The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-15
COST OF The PHILIPPINES
An Enormous Sum Expended TO
Hold the Islands.
The Figures Reach Nearly n Gunr-
ter of II Billion Dollars, While
Over Three Thousand" american
Lives Have Been Sacrificed

Over Three Thousand american
Lives Have Been Sacrificed
With the idea in view that the insUr-
reCtiOn will soon be entirely suppressed
in the Philippines and peace restored, and
with only a small garrison force needed
in each province, the War Department
officials have been figuring on the cost
Of the campaign which began during the
Spanish American war and has lasted
continuously ever since While the sta
tistics have not yet been completed, 1t
is shown that the total outlay in money
alone will reach even a higher figure than
that arrived at so far-S2G2, $4,000
According to the statistics in the pos
session of the War Department the cost
in lives will exceed 3,G2S officers and men
who were either killed in action OF died
of disease The figures show that the
archipelago has only been retained at a
fearful cost and the signs of the nearing
of the end are gladly accepted by the
Government officials
AS to the cost in money, it is figured
| that the expenditures on account of mill
tary and naval operations in the islands
will exceed SI7S. sac 900. The United States
paid to Spain under the treaty of Paris
| $50. 0OG.009 Later a payment of $1,000,
was made for the islands Of Cagayan and
Sibutu. The interest on the war loan
since June 30, 1899 is figured at $S.423,OJJ
I The expense of the Philippine Commission
and miscellaneous matters is given as
more than $500. 900. This places the total
cost in money at SOP, 553, 600
The expert. accountants in the Treasury
Department, who are preparing the fig
ures for the War Department, estimate
Of no
and navy has been S246550.0g0 more than
il would have been had war been ayeTted
in the Philippines.
Much OF this additional expenditure
would have been eHtailed, however, II IS
said. had the United States abandoned the
Philippines. This is claimed to be paTtlc-
ularIy true of the increased naval expen-
diture. n large portion Of which has been
for new construction and other improve
ments not in any way connected with the
iHSurTeCJion-
on the other hand nearly all Of the in
creased cost of the army has been caused
4 by the operations in the Philippines, as
! the cost OF the occupation OF tuoa anO
Porto Rico has been very small This
| is also true of the campaign in China For
I all operations and expenses outside OF
( the Philippines the sum of SI3tt5,VJ Is
| deducted and this leaves the total expen-
ditUre for the operations in the archipel-
| ago at SII555G. 600.
| War Department officials figure that the
loss of life from action and disease Is very
| small. when the operations, the duration
! OF hOstiIities. and the rigOrs of the eli
| mate are taken into consideration
| In connection with the Philippines. II Is
stated al the War Department that hard
I " three Democratic members of Congress
/ have taken advantage Of the offer Of the
| Secretary of War to furnish any Senator
| or Representative free transportation to
/ Manila and return whenever he desires it.
| On the other hand the Republican mem
| bers have grabbed up the offer and al
Of Fsrr
| for the trip. 1t is thought that the Demo
c-ats are diffident about accepting favors
/ from Republican Administration, and
| the officials wish it understood that all
are welcome to 90.
II IS said at the War Department. unOffl-
| cially- that the Republican statesmen
| have none of the Democratic scrupIes
about travelling on an army transport.
| Il Is expected that the Congressional
Record viii be loaded down with
| speeches on the Philippines when Con