ecess in the course of which we partook of a very elaborate lunch,
and when possible conferred privately with influential men, often
learning things which they did not care to tell us in public. Then came
another open meeting at which the actual organization of the province
was effected and the officials were appointed and sworn in. After
this there was a long formal dinner, with the endless courses which
characterize such functions in the Philippines, and then came a ball
which lasted till the wee small hours. When at last we got on board,
tired out, our steamer sailed, and often brought us to some new place
by sunrise.

In several instances we did not pass the act organizing a given
province at the time of our visit, but for one reason or another
postponed action until a later date. We visited a number of places
like Jolo, Basilan, Zamboanga, Cotabato, Davao and Samar, where we
had no intention of establishing civil government, in order to observe
local conditions.

We touched at Marinduque on our trip south, and found that nothing
could then be done there, but the better element were anxious for a
change, and we promised them that if they would bring about certain
specified results before our return we would give them a provincial
government. They undertook to do so, and kept their word. Needless
to say we also kept ours.

We had grave doubts as to the advisability of establishing civil
governments in Cebu, Bohol and Batangas. In the first of these
places the people were sullen and ugly. In the second there was
a marked disinclination on the part of leading citizens to accept
public office. There had been a little scattering rifle fire on the
outskirts of the capital of the third very shortly before our arrival
there, but the organization of all these provinces was recommended by
the military authorities, and we decided to try an experiment which
could do little harm, as we could return any one of them to military
control in short order should such a course seem necessary.

An effort has been made to make it appear that in organizing Cebu,
Bohol and Batangas, we acted prematurely and upon our own initiative,
thus complicating the situation for the military authorities. I will
let Blount voice this complaint. He says in part:--

"In his report for 1901 Governor Taft says that the four principal
provinces, including Batangas, which gave trouble shortly after
the civil government was set up in that year, and had t