The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-24
PROGRESS IN PHILIPPINES
REPORTS ON CIVIL ADMINISTRA-
TION OF AFFAIRS.

Question of Stable Currency-Evei
Exchange of American and Mexican
Dollars Increase In Custom Receipt
-Operatlon of United States Emtgra
tion Laws of Doubtful Expediency.
Washington, Dec 23.-The war de
partment has made public a series o
reports made to General Macarthur by
beads of the various bureaus and de
partments which have administered the
civil affairs Of the Philippine Islands
during the last year. These are closely
but sufficiently summarized in the re-
port of Lieutenant Colonel CrOwder oi
the Thirty-ninth infantry, secretary tc
the military governor. Under the head
of the treasury department it is SAID
that the problem of securing a stable
currency has never approached def
mite solution in the Philippines, though
it had not been pressed for immediate
settlement until very recently, when
. " Ill0Nl iOldltS anu NlChiCdl uOlIeil0 NtlS
4 for few days evenly exchanged. This
was terminated by a provisional order
whereby the government arranged to re-
imburse the banks for any losses they
might sustain through paying out Mex
lean silver for United States currency
from disbursing officers and trade.
Doubt is expressed, however, as to the
desra bility of continuing this arrange
ment. The customs service is discussed
at some length in the report, and 1t is
stated that there does not seem to be
any present necessity for an increase
in the number of ports of entry. At
tention Is directed to the marked in
crease in the custom receipts under
American management. This is ex-
planned in part by the fact that former
ly large part of the imports came
from Spain and paid no duties; also,
the American system of collection is
said to tend to honest collection.
The new tariff adopted for the islands
is set out in detail. In almost every
case specific duties are fixed, following
the established system In the islands,
which it was believed to be dangerous
to change to the ad valorem system.
The extension of the United States
emigration laws to the island without
substantial change to meet the local
conditions is said to have proven of
doubtful expediency, and especially so
with regard to the contract labor law.
1t is essential, says the report, for the
interests to secure employees
from abroad under contract else bust
ness will suffer. These laborers do not
come into competition with the native
residents More than 25,000 Chinese en-
tered and left the islands last year.
Only one-ninth of the land in the ar
has been brought under cul-
tivation, and there Is no land tax. Re-
earding the judicial department, 1t
early was found to be necessary to pro-
vide system which would be divested
of those harsh and oppressive features
standards. 1t was impossible for lack
IF time to supply an entirely new sys
tenn, so some changes regarded as in
were made by a general or
der 1t appears that the operation Of |
the law as thus qualified have been |
in securing to defendants |
n criminal cases the fundamental !
lights of Anglo-Saxon criminal law.
The writ of habeas corpus has been fre-
luently invoked, and under its speedy
operation nearly one hundred prisoners,
he heritage of Spanish regime, have
,een liberated from unwarranted deten-
ion. Colonel Crowder thoroughly en-
Iorses the recommendation of Lieuten-
oh, s,f ho itoin /
bureau, looking to thorough change
n the mining laws. He says that
hese are extremely cumbersome and
hat once they are brought up to Amer
,an standards the mineral condition of
he country will soon be enormously
improved, as experienced prospectors
nd competent mining engineers now in
he islands stand ready to undertake
ne work of exploitation.
Colonel Crowder closes with sum
lary of the report of General j. F.
mith, military governor of Negros,
howing that this island, which has
ad under the entire period of Ameri-
an control a substantially autonomous
,rm of government, has progressed in
larked and favorable contrast with
1e other islands. The attitude of the
aople is highly favorable towards the
nited States and the largely autono-
ous government which they now en-
" seems to be their fitting reward
nd the people are naturally desirous
lat it should be continued. But it will
, impossible to discriminate in favor =
Negros, the report says, in the
heme of government to be ultimately
lopted so that complications are ex-
,cted not easy of adjustment.