Amounted by the bureau of tnsular
affairs. After examination the new
! constabulary officers are put through
training school at Baguio where they
are instructed in the work they are to
undertake. Enlisted men become non
| commissioned officers and may stand
examination for commissions. At pres