and
levied contributions in the name of the great republic of Aguinaldo which
still remained to be created.All manner of impostors were foisted upon the simple Bojolanos. One man <even went so far as to> proclaim
p. 42 is blank
{43}
were thought to be dangerous criminals. Under the native system they were
left idle in their prison room which was foul beyond words; but when the
demand for labor incident to the unloading of the stores became urgent it
was found necessary to work these men with the other hired labor. At first
all went well under the eyes and guns of our sentinels and the earnest voice
in which the prisoners answered "Si, si" when asked if they understood that
they would be shot if they attempted to escape left no doubt <of their
[intentions?]> possible. But one day when water must be brought from the
forest spring the prisoners were guarded only by the native spearmen, and
fifteen of them captured their few guards and vanished
<amongst the trees> but <and only> two or three
were left to languish at the end of the spears: and so the prison at Tagbilaran
was purged and the new regime began. Within a week of the landing all seemed
settled at the Capital of Bohol as if no peaceful convulsion had taken place;
the government goes <went> on as usual; the people
are <seemed> content and soldiers and natives
<were> as friendly as if they had lived together always. The festivals
go <went> on, and in the nearby towns the schools
continued, in fact there has <was> hardly
been a break in the ordinary lives of the people, and not
one official has lost place or salary. This government,
the schools, and the Church go <went> on as before,
and the presence of the Americans <is a mere ripple on the surface of
island life. So long as this happy state of affairs can continue American
occupation will do no harm to the idyllic life of this simple
people.>. But perhaps it is worth while in conclusion to consider for
a moment what it was we came to replace, and what manner of people and government
we have added to the collection of humanity <under our
flag>. A
p. 44 is blank
{45}
glance at the conditions found on the occupation of the island by our troops
will shows that we had did not
taken over a mere lot of savages, or turbulent insurgents
<or ladrones> but a well ordered, peaceful, and self respecting community
perfectly capable of working out its own destiny, without
aid from without unless to protect it from <indeed it
were to fall under> foreign aggression.
It seems that when the Spaniards in December 1898 were withdrawn from Bohol,
by steamer from Cebu, the island was left in a state of anarchy; no government
remained, no army existed, and Cebullaños always it appears more or
less insolent towards the people of Bohol, came over in numbers robbed the
people and
levied contributions in the name of the great republic of Aguinaldo which
still remained to be created.
All manner of impostors were foisted upon the simple Bojolanos. One man
<even went so far as to> proclaiming himself the
reincarnation of the poet Rizal executed in Manila <&> was
<at> first worshipped <as a saint> and then killed, all sorts
of outrages were perpetrated by <natives from the other islands> in
the name of <liberty & of> the Filipino Republic until finally
the people <of Bojol> rose <from their apathy> formed a native
army and drove out the invaders and secured quiet. Still
there was no central government <and a system remained to be created>.
During the earlier disturbances Mr. Bernabe Reyes a resident of Dauis near
the present capital Tagbilaran (and by the way a <worthy &> most
intelligent man of mixed Spanish, Filipine and Chinese race educated in Hong
Kong) had removed to Cebu to
{46}
Page 49.
See next page
But which has served to control a population <secure
the welfare of> about two hundred and fifty thousand
people. It is of course an oligarchy but perhaps better suited to these people
than a more liberal form of government.
See next page
But the Spanish priest and monk has gone, & the new clergy Filipino to
a man appear to be anxious to improve upon the ways of their predecessors
<and to do what he can [sic] to secure the [corporal?] welfare
of his people.>
and Soon after our arrival at Tagbilaran <this disposition
was shown by the local priest in whom the able> surgeon of the command
found an interested coadjutor in the parish priest, who.
<This churchman> showed himself anxious to assist in the sanitation
of the houses <& aided the movement> the
<to> establishment of civil hospitals of which none
had before existed in the island <and seemed anxious
to follow out all suggestions of improvement offered>. The school work
of the priests <on Bohol also> seemed creditable and <if not all
that could be desired is yet an excellent beginning> in the larger towns
amongst the conspicuous buildings frequently of stone is the
<sure to be a> school for boys and [illegible] for girls. On
entering the visitor sees a collection of neatly dressed <little> boys
going through their lessons <aloud> in Visayan or in Spanish; or <a
group> of chubby faced girls under the care of a <neat looking>
native woman who gather together like a flock of young quail on the approach
of the stranger. but
The school
rooms are clean and airy, and if the scholars do not learn much of practical
use, their minds at least are brightened and improved. Teachers are paid
from the public treasury as are the priests of certain towns. The
salary <sueldo> A[t] Tagbilaran <this salary [amounts?]
