New-York tribune., 1901-10-10
THE MANILA POLICE FORCE
A TYPICAL CASE OF INCREASED Ex-
PENDITURES CAUSED BY AMERI.
CAN OCCUPATION.

CAN OCCUPATION.
Manila, August lS
If you were asked the question. at the close Of
your first days stay at Manila. What is it that
impressed you most in driving about the
streets?' you would unhestatingly answer:
THE police force.
1t is doubtful whether a finer body of mer
exists anywhere They would make the old
Broadway Squad-couId that aggregation of
burly giants be assembled here-look in the
lingo of the army like 30 cents" They are
without exception the finest and most soldierly
looking lot ever got together anywhere. Their
average height cannot be less than six feet
They would have aroused the cupidity of Fred
erick the Greats father and bankrupted his
purse. In the smartness of their appearance In
the dignity of their bearing. in the conscious
to-day easily the most impressive sight of the
city They are also of the most expensive
luxuries introduced by the American occupa-
ton. II you will have six footer dressed in
fauItless khaki with sole leather leggings Of the
latest pattern and boots and gloves to match
why, you have to pay for him. That seems
clear enough. doesn't it?
These all ex-volunteers. and were
picked with special reference to their height
among thousands who presented themselves
upon being mustered out OF the military service
of the United States Many of them are coll
lege graduates. L am told: not few are pos-
sessed of private means and all bear unmistaka-
BILE evidence OF superior intelligence and re-
fnement-superior in the sense that those quail
ties rarely found. or indeed. expected. IN the
average policeman OF other cities A spirit of
adventure. doubt. induced many of them to
enlist in this force. in the hope that something
better" might turn up later on. Others perhaps
Joined because they wanted "to grow UP with
the country" ALL I am sure. enjoy their pres
ent job; they look contented-
Should the subject be deemed of sufficient In
terest to warrant carrying your investigation
further. you would soon find that these hand
some sons OF Anak number about five hundred.
and that they receive pay which amounts, IL
you include certain allowances and privileges.
to about 81 900 year. Not very high wages.
you will say, when II is considered that they
live far from home. perform arduous duties. and
are exposed to the enervating and demoralizing
influence OF a tropical climate No. not very
high pay, according to our notions. to be sure;
though the arduousness of regulating the traf-
ic of the principal streets might we'll be dis
puted; while as for the climate. it could per-
most of them and that none lose flesh The pay
seems high only by comparison with what the
native policeman gets OF whom there are,
were at one time, seven hundred. and who per-
form the same duties. apparently. though not in
such conspicuous places, as the Americans.
The pay of the natives. find upon referring
to official records. is SO month. in addition to
which they are furnished with clothes. not so
gorgeous. by the way. though quite as SER
viceable those OF their American brethren.
To be precise. the native policeman gets S144
q year and his clothes. but no commissary PRIV
ieges. while the American policeman at tbs
present time receives S65 month and quarters,
and also enjoys the privileges OF purchase from
the army comm,ssary. which practically brings
his pay to more than $1,000 year. or nearly
eight times that of the native incidentally
may remark that under the Spanish regime,
which does not seem TO have drawn any dis
tinction between Spaniards and natives on the
force-in the way OF pay. at least-ths patrol-
men got 500 gold year.
This wide difference in the rate Of wages. OK
salaries. paid TO the two classes Of public ser
wants has naturally aroused adverse comment
on the part OF the natives. which gathers IN
volume as they reflect that the handsome Anneri-
can giants. while most gratifying to look at.
In the detection Of crime. They speak the Span
ish language IN rare instances only. and as for
Tagalog which Is probably the dialect exclu-
sively of the criminal classes in this city. they
are absolutely ignorant of it, Under such cir
oumstances II is not difficult to picture TO ones
self their helplessness in ferreting out vice or
keeping crime under control If 1t is question
of following a criminal his lair, OF exploring
the haunts of evildoers. the man to perform the
work must necessarily be native 1t Is be
who braves the danger and runs the risk The
American policeman doubt. is equally and
perhaps even more brave. but he lacks the
equipment for the effective discharge OF his
duties. and all he can do-and he does 1t. am
bound to say, with a picturesque dignity and
admirable self-possession-is by wave OF the
hand TO direct the traffic of the Bridge Of Spain
and the Escolta or to regulate the speed OF the
endless procession OF carriages that winds every
evening around the bandstands of the Luneta
The following table will show at a single
glance the difference in pay between the Amer
lean and native policemen. which III is proposed
to adopt for the ensuing fiscal year. You may
notice that 1t provides slight increase for both
the American and native members OF the force;
American. Native American Native.
In.nector SO 500 81 200 Sergeant 81 200 $500
Captain $500 I2o Rountsman. I02o 10
Surgeon l,sOo eVtEatroInian sVV
All things considered, can you blame the ma
tives for nursing grievance apparently so well
founded.
1t may be as WELL perhaps. to record here the
fact that In Spanish days the total police force.
including the Guardia Civil, the Vigiantes or
Secret Service men. carabneros and others. num-
bered 9S3. I am unable to say what this force
cost the government. but. the total municipal
ts,r ax-