Evening star., 1898-10-31
THE PHILIPPINES
Information of the President to B,
Submitted to the Cabinet.
ATTITUDE OF HIS ADVISERS
Amount of Money to Be Paid
Spain Not Fixed.
INCOME OF THE ISLANDS

The President will probably lay before
| tomorrow's cabinet meeting all the infor-
nation he has relating TO the work ot the
Paris peace commission. This will include
the demand made today for the cession Of
| the Philippine Islands TO the United States.
There is not expected TO be any opposition
TO this demand from members OF the cahi-
| net The most conservative Of the Presi-
dents advisers now favor retaining the
Philippines property Of the Unit ID
States. The change Of opinion has come
within the last two weeks.
Within that time also WAS changed the
| instructions to the American commission
ers.. Their original Instructions. or rather
| the intimations they received We're 10 de-
mand and take the Island Of Luzon. leav-
ing the remainder of the islands In pos
session of Spain. undar certain restrictions.
The change came with public sentiment
and with statements from Gen. Merritt
and others that the important islands of
the archipelago. those worth anything,
were as accessible from Manila as the ISL
and of Luzon In ether words, tho valu-
able islands of the group could be reached
lust as quickly from Manila by water as
the middle Of Luzon Island itself. 1t was
further argued that Luzon Island, being the
center of the insurrection, there would be
as much trouble keeping peace on that
island as on all the ether islands together.
Some of the smaller and unimportant ISL
ands of the group are never expected TO
amount to anything to this country
Amount to Re Paid spain.
The exclusive statement in Saturdays
Star that no bonded Indebtedness VIII he
assumed with the ownership of the Phil
il pines is borne out by talks with other cab
met officials. That can be set down as a fix
ed fact There will either be a cash transac-
ton or the United States will guarantee the
payment of & certain sim to Spain. charS-
ing the amount to the islands, to he paid Dy
them. One plan proposed is that the United
States determine the amount she VIII
give Spain, pay that amount in cash, and
charge the amount to the islands they 10
reray it in iIstallments agreed upon. 1t is
declared that the islands Will be able TO.
ray the amount with ease, provided ii does
not exceed the figures now talked about,
+O.oO0,0JO. At the present time however,
II is not believed the United States will
agree to pay that much money to Spain. II
is not thought she has expended anywhere
near that sun on improvements during the
past ten years
Should there be any municipal inde bted-
ness belonging to Manila or any Of the
other cities on the islands the United States
Will agree that this shall be paid by the
cities. the same as agreed upon regarding
Cuban cities.
Income of the Islands.
Members of the cabinet are said to he sat
ished that the islands will not become an
expense to this country. but will he of great
benefit to the trade of the country. Fig
Gres at the Treasury Department show that
the total income from the islands I'm 1sa4
was sl3. 1862. the expenditures for The
same year beng So 9lS PSI leaving nnt
revenue OF S29l,375. Half of the total ex.
penses was for the maintenance of am army
ana navy while much of 1t went to Spanish
hobiemen who were pensioned by the gov.
ernment. e'
Taxation to He Reduced.
Under the United States the taxation
would be largely cut down, as well as ex-
pehses. The insurgents began their tnsur-
rectlon because of excessive taxation ana
unjust laws. They would rot be satisfied
under the same taxation but tn. expensas
would be so largely reduced that the tex-
alton would be reduced almost TO a mini
mum. In the expense account in 1894 was
a large sum for the established church n
tle island This would not be among fu-
ture expenses.
The demand Of the American commits
sloners and the general feeling here leave
II practically certain that the Insurgents
VIII not be given their Independence for
the present. at least. They will have 10
content themselves Ike the people of Porto
Rlco. as citizens of great and expanding
republic. There is no longer any talk IN
official circles that this country WI take
the islands for the purpose Of giving them
Dack TO the ratiVcS. 1t is solely a Question
Of adding this new territory 10 ITO Tag
With the conviction that the natives viii
soon be satisfied TO live under the flag ~
TINS country. guaranteeing, as il viii lib
erty and equality, without oppression