The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, September 05, 1913, Image 2

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    ! FILIPINOS BOUGHT
IF CHATTELS,
0
o
S Governor General's Secretary
of Interior Makes Report
to Senate.
VC0
SLAVERY, in the full meaning of
the word, exists throughout tho
Philippines, even tn the city of
Manila, and peonage Is general
In the Islands, according to a special
report Commissioner Dean C. Worces
ter, secretary of the interior oC the
Philippines, has Just made to the In
sular government.
According to Dean Worcester, Fili
pinos In some parts of the Islands com
monly capture children and sell them
Into slavery for profit Some are seut
to Chlun, where they are dressed iu
the native fashion. Some children
have been enticed from their homes by
slave agents upon promises of Bcboiar
ehlps iu schools, and some of those. In
uu Instance which Mr. Worcester re
ports in detail, were sold and others
were farmed out for money.
He cites tlio case of a thlrtecn-year-old
girl, bought for some pigs, rice,
chickens and a cloak. The supreme
court of the islands released the slave
trader on the ground that no crime had
been committed because no physical
forco had been used. This one case,
Mr. Worcester says, has blocked oth
er slavery prosecutions.
New Governor General.
The report follows close on the heels
of the announcement that President
Wilson had appointed Representative
Fronds Burton Ilarrlson of New York
to bo governor general of the Pnfllp
plnes to succeed W. Cn moron Forbes,
who has held that post since Novem
ber, 1000.
The nearly simultaneous publication
of the report and the appointment of
TV. CASIEItON WMiBES.
HID SOLD IS
WORCESTE
I
Sordid Details of Traffic In
Children Revealed by t
Investigation.
sold him to Benito Marcelo for 55 pe
sos. The case came before the secretary-treasurer
of Palawan, who ia also
Justice of the peace, bee fro bo of some
trouble over the last payment for
slaves, and in that way the govern
ment learned of the matter. The offi
cial sent Loeso back to Ula tribe nod
furnished me with a statement of the
facts.
"Persons less rash than those of the
class of slave traders Just referred to
have made a claim that slavery does
not exist and never has existed in the
territory subject to the atrtlwrfty of
the Philippine legislature as distin
guished from Uiat inhaMtod by Moron
and other non-Christian trH)ea and
subject to the authority of the Philip
pine) commission only. Bnt Palawan
is coo of the provinces subject to the
authority of the Phillpiino assembly.
Eoplies to Qneeon.
"It Is possible that Senior Quezon,
tho Philippine delegatfc in congress
' who denies the existence of slavery, ts
m.
fsabefta province in 1003, Mr, Tnft
referred tliom ta Commissioner Wright,
suggesting that anti-slavery laws
ought to be incorporated hi tho new
penal code which was being drawn
up under Wright's supervision. Tho
revision of that code wns-n tremendous
piece, of work, which boo not been
completed yet, and so Mr. Toffs roc
ommendadona might Just as well not
have been made.
"Jn my own annual report for tho
ear 1012 I urged tho pofisofio of some
law to pcnnlizo tl slave trade, and on
Oct. 24 of that year tho Philippine
commission did paes one. It went to
tho PhUlpplno assembly on Jan, 8,
1013, and was promptly tabled.' It
is tabled' still, and this is tho status
of tho situation today.
!Some light may be thrown on the
ubject by going bock to the year 1003,
when my attention was first called to
tho subject of slavery by Louis D.
Knight, governor of Nueva Vlscayo
province, who told mo 6omo harrowing
tales of certain doings so that some
thing might be done about it, and ho
wrote out a very lengthy and detailed
account, including tho prices at which
women and children were sold Into
bondage, ranging from a few pesos to
hundred dollars.
Proeecutiotis Unsuccessful.
"Three of tlieso cases were prosccutr
ed beforo tlio court of Nueva Vlscayo,
and tho slave traders were noqultted,
tho Judso basing his action on tho be
lief that tho children sold were or
phans and on tho further ground that
tney were, not locked up, guarded, men
aced or threoteiiod or otherwise de
prived of liberty by force, nt least
wliHo in the custody of tho nocneod.
