The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-12-29
CONDITIONS IN PHILIPPINES.
Reports Made 70 Macarthur BY snbordIn

sAASP of seAAae 20 AtncArth0r by Suhordln
&s alto ulcers, 1
Washington, Dec. 24,-The war dea
partment has made public aSsertss OF
the subordinate officers constituting
the cad OF Che various bureaus and
departments which have administered
the civil affairs OF the Philippine isis
ands during the last year. These are
closely but sufficiently sunlniarizedsin
the report Of Lieutenant Colonel Crow
der, Thtrty-ninth infantry. secretary to
the military governor.
Under the head of the treasury de-.
partment. 1t Is said that the problem
OF securing a stable currency has nesef4
approached a definite solution In tho
Philippines. though It had not bsel
pressed for immediate settlement until
Very recently, when, United States and
Mexican dollars We're for a few dayl
evenly exchanged. This was tsrtai.
mated by q provisional order whereby
the government arranged to Reimbursed
the banks for any losses they might
sustain by paying out Mexican silver
for United States currency from dis
bursting officers and trade. Doubt IA
expressed. however. as to the desirable
lty of continuing this arrangement.
The customs service is discussed at
some length in the report, and 1t is
stated that there does not seem to bS
any present necessity for an increase
lnsthe number of ports of entry. Attea-
tion Is directed to h marked Increase
IN the customs receipts under Ameri-
can management. This is explained in
part by the fact that Formerly a large
part of the imports came from Spain
and paid no duties. Also. the American
system Of collection Is said to tend tc
honest collections. "a
The new tariff adopted for8tlle islands
Is set out in detail. In almost every
case specific duties are fixed, following
the established system in the islands,
which 1t was believed dangerous to
change to the ad valorem system.
The extension of the United States
immigration laws to the island With
out substantial change to meet the To-.
cal conditions is said to have proven
of doubtful expediency, and especially
50 with regard to the contract labor
law. 1t Is essential, says the report,
Tor, the mercantile interests to secure
employees from abroad under contract,
else business viii suffer. These labor
ers DO not come Into competition with
the native residents. More than $4,000
Chinese entered and left the Islands
last year. Only one-ninth OF the land
IN the archipelago has been brought
under cultivation, II there is no land
AK.
Regarding the judicial department,
1t early was found to be necessary to
provide a system which would be di-
vested of those harsh and oppressive
features SO much in conflict with
American standards. 1t was impossi-
BILE, for lack of time, to supply an en-
t1rely new system. SO some changes.
regarded as Indispensable. We're made
by q general order. 1t appears that
the operations Of the law as thus quail
ifed have been sufficient in securing
to criminal classes the Fundamental
rights OF Anglo-Saxon criminal Law.
h writ Of habeas corpus has been
frequently invoked. and under its
speedy operation nearly 100 prisoners,
the heritage of Spanish regime, have
been liberated from u~nwarranted de-
tention. Colonel Crowder thoroughly
Endorses the recommendation of Lieu
tenant Burritt. in charge of the min
ing bureau. looking to a thorough
change in the mining laws.
Colonel Crowder closes with a sum
mary OF the report of General j. Il,
Smith, military governor of Negros,
showing that this island, which has
had under the entire period of Amer
lean control a substantially autono-
nous form of government, has pro-
crossed in marked and favorable con-
trast with the other Islands.