Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1901-12-11
A LETTER FROM
THE PHILIPPINES.
Hon. Bartlett Sinclair Writes In
terestingly of Present Con-
ditions on the Islands.
PAsIG, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS,
NOVEMBER ?, 1901


NOVEMBER 2, 1901,
EDITOR BLACKFooT News
Before leaving Idaho promised you
word affecting the Philippine Islands
as soon as had reached them. 1t Is
now six weeks since | have been en-
gagged in official duties as Treasurer OF
this important province and what Il.
may say results from personal obserya-
tion and conversations in various parts |
of Luzon and with natives and Anglo |
Saxons. This province is composed OF
the old Manila province, with the city |
of Manila left out, and the Morong pro
vince. am told that its population i
nearly 1000, 900. but there is nothing
certain as to figures Of this character
it may be more or less.
As youare aware the establishment
of civil government is progressing
nicely. All of Luzon is now governed
by the civil authorities and. law and
order are thoroughly enthroned. Rn-
mors of bands OF Ladrones are now and
then heard but in this island the flag
waves triumphantly, the pride alike OF
the soldiers, the natives and all others.
Persons and property are us safe here
as in Idaho. The soldiers are gradu-
ally being thinned out and concentrat-
not az peaceful. Everywhere one sees
the school house and the flag. The
teachers are accomplishing wonders.
In every town ard barrio there are
schools conducted by native and Amer
lean teachers. The English language
is the foundation study and one scarce
iy finds native boy or girl now who
cannot make himself fairly understood
in English. The courts are in full OPP
GRAFTON aud the procedure is fashioned
very closely after the American courts:
both English and Spanish being the
court language, necessitating, Of
course, a court interpreter. Both the
army and civil authorities are deyot-
ing much labor TO road improvements.
One million dollars was recently APP
propriated by the Philippine Commis-
sion for road work and placed in the
hands of the army engineers. With
this aud the other sums raised by
means OF taxation in the different
provinces fair system OF communities
ton exists throughout Luzon and am
told other portions of the archipelago.
Each province has an American road
supervisor, who Is civil engineer,
whose chief duty is road construction.
No one knows better than you what
good roads are not only in times Of
peace but in times of insurrection,
which let us hope may never again oc-
cur in these islands.
The civil government now estab-
lished in the archipelago is not unlike
our system Of Federal and Territorial
government. The insular government
corresponds to the central government
and the provincial government to the
territorial government. Following in
the tracks Of advancing qualification
civil government is installed, For In
stance there is no part Of Luzon not
under provincial government and few
parts OF any organized province moi
under municipal government. 4 The
law making branch OF the central gov
eminent is the Philippine Commission
the Executive, the Governor and tbs
judicial the Supreme court. There Il
an attorney general, treasurer anG
other officials. The officers Of the pro
vince are governor, treasurer, super
visor. fiscal or attorney and a score
tary. The court of First Instance'
corresponds to our district court anC
Que or more provinces constitute dis
trict. The Provincial Board is com
posed Of the governor, treasurer ant
supervisor. This board bears th'
same relation to the province as tn,
Philippine Commission does to the ar
chipelago. The governors are natives
the treasurers and supervisors Alneri
cans, thus giving the control Of tb
provinces to the Americans.
The expenses Of the central govern
ment are paid from customs dues. sup
plimented by some uhiDportant inter
nal taxes. The provincial government
and the municipal government share
equally--with three uniInportant ex
ceptions- the taxes collected within
the provinces. These taxes are al
personal, consisting Of poll tax ON &C
dula, occupation tax or indnstrials
revenues from the sale Of stamps, etc
The land tax which will largely super
cede the unsatisfactory system OF span