"Anotlier test case wra bsonght
against Thomas Cabaiwg. a well
known slave trader, who mndo a busi
ness of buying und eelllng Ifugno chil
dren. Ho was charged with illegal do-
tontlon In connection with the admlt
ted eale of on Ifugao girl named Jlma-
ya. lie was convicted In tho lower
court, but nppealed to .the supremo
court March 10, 1007, and went cot
fro. This was tho famous slow case
In which Judge Tmeey wrote-tho opln
The girl in question was thirteen
years old, and the evidence showed
that she had been bought from her
motlver for some pigs, chickens, rice
the new governor general ore- regarded
In official circles' at' Washington as sig
nificant. At the same time It is un
derstood that President Wilson will
not announce a definite Philippine pol
icy until Mr. Harrison has had ample
opportunity to investigate conditions
there.
Pending his report tlio government
will endeavor to block nt once farther
traffic in human Iwlngs In tho Islands
if It is found to be possible.
Dean Worcester's report follows a
request for Information made to tho
war department by tho senate on May
1, when Senator Borah road a letter
from Dr. Worcester stating In a gen
eral way that slavery existed to such
an extent as to make It one. of the
most serious problems confronting tlio
government Tho report Is all the
more interesting becauso tho war de
partment Informed tho senato that It
had no information concerning slavery
In the islands.
Tho commissioner says ho made a
report on slavery to tho bureau of In
sular affairs In 1010 and another In
1012. Defining 'peonago as tho condi
tion of a debtor held by his creditor In
Involuntary servitude and slavery, as a
condition In which a human being Is
held us a chattel, fed and clothed, bat
not paid, Dr. Worcester describes In
detail the forms of human truffle, tho
Impossibility of suppressing the busi
ness under tho present lawB and the
futllo efforts at new legislation since
tho American occupation of tho Is
lands, Tho citations cover tho entire
period down to tho present time.
Slavery Common.
"It has been and still is a common
thing for Filipinos living In a territory
adjacent to that Inhabited by Negritos,
Tagabanaus, Eongots or Ifugaos," oays
the report, "to obtain children by
rapture or purchoso and hold them as
Blaves, selling them to others when
ever It proves financially advantageous
to do so. Such unfortunates are dear
ly chattel slaves and often ore repeat
edly sold and resold.
"A typical case Is that of Togbanau
ct Palawan, Lasso, who was bought
from ono Patrico Tabastabas by Pas
tor Medino for 40 pesos. Mcdlno sold
him to Vlncente Baculll for the sumo
price, and Tabastabas bought him back
In 1012 for 45 pesos. This year he
Photo by American Press Association.
KHUscjs Bxnnm nsEnisou.
bo- ignorant of conditions there as to
bo unaware of the conditions I have
Just described and of tho fact that
many Moroe of that place held slaves
until compelled to give them up by the
provincial government adirttolstarcd by
mo as secretary of the interior, but if
so he ho has no right to claim that be
is a 'FlUplno CmnHar with coodltlons,'
"Isabella ts a province atfso subject
to the authority of the'PmTTpptno as
sembly, but It differs from Palawan In
that the largo majority of Its inhabi
tants aro Christians and in tho further
fact that It la organized under tho pro
vincial government act and Is there
fore not ln any way subject to mo as
secretary at the Interior, Yet BJavery
has been common In this province
from tho beginning of historic times,
and It Is common there today. Its oc
currence Is admitted, and Its condl
tlons aro described In a report made
by a fellow townsman of Senor Que
zon, Francisco Dlchoso, who wns gov
ernor of the province when he mode
tho report In 1003.
"William II. Tnft was civil governor
of tho Philippines at tho time, and lie
directed that a full Investigation of
these facts bo mode. Among other
things Governor Dlchoso himself bad
been charged with owning slaves, but
ho denied It, not because there wore
no slaves to bo had, but because It
was against his nature to treat human
beings as property.
Children Sold to China.
