Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-12-30
PHILIPPINE OUTLOOK
SECRETARY ROOT REPORTS ON
INsULAR DEVELOPMENT
CIVIL RULE PROGRESSES
Natives Evince Great Eagerness to
Learn the English Language
Finances in Good Condition-Vast
Natural Resources of the Archi-
peIaqo.

| pelago.
| Washington, D. c., Dec. 24.-The
second part of the annual report Of
Secretary of War Root is devoted
entirely to the government of the
| Philippines. The report reveals, as
has no other public document issued
this year, the progress made by the
United States in establishing
modern system Of government in the
archipelago.
Financially the insular government
| is on good footing. The revenues for
the fiscal year 1901 amounted to $10,-
! 817,662, as against $6,723,852 for 1900.
| The expenditures were $6,763 ,S21 in
! 1901 as against $5,21S,3S1 in 1900.
The surplus at the date of the last
report was $4,053,840.
Commerce is increasing at rapid
rate. The total value of merchandise
| imported in the fiscal year of 1901
was $30,279, 406, an increase of AZ per
cent over 1900. The exports amount
ed to $23,214,948, an increase of 171a
per cent over 1900.
| The imports from the United States
show an increase of 72.4 per cent.
! over the imports of 1900, and the eX.
ports to the United States show de-
| crease of q per cent. from the eX-
ports Of 1900. The imports from the
| United Kingdom, from Germany, from
| France, and from the British East
Indies have increased in a greater
proportion than the imports from the
| United States
Recommendations
Secretary Root makes the following
recommendations
That congress at once pass laws
permitting the development of the
material resources of the islands by
| private capital.
| That the national banking system
| be extended to the islands, there
| being no American banks and no
| power to create banking corporations.
That the United States authorize an
| insular coinage of pesos, of little less
| than the weight and fineness of the
Mexican pesos of 377.17 grains of pure
silver at the rate of two silver pesos
| for one gold dollar
| That the insular government and
| the cities of the archipelago be given
! power to raise money by the issue Of
bonds for educational and public
| works.
That the lands owned by the
religious orders-403, 900 acres, be
purchased by the government.
Taken as a whole Secretary Roots
report shows that there is now in the
| Philippines well-conceived, adj
mirably appointed system of civil gov
| eminent, with executive and judicial
departments. Every department is
completely organized. Every interest
! in the archipelago is under the
direction of competent bureau
Nothing seems to have been forgotten.
Under the department of the
interior there is a bureau of health.
! quarantine service, bureaus of
forestry, mining, agriculture, weather.
| fisheries, public lands, patents and
copyrights. The department Of com
merce and police includes bureaus Of
postofice, telegraphs, coast and
geodetic surveys, engineering, public
works, insular constabulary, prisons
! lighthouses, commercial and street
railroad corporations, and all corpora
lions except banking. The depart
ment of finance and justice has charge
of the insular treasury, customs, i'm,
miratiOn, internal revenue, banks,
coinage, and currency. Lastly, the
department of public instruction en-
braces bureaus of public instruction.
! public charities, libraries, museums
statistics, public records, public print
ing, architecture and construction Of
! public buildings.
With such an administrative ma
chine in good working order, civil rule
has been extended over IA, 1852 square
miles of territory-58 per cent. Of the
estimated area Of the islands, and
having n population Of 4902,83
people On the other hand, 53,702
square miles, with 2,072,2 1886 people,
are under military administration.
Coming to details Secretary Root
quotes statistics which cannot but
prove gratifying to the people Of the
United States.
For instance the insular con-
stabulary force has proven, to quote
the secretary's report, that a native
police force, we'll differed, can be
made faithful and effective, can be
| trusted with arms, and will be an
element Of constantly increasing value
| in the maintenance of order"
The latest reports show 5000
natives employed in the various
| municinal notice forces and between