The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-15
Expense of Effort to Subdue
Filipinos $1S6,67S,OOO.
1896 SOLDIERS DEAD.
The Statement Does Not In
clude Chinese Outlay.
Carefully Prepared Statement
From the Treasury.


Washington, Aug. 15.-As nearly as
figures can express it the cost to the
United States of the war in the Philip
pines has been $1S6, ,67S, 900 in cash and at
least 2,239 lives of American soldiers
The war with Spain ended and that with
the Philippines began February 1, 1898.
This date can be used in calculating the
expenditure in money, although it was
not until February that hostilitieS with
Aguinaldo and his followers really began
and it was not until February that the
treaty of peace with Spain was ratified.
The total of deaths given is compiled
from report made by the secretary OF
war in reply to a resolution passed by
the senate and from Gen. MacArthur's
death and casualty lists since the date
covered by that report, May "a, 1900, up
to and including August IL. 1t is posi-
Bile that not all of the deaths have been
reported, but the possible error is small
and 1884 is approximately the correct
total.
EXPENDITURES FOR OTHER
THINGS.
It is difficult to approximate the cost
of the war in dollars and cents, for.ft Is
impossible to determine just what pro-
portion of the increased military and
naval expenses of the government should
be charged to that war. Estimates pre-
pared by expert accountants of the
treasury department show that the cost
of the army and navy since the begin
ming of hostilities in the Philippines has
been 1854, 100000 in excess of what 1t
would have been if the same average
rate of expenditures had been maintain
ed that prevailed before the war with
Spain. This, however, has not all been
due to the hostilities on the islands. Es-
pecially is this true as to the navy, for
it cannot be said that the policy of ship
construction has been materially affect
ed by the Philippine situation and about
as many ships would have been kept in
commission if the Philippines had been
Ia1 11An than
s., 900 600 of the S37, 100000 apparent in
crease in the naval expenditures can
properly be charged directly to the Phil
ippine war.
With the army the situation is some
what different. 1t is true that even IL
the Philippines had been abandoned up
on the ratification of the treaty of peace
with Spain there would still have been
Increased expenses on account of the
military occupation of Cuba and Porto
Rico, and the bringing home and mus
tering out of the troops then serving In
the Philippines would have been a con-
siderable item.
SUPPLIES ON HAND LARGE.
On the other hand, at the termination
of the war with Spain there was on
hand vast quantities of military supplies
of all kinds which have been available
for the Philippine operations and which
cannot properly be charged to the Phil
ippine account, but it is probable that
side would about balance the other.
There are some otems of military ex-
pense which cannot properly be charged
to the Philippines. These are the in
creased expenditures for fortihcations in
the United States and the increased ex-
pense due to the permanent enlargement
of the artillery arm of the service. These
are estimated approximately at $4,000
OOO
Subtracting from the apparent in
creased cost of the army and navy S30.-
900 900 on account of new construction
and other expenditures in the navy not
directly due to the Philippines and $15.-
000.0 600 for army expenses not connected
with operations in the island, there IS
left $159 100000 as approximately the cost
of military and naval operations in the
islands.
TOTAL A VERY LARGE ONE.
Adding to this the S2O0OO 600 paid to
Spain and charging to the Philippines
interest on the war loan since June ],
1859, the cost of the Philippine commits
sion and the various other civil expen-
ses which can be only approximately es-
timated by the treasury department the
total cost of the islands to date foots
up S1S6,67S 900.
The figures here given are based on a
tabulated statement prepared by the
treasury department, giving the army
and navy expenditures by months from
the beginning of the Spanish war, with
out making any deductions for expendi-
lures not directly due to current opera
tions.