The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-04-23
FOOTING UP n COST.
Losses Of Blood and Treasurer En-
tailed by the Philippine War.

The dawn Of peace in the Philip
pines, visable to those on the ground,
.ustifies a computation of the cost of
our venture into the Orient. Semi
official estimates have been given out
as a prelude to the closing of the val
side Of the ledger, and to these are
added estimates of what it cost the ma
tives. The latter, in part, are guess
work, but they will serve as a basis
for comparison.
Estimates show that the insurrec-
ton of the, natives cost the United
States $202, 583, 900 in money, 908 in
officers and men killed and died of
wounds and 2,120 in officers and men
dead from disease. The loses of our
troops in the Philippines from August
1, 1898, to April 1, 1901, were as fol
lows:
hllleQ al
Lied of wounds and accidents +. !. 472
Died of disease 1926
Total deaths $500
wounded 1858
Grand total .6,147
The Washington correspondent of
the Record-Herald says the estimates
made by treasury accountants show
that the cost OF the army and navy
since the breaking out of the Philip
pine instruction, February 4, 1899,
has been about $246, $50, 1000 more than
it would have been had the same ratio
Of expenditure been maintained that
prevailed before the war with Spain.
Much of this additional expenditure
would have been entailed, however,
had the United States abandoned the
Philippines. This is particularly
true of the increased naval expendi-
ture, most Of which has been for new
construction and other improvements
not in any way connected with the in
%surrection in the island.
Most Of the increased cost Of the
army has been necessitated by the
operations in the Philippines. but part
cupatiOn of Cuba and Porta Rico and
the campaign in China, and part of
it must be charged to increased ex-
penditure for Notifications in the
United States and to the increased
strength of the artillery, with which
the war in the Philippines had nothing
to do.
Deducting $73, 600. 600 from the in
creased expenditures on account of
the army and navy for these reasons,
leaves a net increase of expenditures
under these heads on account of the
Philippines Of $173,550 900. To this
amount must be added ,000
paid to Spain under the treaty of Paris
and 100000 paid for the islands OF
Cagayan and Sibutu; interest on the
war loan since June 80, 1899, $8,423,0 00
and the cost of the various Philippine
commission and other miscellaneous
expenditures estimated at $50O,O 900
This brings the total cost of the is
lands to date up to 1902, 583, 900.
The rebellion was a costly expert
ence for the natives. The war de.
partment puts the Filipino losses at
10000, 1867 rifles have been cap.
tured or surrendered and 605,142
rounds of ammunition have been
seized. No estimate is made of the
losses sustained by the country at
large, the wreck Of towns and country
homes, the destruction or disappear
ance Of personal property and the
partial suspension of farming and
business>inseparable from Fol-
the twenty-seven months ending Nov.
ember 80 last the total number OF
filipinos captured or surrendered was
13,46S officers and men and the mum
Der of rifles turned in 1888. Since
November 80 last $500 officers and
men have been captured or surren
dered and 2.734 rifles have been deliv
cred to or captured by American
troops. The number of surrenders
in the latter period have far exceed
ed those of any similar period tc
Novorhor % 1act ...