"Anthers Cmnartnca fa a regularly or
ganized province, under control of tbo
Philippine assembly, yet stneo tho
American occupation children have
been sold Into slavery there for depor
tation into China. The- essential facts
wcro reported by tho Filipino governor
and tho Filipino fiscal of thoprovincD."
Dean Worcester presents records to
provo his assertions, including a letter
from Lieutenant Governor Banz of
Ramblon, where seventy children wcro
enticed from noma Dr. Wfcsoestcr
then says:
"Sana has subsequently recovered a
number of these children, hut to do
so ho had to enlist tho old of tho se
cret service at Manila and tho Philip
pine constabulary at Caplz. Tho great
er port of tho children, however, have
never been located. Tho men con
cerned In these transactions were ar
rested and tried, and tho principal.
who was operating under an assumed
name, was convicted of abduction of
minors.
"The question will bo Disked, "What
baa been done to stop this traffic In hu
man flesh?' And I really do not know
when) to begin. Upon receiving re
ports of tho slavery which existed In
DEFEAT F0R THAW
Get Him Out of Canada,
Orders Premier.
COURT RESERVES DECISION.
Detention of Prisoner Branded as Scan
dal to Dominion, and Sherbrooke
Jail Is Sarcastically Referred
to as a "Public Board
ing House."
HA&MSON EESIGNATI0N IN.
Addressed "To the Governor," It Goea
to Mr. Sulzer.
Albany, Sept 3. Tho resignation of
Francis llurtou Ilarrlson as congress-'
man, representing tho Twentieth New
York district, to take effect Sept 1,
was received by William ulzer. Mr.
Harrison recently was nppolnted gov
ernor general of tho Philippines.
Tlio resignation was addressed, "To
Uie governor of tho state of New
York." Following out tho policy in
effect since both Mr. Sulzer nnd Lieu
tenant Governor Glynn laid claim to
tho gubernatorial prerogatives, the
postolllco authorities placed the letter
In the postofflce box of which Mr. Sul
zer had the key.
BONDS FOUND, MAN SEIZED,
BEAN a VTOBCESTEE.
and a ckmk. Cnbanag sold her to a
man from Nueva Vlscayo and tho lat
ter to turn to a native of Isabella. Tho
court held that no law was violated
since tho girl was not detained by ac
tual physical force. That decision, has
blocked every slavery prosecution wo
have attempted since.
"What reason has tbo PWllpptno as
sembly for blocking lawB which would
stop this truffle? That body has mem
bers from Pampangn, Talllnc, Bataan,
Zombies, Isabella, Cagnyan and no
merous other provinces In which slav
ery flourishes, and it holds Its sessions
hi Manila, where also slavery exists.
Island Assembly's Apathy.
'Without hesitation, I express tho
opinion" that the chief reason why tho
assemblymen object to such a law as
tho ono they havo tabled b that It
would not only prohibit and penalize
slavery, but would necessarily pcnnlizo
peonago as welL And peonage Is so
widespread that It must bo colled gen
eral. Indeed, I havo no hesitation In
asserting that it prevails in every mu
nldpollty In tho Philippine Islands.
"In Manila an assemblyman, Slrrero
D, Cecilia, was caught red handed In
slave ownership, but no prosecution
resulted, and tho slavo girl Involved
was left tn the possession of tho as
semblyman, although she appealed to
the courts and complained of brutal
treatment But why multiply cases?
"I could obtain conclusive evidence
concerning a hundred, a thousand, ten
thousand of them. It is eimpty a Ques
tion of time and work. I how not
made fho slightest effort to get at tho
peonago records of tho aesembrymen
on their farms back In tho provinces;
but, taking tho cases as they come, I
have already run across .three which
directly Involved members or es-tnem-
bcra of that body. Is thcro any won
der they would not pass tho Phfltpplno
rommlssion's antl-elav-ery billS"
Sherbrooke, Que., Sept 3. Harry K.
Thaw will find a huven for another
day ct least in tho Sherbrooke Jail,
secure from tho immigration au
thorities who seek to deport him.
