St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-09-18
GENERAL NEWS.
Philippine Teachers Discouraged

landed at Manila are gr1eved over the
matter of obtaining the necessities OF lite
at reasonable rates. They were assured
in the circular sent to applicants that by
the privileges granted at the govern
ment commissary stores, they would be
able to live at fairly moderate rate.
When they reached Manila they found
their expenses double what was expected
and at mass meeting they decided to
complain to the government that the
promised privileges were denied them.
The privileges of purch asing commits
sary stores was taken away from civilian
employees by an order of the secretary OF
war issued in June, and the teachers were
not specially notified of the change. The
government presumed that as the order
was issued and widely published before
the teachers sailed they must be aware
of its existence. The pamphlet spoken of
contains the following regarding the
purchase OF comnissary supplies;
Many of the Americans secure rooms
with private families and board in mess
houses, the provisions being purchased
from the commissary. The food obtain
ed from the commissary stores is the
best, and the average cost for room and
board for those who live in this manner
is about $35 a month. 1t is also pro-
posed to establish stores similar to the
army comnissary stores for the benefit
of civilian employees. The stores will be
well stocked with provisions, groceries
and other necessaries of life, and civilian
employees probably will be able to pur-
chase from these stores at about 10 per
Oh lao tn
The pamphlet containing the above
statement was mailed to all the teachers
appointed, but attention was not called
to the fact that the privilege OF buying
supplies at the government commissary
stores had been discontinued. The gov
eminent was compelled to cut off the
privilege, both to stop the frauds which
were discovered to be due to it's opera
ton and also to sati>fy the regular mer-
chants in the islands, who complained
bitterly that the furnishing of supplies
| by the United States was closing one of
their main channels Of revenue.
First Filipino Clerk.
The first Filipino to enter gov
eminent service in the United States
is Jose Abreu, a native of the
province OF Bulacan, in Luzon. He
has been appointed by the president
clerk in the office of the division Of insu-
lar affairs in the war department, Wash
ington.
Mr.. Abreu has been in this country
little over a year and has made eXtraor
binary progress. He has taken course
at the Columbian Law School and
course in history at Cornell University.
He is also graduate OF the Jesuit Col
lege outside OF Manil9, is we'll acquainted
with all parts of the islands, and is
lingust of no ordinary ability. His uncle
is Filipi Buencamino, former secretary of
war in Aguinaldo's cabinet, and lead
ing member of the Federal party. He
board in Manila.
Mr.. Abreu himself was also an insur-
recto, although he is of no warrior build.
He is some what Japanese looking, about
thirty-6ve years old, small in stature,
slender, alert, and quick in movement as
in mind. He has Oriental eyes and col
oring and wears glasses and black mus
tache. He scarcely suggests the fighter,
but he was a persistent antagonist Of
Otis, Lawson and Macarthur. He held
an officers commission in the Phi lippine
forces, and was on the opposing line all
during the first skirmishes on the Manila
and Dagupan railroad. He then laid
down his arms, recognizing the sover-
eighty of the United States government,
and, desiring to acquaint himself further
with American methods andgovernment,
left the islands to study here, 1t is his ul-
innate ann, after obtaining the requisite
knowledge of Americas government af
fairs, to return to the Philippines and ac-
quaint his people with the results of his
Investigations.
"He will be of great assistance to us
in this department" remarked Col. c. R.
Edwards, chief of the insular division.
eve are now preparing gazetteer of the
Philippine Islands, and his intimate geo.
graphical knowledge of his own country
will prove of value to us, as we'll as his
acquaintance with the various provincial
tongues