The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-05-11

eminent the commercial movemen
would be very much larger. Like Cubs
and British India, the colony Is cher
ished by the mother country because il
furnishes a nursery in which men -oI
good family In Spain aud young men
with influential connections can grow
rich in a short period Of time. Until
lately, when the expense of putting
down rebellions involved q drain or
the Spanish treasury, the Philippine.
were also valued because Of the eoin
they supplied. Everything in sight i:
taxed, including the natives them
selves, and thus the islands are made
to yield an annual revenue Of some S.,
600, 600 a year.
Dana e. Worcester states that both
the poll tax and the taille are exacted
by the officials. In some cases the poll
tax amounts to S25 year, and women
have to pay it as well as men. The
Chinese pay a special tax. There are
taxes on stores and shops, on weights
and measures, on house property, tav-
erns. and the smallest factories. A man
must pay tax for the privilege of kill
ing his own buffalo or pig for meat, OF
of owning horse, or of pressing oil
out of his cocoanuts. For the eollec.
tion of these taxes Spanish ingenuity
has revived the plan which was in use
in France before the fermiers generaux
came into vogue. For each town or
district taxcollector is appointed by
the governor of tie province. He is
called a gobernadorcillo, and he is res
ponsible for the estimated amount
which his district should pay in taxes,
so that if collections should fall short,
he must make them good out of his
own pocket. He has under him a
number of deputy collectors known as
cabezas, each of whom collects the
taxes of forty to sixty taxpayers, and
is personally responsible for the amount
expected from each. If they fail to pay
up, he distrains their property and sells
it; if the proceeds of the sale fail to
cover the Indebtedness, the delinquent
debtors are imprisoned or deported. At
Siquidor Mr.. Worcester saw melan-
eholy procession of forty-four men who
had lost houses, cattle and lands, and
who still owed sums ranging from 81 to
$40; they were being sent prisoners to
Bohol, and their families were left to
shift for themselves.
TAXED WITH NOTHING IN RETURN.
The natives get little or nothing in
return for this frightful burden of tax
alton. The courts of justice are farce
the judge makes no secret OF his venal-
ity. In a few towns there are a few
schools. In the villages and ia the
country there are none. There are no
roads which are passable except at the
dry season, and then only by buffalo
sleds. In the rainy season intercourse
ceases. There are no bridges. Now
and then a military bridge is built by
an enterprising general. No attempt
is made to repair it, and il soon falls
into decay. Thus wherever il is possi-
bic people travel and send their produce
to market by boat. Lots OF brigands
have been shot or hanged, but brigand-
age still flourishes at the Leguna de
Bay, close to Manila, and the island of
MindOro, at the mouth Of Manila Bay,
is safe refuge for pirates and cut
threats. Natives who travel can not
protect themselves, for no one can have
weapon in his possession without pro-
curing license, and that is expensive.
The weight of taxation is aggravated
by the rapaeity of the governors.
When General Weyler was governor
general he received a salary of so, 600
a year, but ii is said that the calls upon
his purse for entertainments and char
tiles left him no savings at the end OF
the year. Nevertheless, at the close OF
his term he had lying TO his credit in
the banks of London and Paris sum
which Madrid politicians yariously es-
timated at from 81 600, 600 to 81 ,O00, coo.
How be managed to accumulate so
large fortune may be inferred from an
anecdote which was current talk at Ma
Mia. He was succeeded by General
Despuyol, who, strange to say, was an
honest man. He had no sooner taken
his seat in the gubernatorial Office than
he was visited by one of the richest
Chinese merchants OF Manila. Benin d
the Chinese came servants bearing bags
containing 10000 in silver coins. This
irifie the merchant begged the new
governor to accept as slight token of
his consideration. He was nightly
astonished when the new official
promptly knocked him down.
AN HONEST GOVERNOR.
There have been other Spanish Off
ciaIs Of the type of Despuyol. Some
years ago a Colonel Arolas, who had
incurred the ill-will OF the colonial
office at Madrid, was appointed gov
ernor Of the province Of Suda. 1t was
intended TO be an exile. Suda was a
most unhealthy spot, in which marIa-
rious fevers ragged most Of the prov
ince was inhabited by tribe called
Moros, who were brigands by calling
and fighters by choice. 1t chanced
that Arolas was man Of resource. He
drained the town and dispelled the
fevers. He enrolled body Of natives
and drilled them until they were ct to
put in the field, and marched on the
Moros. Choosing his battlefield, he
met the brigands, and inflicted such a
casiigstion that they gave no further
trouble during his administration. Re
turning home victorious, he improved
his town, founded a hospital aud
schools, introduced water, and laid
broad streets. payed with coral. But