The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-08
FILIpINos IN CONTROL.
Incompetency of the American Gus
toms omcers at Manila.

toms omcers at Manila.
A special correspondent a. Hongkong.
writing under date OF August 80. says:
Because of the conduct OF tie customs
house at Manila trade with the Philippines
has been dislocated. and 1t is a standing
remark on this coast that in this respect
things are in much worse condition than
under the Spanish regime.
This Is due in a large measure to the
inexperience of the officials In the customs
house. 1t can hardly be expected that on
Gals drawn directly from the army can
become at once customs house expert
Still. after two years occupation of Manila
one would naturally expect some improve
ment
Hardly ship from Hongkong now en-
ters that port without being fined for some
trifiing clerical error in the manifest or
without being delayed in the hsrbor for
some fancied small infringement of the
regulations. When it is remembered that
these slips and these lines have been car
rying on trade with Manila for twenty
years no one can believe that these in
fringemea.s are committed Intentionally
Still the same trouble occurs from
week to week until matters are In such a
state that IL IL were not for the large
amount OF money invested in the lines
there is hardly any doubt that the steam
ers would be withdrawn.
The internal affairs of the Islands are
practically worse than they were a year
and a half ago. The insurgents hold all
the points outside the array pests, have
control over the crops and collect the rev.
enues. They are only Handicapped by the
fact that they cannot sell their crops %
foreign dealers without the product going
through the American lines and paying
American fees.
Consul General Wiidman two months
ago unearthed a plot whereby the irsur-
gents We're selling hump to Manila and
Hongkong firms over TIE heads of the
American port officials. Bands of armed
insurgents would take possession Of tho
hemp and tobacco wherever they found 1t In
the interior Of the islands, convey II down
TO the seacoast, enter the ports as friendly
natives who had hemp for SALE and turn
it over TO the ships sent by Manila and
Hoagkong firms especially TO receive II.
taking in payment orders payable to the
members OF the junta in Hongkung
More than s40000 was received By the
Hongkong junta before Mr. Wildman dis
covered this method Of raising the wind.
and before General Otis departure num-
Der of those orders were eonfscated.
When the Filipinos found that their
plan had been discovered they employed
Spaniard to come to Hongkong and en-
the largest English firms in the East. He
bore credentials purporting to be signed
by members of the present commission By
General Aiger, Lord Salisbury. NJ Hano-
taux. formerly French Minister OF Foreign
.iiairs; Consul General wildman, and seT-
eral foreign consuls in Hongkong.
These credentials represented TO the
firm in question that the men whom he
represented were regularly commissioned
ehQ n
mittee OF qualification, and that they had
to show the United States Government
they had funds enough to run the ISL
ands in case the United States Govern
ment we're willing to turn the archipela-
go over to them.
He offered to enter into contract
with this firm to deliver all the hemp in
the islands aboard the firms steamers to
the extent of 500, 900 900 (Mexican) at a
price of SIS per pfcol, when hemp at the
time was selling at $50. The contracts
were formally drawn, and simply as \
matter of precaution the firm submitted
them to Consul General Wildman, with
the object of learning whether the ar
rangement would be satisfactory to tho
United States Government.
"As soon as the iunta found this out it
ceased negotiations. and the Spaninrd who
had the management of the affair left
for Europe. While the scheme came to
nothing it shows how completely the Fill
ipinos control the situation in the inter-
Tor of the islands. There is no doubt
they could have carried out the contract
to the letter SO far as collecting and de-
livering the hemp are concerned.
THE new commission in the Phillip
pines appears to have been deceived soEle-
what by the smooth talk of the Filipino
leaders. Palermo. Buencamino. Sandico,
Mabiuo. and other former heads OF Aguin-
aldo's Cabinet hare given them the Same
assurances with which they fooled the
,.ravfotrc communication -