to> 60 per month
{47} [continued from p. 45]
attend to his private interests, and seeing the condition of anarchy into
which Bojol was drifting passed on to <set out for>
Manila and there through the powerful influence of Mr. Florentino Torres
succeeded in obtaining from Aguinaldo authority to return to Bohol and there
establish a provisional government which should later be merged into the
great Filipino Republic. In January 1899 he returned and visited various
towns of the island, secured by popular vote the election of local presidents
who in their turn were to meet at the capital as representatives of the people
of Bohol and there elect a president of the provisional republic and establish
a <central> government. A general constitution for all the islands
had been drawn up by Aguinaldo, was adopted with suitable
modifications for Bohol, and on June 11, 1899 the presidentes of the towns
met <at the capital Tagbilaran and> as representatives of the people
and elected <Mr.> Bernabe Reyes, President of the
Republic of Bohol, with three ministers or councillors [sic], of Justice,
Police, and the Treasury to form his Cabinet and execute the laws. A budget
was prepared, based upon probable estimates; a system of taxation was
established; a police or military force created; a postal service provided;
schools and churches [re-opened?]; and road building and internal improvements
commenced in short everything was done that should in time convert <the
people of> island into a well governed prosperous community, independent
and self sustaining. Only one difficulty seems to have
{48}
The church processions too are interesting. They often take place in the
early evening, when the darkness is sufficient to bring out the lights of
candles or cocoa nut oil placed at the windows of houses
along the way. First come the men bareheaded & clad mostly in black walking
in a file on either side of the street and with lighted candles in their
hands. Then the women in two similar rows and all
walking <moving slowly> in utter silence, a priest
seated in a chair <between the [rows of candles?]> beneath a canopy
surrounded by lights. A peculiarly [impressive?] if somewhat ghostly procession
<it is> of shadowed figures, twinkling lights and silence. A more devout
people would be hard to find. [A partly obliterated note, from the margins,
is meant to be inserted here: "...the modesty and self respect of the
women, who seem to [resent?] the blandishments of the soldiers and thus far
at least are never seen coquetting with them and to shun the primrose path
of dalliance thus far."] So far no doubt the power of priesthood and church
<has been well used> but <See page 49> as an intelligent
man amongst them remarked, the <people are not yet ready to govern themselves
for though the> priesthood has instructed the people about heaven it has
taught them nothing about earth. That no doubt is part of the American's
burden.
A mere glance at the comparative grandeur and riches of the churches and
convents of this little island is enough to show the power wealth and power
[sic] of the church. <They are very religious> and on Sundays
and feast days it is a remarkable sight to see them going to and from the
church in a great crowd their heads and
shoulders covered with a long white headdress
<garment> often delicately embroidered and resembling somewhat the
picturesque <headdress> of the [Breton?] peasants. On such occasions
the [shirt?] is usually black, the feet naked or thrust into heeless
[sic] slippers, and <usually> no man is permitted
<[presents?] himself to walk> amongst <the group of> the women
who at the outgoing from the church fill the plaza like a great flock of
black and white pigeons, and soberly and solemly [illegible ] their
way home.
{49} [continued from p. 47]
arisen in the path of the new government and that was quickly removed in
the good old way by killing the disturber, a general of the new army who
wanted to be something more and <who> when ordered to the capital resisted
arrest and was disposed of by the <spears and knives of the> police
in the sally-port of Government House <at Tagbilaran>. This seems to
have quieted ambition and peace thereafter reigned <and the new government
[...illegible...] of its way without incident, meeting the requirements
of the people, and securing peace and prosperity to the island. But one thing
seems [...illegible...]. Besides the three counsellors [sic]
forming the cabinet there were other officers of government but as a glance
at the budget shows salaries and expenses are were modest;
and with open ports and [renewed?] commerce with the neighboring islands
there seems no reason why Bohol should not be have been
comfortable and prosperous <under her new government>. Such is an outline
of the simple <beginnings of the system> government
that was found <in existence> on our arrival and which has remained
<thus far> undisturbed. <See page 49.>
Bohol contains about <practically> two hundred and
forty seven fifty thousand people; it is not rich and probably
never can become so for the scanty soil hardly more than covers the coral
rock below. Nevertheless it is a pretty island covered with palms and bananas
and producing hemp, a little sugar, coffee, cocoa and probably valuable [dye?]
woods. The people <of Bohol> seem wholesome and prosperous, they appear
<larger &> better [nurtured?] than natives of the other islands
and of a lighter skin. <The men are sturdy if lazy fellows &> the
women are appear pretty and always very modest and <and
better clad than those of other islands; they are very> religious,
and certainly the churches show considerable wealth. They
<There> are often magnificent churches of stone cut from the soft coral
rock, large and architecturally <good> & the silver lamps and interior
decorations are <often> surprisingly
good <fine even magnificent> for this little lost
island
but as an intelligent man vis