Superior Judge Hutchinson reserved
decision after hearing arguments for
and against sustaining a writ of habeas
corpus calling for tho fugitive's re
lease. Meanwhile Thaw will remain In
his cell. Crowds gathered here for
the fair cheered him wildly as be was
driven up tho hill ou his return trip
to the Jail Ho bowed In acknowledg
ment, but showed signs of extreme
nervousness after tho morning bearing.
Dcvelopnionts come fast Aime
Geofrrion, special represcntntlvo for
tbo provisional attorney general and
premier, scotched tlio attempt of
ThawB lawyers to obtain adjournment
of tho habeas corpus proceedings by
declaring that It was tho attorney gen
eral's wish that tho matter bo disposed
of forthwith.
This was n blow to tbo Thaw forces
and to Thaw himself. Ills lawyers
contended that to liberate Thaw on a
writ sued out by his erstwhile captor,
John Boudreau, chief of police of
Oofttlcool;, were perversion of tlio act
and that if necessary, they would
carry the cose to the "foot of the
throne."
Prisoner Very Nervous.
W. L. Shurtleff of counsel for Thaw
questioned the right of tlio attorney
generul to Intervene, nnd H. It Frnser
defied tlio lawyers acting for New
York state to cite ono instance on rec
ord where a writ has been sustained
when the prisoner was an unwilling
party to the proceedings, ns is the
present cose.
Thaw, paler than usual, sat through
It all scrunclied up on a lounge. He
twirled his new straw hat to case the
tension, bit his nails and now and
then scribbled notes, using his hat
crown to rest the paper on.
Sir Ixmer Gouln, attorney general
and premier, intervened In the case
through Almo Geoffrlon, as special
representative, and demanded that
steps be taken at onco to bring about
his liberation from the Sherbrooke
Jail where for two weeks Thaw has
defied deportation.
His detention was branded as a
scandal' to the Dominion, the Jail was
described sarcastically as a "public
boarding house," Thaw ns ono who
had boasted that bo laughed at out
witting the authorities.
Probably 200 persons waited with
out the Jail to watch Thaw moke tho
trip down to the courthouse.
Outside the main entrance there
wero fully 15,000 persons. Several ran
up to- clap Thaw on tbo bock as he
made his way through tho crowd, but
La Force shoved them forcibly back.
Police Trace to House Securities
Taken In Buffalo Station.
Buffalo, Sept. 3. The police an
nounced that bonds valued at $15,000,
stolen last week from John G. Lalor
In tho New York Central station, were
recovered.
Tbo securities wero found in the
home of Fred Werner, and Werner
was placed under arrest on an open
charge. Jewelry valued at $500, which
tailor said also was in tho satchel
with the- bonds, has not been found.
Hot weather makes aching
corns but why suffer? PEDOS
CORN CURE will give instant
relief.
flu? Bros
FIRE
LIFE
ACCIDENT
AUTOMOBILE
NSURANlE
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Consolidated Phone 1 0 li
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13 DUBLnT FAMILIES BURIED.
United States Needa Preea Aon'.
Tho United Stoics wants a press
agent to boom tho good roods move
ment, according to an announcement
of tho Chicago branch of tho federal
civil service commission. Tho posi
tion may bo competed for by any male.
but a trained newspaper man "te pre
ferred. Tho position will pay $8 a day
for ach day omployed.
Houeee Collapse Seven Dead Extri
cated 53 Persons Missing.
Dublin, Sept 3. Two houses rn
Church street, occupied by thirteen
families, collapsed, burying all tbo In
mates. A large force of rescuers was speed
ily at work, and seven dead and many
Injured have been extricated.
It la feared that the death roll will be
heavy, as it Is reported that flfty-three
persons aro missing.
Heartrending cries are heard from
tho ruins, as many persons still alive
uro imprisoned in tho wreckage.
The houses fell without tho slightest
warning. Church street consists of
old, dilapidated tenement buildings, oc
cupied by members of tho very poor
classes
PHARMACIST,
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This Bank Has a Capital and Surplus of $200 jl
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