Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-12-30

ricultural, and manual training school
work, and ISL teachers, all from the
! United States. Besides there were
two superintendent and eighty
teachers from the Philippines. In
Manila there is a normal school for
the instruction of teachers, in which
500 aspirants were enrolled, of which
$40 studied faithfully to the end of
the term.
Up to the date of the last reporl
100000 Filipino children had volun-
tarily enrolled in the primary de-
partment of the public schools, but
half Of them are waiting for school
rooms. Seventy-fve thousand Fill.
pinos are in actual daily attendance
at the schools already established
Between 5000 and 1000 native
elementary teachers are employee
and Of these 1000 are receiving daily
instruction in English. In Manila
over 10000 adult natives are studying
English in evening schools under
American teachers, and more are ap-
plying than can be accommodated.
Commenting on this feature Secretary
Root says:
1.-THE greatest eagerness is manifest
ed TO learn English There is a wide
spread desire to send boys to the
United States for education. Many OF
the towns are arranging to send and
support boys here for that purpose.
The educational situation is, briefly, as
follows: There is a widespread and
earnest desire for education among
more people anxious for education
than there are teachers to furnish it,.
There are more teachers than there
are school buildings or rooms for
them to teach in. I think no one can
become familiar with the facts with
out deep interest and a strong desire
to press forward provision for educa-
ton All the good influences of
American civilization may enter
through this open door"
Timber Resources.
Turning to more material things,
Secretary Root takes up the timber
and agricultural interests of the
archipelago. The forest areas of the
island embrace (estimated) 1857, :
243 acres. Between 4O,O00,O0O and So
100000 acres of the immense area are
public lands of the United States,
coded by the crown of Spain. Pine,
cedar, mahogany, and hundreds Of
hardwoods, valuable dye woods, and
rubber and gutta percha trees exist
in immense quantities. The annual
growth of these forests is estimated
at 1, 4O0,000000 cubic feet, about three
times the cut of lumber for 1900 in the
entire United States. At present 50
per cent of this annual growth is
going to waste. but with proper treat
ment it may be made an inexhaustible
source of wealth.
The forestry bureau is under the
direction of Captain G. P. Ahren OF
the 9th United States infantry, and
the forestry laws of the United States
modified to meet local conditions, are
Ill lOEC6. L he price OI IuIuU6L III Cu6
islands is excessively high because
congress has as yet made no law per
hitting the development of the timber
interests by private capital. The
agricultural interests of the island are
touched upon briefly. The methods
Of cultivation are primitive and
effective, but the bureau Of agriculture
has gone to work to develop it.
Secretary Root devotes a large part
of his report to the progress Of public
works in the islands. Manila harbor
is being improved at a cost Of 81,
100000. Two million dollars (MeXi-
CAM is being expended in the con
struction of highways and bridges
500 miles of road being in progress OF
construction.
In Manila a cold storage and ice
plant has been completed at a cost OF
$500 600 Two market houses have
been built, and two others are in
course of erection, bridgCG have been
built ana repaired, crematories erect
ed for the disposal Of garbage, build
ings for public departments and ware
houses have been erected, and a
public printing plant installed.