Willmar tribune., 1909-08-25

SluaI uGtcnmentS
of the Twenty-third and Twenty-f1fth ~
United States infantry, chased the 7
would-be revolutionaries back into *
Tie businesses of the Davaoan hills
and, within 48 hours of the first no.
tlce of the difficulty reaching head -
quarters the first internal serious x
trouble since the organization of the
corps was at an end
The Philippine constabulary was " F.,
organized just nine years ago. At the
conclusion of the insurrecton of
iS99-l900 the military governor of W
lhe Philippines Gen. Arthur McAr. Y
thur, issued the following order:
In order to encourage among tho
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
be prudent and expedient For this purpose
requlsltlons may be submitted to the division
headquarters for caliber As Colts revolvers
and an adequate supply of ammunition. This
arm will be replaced at an early date by
more suitable weapon.
For the better performance of the duties
contemplated it is desired that the oreaniza-
zion OF police be systematized and. if possible
the scope of action extended so as to make
these constabulary bodies, By means of mount.
ed detachments, conservators of the neace
and safety of districts, instead of confining
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
complexity of personnel and diversity of ar
mament. 1t included every race and every
-aolor, every language and every degree of
civilization, from cultured Castilians of the
Malecon drive to the dusky savage of Minda-
mao and Negros. The catalogue Of their weap.
Ions was fully mixed as their racial afilia-
tions.
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 as 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 their chief and only accomplish
to show that they had gained something OF
Uncle Sans determination to do things in his
own way and when the way of the preserve1
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 o1
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-civilzed portions of the island.
became an established fact the constabular,
took up the work of teaching the hill tribes
the head hunters and professional ladrone
that the plying of their various forms of nefa
tious business or pleasure anywhere near
constabulary post was highly unwholesom
pastime When the hillmen and others go
enough of going out on trouble hunts the cor
stabulary organized little trips on their owl
account and went back into the woods to dra
of behaving themselves even under their ow
vines and banana trees.
One Of the most remarkable things abou
the organization of the constabulary has bee
their extreme amenability to discipline an
their readiness to assimilate western ideas q
conduct and department by the members Q
the force. In the illustrations will be netice
photographs of detachment Of Moro and 81
bano recruits. These pictures of the sam
group OF men were taken only four month
apart In the first the barefoot, disheveled
turbaned band had just entered tho servic