The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-13

ms, " venus ldru IN tWO-pOund
TINS 20 cents; liver, 80 cents; kidneys. co
cents; tongues, $3.50 each: pheasants' So
eachi pigeons, $1.75 each; fowls. 81. 50
~..cii; turkey, Go cents per pound; con-
centrated mild, rs cents per pint, 81. 10
per quart, $3.50 per gallon.
FRESH milk is not to be had. Oranges
at " per dozen and lemons at half that
price are not specially good. There are no
berries of any kind. Native fruit is of
common grade, although no finer pine
apples and bananas are grown than on
some OF the private estates. These prices
are forced upon people of small average
income So long as civilian employees
could enjoy commissary privileges, there
were several thousand of the population
VINO could supply their tables at probably
half the current retail rate. Commissarv
business is losing operation at best, but
when the Washington government an
nounced that it would withdraw that
privilege it became a question how many
families of modest income would meet
expenses. 1t was even more serious
matter in some of the outside places than
in Manila, for in many of them it was
simply impossible to buy at shops or in
the markets food for an American table.
AS remedy for this misfortune it is
seriously proposed that houses be built at
public expense and rented out as cheap
eminent. 1t is proposed to overcome sim
ilarly the adverse food conditions by the
establishment of a civil commissary
to provide the quality and variety of the
army commiSSary at cost to civil en-
ployeS. The plan with reference to quar-
ters has been announced. as one which
meets official approval of the highest au-
thorities here. and the commissary plan
seems as likely to commend itself to their
Judgment
Civil employees of the clerk class re-
ceive perhaps an average of SIS in gold
per month, meaning double that amount
in the common currency of Mexican
money. The average pay of clerks in
commercial houses will not exceed $75
per month in Mexican money. Natives
who can get into public offices almost
Invariably double the income they could
earn in private life, and sometimes do
much better than that. Patrolmen in the
Manila police force receive $65 gold per
month. They are asking for $75 which
they will probably get. No fault can be
found with them. They represent the pick
of the volunteer regiments. On ceaSing
to be soldiers the majority of them found
their incomes multiplied by at least four
They have quarters, escape rent, live in
mess, which has been supplied on the
most favored terms. Their appearance is
ties. In case of riot or of widespread
disorder residents would doubtless feel
safer in their hands and under their pro-
lection than if they had to rely on ma
tive police.
The civil record of Manila however, is
peaceful, and its police guardians while
that record was made performed their
duties for about seven and one-half gold
dollars per month. They could not do it
at the present scale of living but the
native portion of the force now on duty
is composed of men who reside here with
their families, who must pay rent and
cannot live in mess, and who get on quite
cOntented with about half the pay that
Americans draw. The dwelling house
and civil commisSary propositions are
however deserving, are already the re-
c1plents of larger incomes than natives
or foreigners who do their quality of work
in private life.
What private effort may do toward
bringing corresponding benefits within
the common reach cannot be foretold by
any process of calculation yet possible
II Official action should discriminate in
favor OF the admission of building ma
terlal and food for public employees there
would be little encoura cement for sim
liar imrortations on private account
The important fact is that comforts of
living probably cost more to the ordi-
nary citizen in Manila than in any other
city under American sovereignty, with
the possible exception of Honolulu
Benguet province has received official
attention because of its possibilities as
health resort. 1t is out of reach for,
the present establishment of a sana-
torlum. Spanish observation was made
OF 1t with reference to it's adyisabiIitv
and salubrity. Reports showed that it
enjoyed so beautifully healthful bless
ings as to make 1T particularly desira-
bic place for the recuperation of troops
IN need of change from garrison or field
DUTY In the lowlands, and for hospital
Imposes; American investigation con-
ilrned TINS view. Much talk has since
psen heard of its suitability for a sana-
forum, for general hospital uses as =
heaIth resort for the Philippines and the
p lS OF CHINA in these ATTITUDES, and
province is fifty-ive miles from the m
per terminus of the present railway. and
about about 10 miles by this route from Ma
mia. Since the route would have to he
laid through the hills its estimated COST
is 5,Oo0,oOO Mexican dollars The present
Runway company proposed to build the
road II the government would guarantees
a at, per cent annually on the cost, oper-
atlng expenses and net earnings each
returns. u 'llo
AS the authorities did not feel empow-
eIeo TO close q subsidy contract the
pToJecC IN mat form has hung in the air.
meanwhile the government has proceed
eu 10 construct a highway and has huiIt
approximately fifty miles of it. which
no" awaits the pleasure of the rainy sea-
Sun. I1ad labor been available the work
would have been completed baforo +hiH
Time. Since at best a stage ride of fiftv
lVe miles can hardly be as exne5itioHS
i i&0r pleasure seekers eager to get into
f fn: Good OF the mountains or as beneficial
I0f mVallds as may be desired the MAN
OF penetrating that territory by ram still
holds favor A"ii S'Hl
something like a prospectus might be
i iss9 based on the talk that may be
heard from those high in authoritv IF
the large returns that the governn,,an+
might expect were it to enter the rail
road business. There is mineral in fhe
MIS- IN quantities limited only by the
imagination, which would all have +o he
freighted over the road to market Tbe
SOIL there can raise crops of the temner
ate zone, including fruit. berries and
grapes, craved by the foreign appetite in
T Ma5,iaa , ana ELSEWHERE and now denied it.
OF 9eollltated soldiers. Nostalgia is one
OF the ailments for which the air of fhe
mus is cure When men become home
1, aGn vi fo Unet%ase fali to keep up their
Eenguet Unsteady of to San Francisco at
immense saving of time and expense. and
accomplishing the same ends.
GOV III df normal rainfall in the wet sea
son son OF between fifty and sixty inches
u! Grought is not an uncommon experience
IN the islands. Crops often suffer and
some times I'm perish of it: The reason is
and the sun parches and bakes the
earth. Friars provided irrigation for
some Of their lands, and increased rents
also and could get almost their own nrica
Tor 1t when farmers had to choose be.
tween paying that price and letting their
crops fail. The natives are no better pre-
fight off drought than they were BEFORE
ana hundreds of thousands of acres might