Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1901 — WAMTS TROOPS TO REMANIN [ARTICLE]

WAMTS TROOPS TO REMANIN

Annual Report of Gen. Chaffee Made to the Government. IMPROVEMENT IS GRADUAL. Natives Are Accused of Inhuman Methods In Treatment of Prisoners —Reign of Terror In Southern Luton —More Bu* bonlo Plague Expected. Washington dispatch: In his official report of the conditions of the past year in the Philippines, Major General Chaffee, military governor, expresses his gratification at the advancement made. His annual report has just been received at the war department. “If nothing more has been done by the military in the past three years,” he says, “it has laid an excellent foundation and a turbulent and hostile community has been brought to observe laws and to be individually orderly. The world will watch with keen interest the evolution of an American city from the Malay and Mongolian elements which now almost exclusively compose the population.” While General Chaffee reports that peace reigns in northern Luzon, the insurrections in the south and the reign of terror the brigands have inaugurated among the natives in many communities will for years to come, he believes, be a most difficult problem to successfully solve. He recommends that no further material reduction of troops be made before January 1, 1903. In this connection he says: “The return of troops would be greatly in the interests of the army and economy, but neither is of such vital importance, temporarily at least, as military contemplation or events and martial support of the civil governments during the period of time necessary for complete organization and for a further period during their trial; also for familiarization of the people with the new order of things.” The inhuman methods of the natives are touched upon in reports from the field. The insurgents bind strong men with their hands behind them, then, before the victims are buried alive in graves dug before their eyes, or drowned in deep water, they aje taunted and beaten with clubs. The native prisoners deported to Guam have no cause for complaint, judging from the report. They are so well fed and cared for that they gleefully declare that they have never been so well provided for. An epidemic of bubonic plague throughout Luzon is expected the ensuing year. year there were 452 cases and 372 deaths in Manila. It is estimated that in the coming year there will be at least 1,000 cases. Tuberculosis is prevalent in Manila. Last year there were over 5,000 cases. Reports from six regiments in the field show that the abolition of the sale of beer and wine in the army canteen has increased greatly the number of courtmartials.