Evening star., 1901-12-21
FAVOR LOWER DUTIES
Taft Commission on Tariff Relations
With This Country.
CONDITIONS IN THE CITY OF MANILA
What is Being Done With the
Slavery Problem.
HEALTH OF THE ISLANDS

Another portion of the report of the Phil
ippine commission on conditions in the ar
was made public today. Concern
ing the tariff relations with the United
States the report says:
1.-The new tariff, to which more detailed
reference will be made hereafter, will go
into effect on the 18th of November, and it
is hoped that it will cause a great reduc-
ton in the cost of living in the islands. The
tax on necessities for living and for i'm
proving and developing the resources Of the
islands has been reduced below % per cent
UNI ad valorem. Many American products
heretofore excluded by a prohibitory tariff
will now come in, and the food of the peo-
pie will be reduced in cost and gradually
increased in variety. If Congress will re-
duce by 80 per cent the United States duty
on tobacco, hemp and sugar and other mer-
chandise coming from these islands. 1T Is
certain that the trade between them and
the United States under the new tariff will
increase by leaps and bounds. Such gem
erOsity would much strengthen the bonds
between the Filipino and American people,
and 1t Is earnestly recommended
The City of Manila.
An interesting chapter is given to condi-
tions in Manila. The report says:
"On the eth of August the charter of
Manila went into effect and the provost
marshal general turned over the city gov
ernment to the municipal board of three
members appointed under the charter by
the civil governor with the consent of the
commission. The charter follows closely
in its general lines the plan of the legisla-
ton by which the city of Washington is
governed. In its preparation we were great
ly assisted by draft of charter made by
Brig. Gen. George w. Davis, the last pro-
vost marshal general of Manila. The new
charter was adopted only after a full public
discussion. Instead of requiring the insular
government to pay one-half of the expenses
of the city-the proportion paid for Wash
ington by the federal government-the pro-
portion is reduced to three-tenths.
1T was not thought wise to leave the
control of the city government to popular
selection. The population of Manila is of a
most miscellaneous character. There are
10000 Chinese perhaps 1900 Americans, as
many more SpaniardS and other Europeans
and of Fiipinos of all tribes and languages
175,OOO The criminal and turbulent classes
are we'll represented in Manila. The munich
pal problems presented in the necessity for
doubling the water supply, for construct
ing sewerage system for dealing with the
noiSome moat surrounding the walled city,
for filling up part of the small creeks or
esteroS that now intersect the city and are
but open sewers, and for dredging out and
walling the banks of others useful for nav
need the best men that can be found to
solve them, and popular election would not
have resulted in furnishing good material.
The charter has not been long enough in
OPT ration to justify an opinion as to its
suff.ciency. The city of Manila has no debt,
but 1t has many expensive requirements,
and until debt is created these require
ments cannot be met. We think that 1t
may be necessary to issue bonds to an
amount not exceeding s4OOO,OOO with
which to double the water supply and to
institute a sewer system. General Davis,
the able provost marshal general, made so
and elaborate a report on the city
Of Manila, which is included in General
report, that it is unnecessary
for US to attempt an addition to 1t after
only two months experience in civil gov
of the city. A reference to the
income and expenditures of the city will
hereafter be made.
Electric Railways Needed.
There is no city in the world which is so
much in need of electric railways as the
city of Manila. The cab system is most
defective, and 1T is necessary for the gov
to maintain a large number of
government cabs for the use of the public
offices during business hours. A stringent
law has been passed forbdding the use of
such conveyances after hours or for the
purpose of conveying employees from their
homes to their offices. If we had an ade-
uuate system of street railways there would
be no need of maintaining such an estab-
lishment as the government must now
maintain. OF far greater Importance, how
ever, is the inconvenience to the public
arising from lack of proper street trans
portation. There is one street railway COM
pany, whose right to use electricity or any
thing but. horsepower is in doubt, and
whose Ine is divided into seven different
over each Of which it is per-
mitted to charge regular fare. The line
is very poorly conducted and affords little
dot tin1o loa cnnc fn,~
comforting upon some uihority the power
to grant franchises in This country are
but there is no better illustra-
ton of the overwhelming necessity for such
a power than is shown in the case of street
railway facilities in Manila.
1T is earnestly recommended that Con-
gress confer upon the commission, with
such restrictions as may seem wise, includ-
ing the necessity for confirmation by the
Secretary of War or the President, the
right to grant franchises Of this kind in the
towns and cities Of the archipelago"
Feeling Among the MorOs.
AS to the cultivation of friendly feelings
with the Morcs the report says:
THE Moro tribes of southern Mindanao
the Sulu archipelago, Balabac and SOUTH
arn Palawan are the only ones among these
peoples which could afford
any serious menace to public order or to the
peace of any important portion Of the arch
pelago. Thanks to the good judgment of
the military officers in those regions, the
friendliest relations have thus far been
with the Moros of the Sulu
archipelago and of the districts of Zam-
boanga, Cotabato and Davao. The Moros
Of the Lake Lanao region have long been
reputed the fiercest and most uncOmpro-
missing members Of their tribe. The Span
sh government spent several years in an
attempt to subdue them. They
were at first very suspicious of Americans;
but markets have been established for
tnem at Iligan, on the north coast, and at
Tucuran. on the south coast, and they are
now coming down to the sea on market
days in constantly increasing numbers
which indicates greater confidence In and
better feeling toward the Americans While
inJudicious conduct might readily precipt-
tate fierce conflict with these people. ii is
hoped that no such untoward event may oc-
cur anywhere in the Moro country.
with the exception of Mfsamis, there
are no Moros in any province where civil
government has been established An act
has been passed forbidding prospectors to
visit that portion Of Misamis which they
inhabit without the written permission of
the military commander of the department
of Mindanao and Jolo. The same act pro-
hibits the sale of intoxicating beverages in
the one town which they frequent.
Moro Civilization.
"The problems presented by these nom