New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-07


been so short and conditions have been so alb
normal that it is difficult at the present time to
estimate what the customs will produce when
peace is restored and the development OF the
rich resources Of the islands is fully inaugurated
The disposition of the revenues also shows a
wide difference between the policy employed In
the two countries. In Java about one-third Of
the annual expenditures is for the army and
navy, another third is devoted to the general
administration both In Java and in the Neither
lands. while the remaining third is applied to
necessary expenses in the islands.
The salaries paid to officers In the East Indian
service are surprisingly large when compared
with those paid in the Philippines. For example.
the Governor General receives a salary OF
100000 a year, with an allowance of 100000
for entertainment and other expenses connected
with the office The Netherlands East Indies
are divided into twenty-four residences or prov
inces and each has local governor resident.
who receives $4,000 a year. besides a liberal
sum for official expenses while in parts
native chiefs paid On the same liberal scale.
In the Philippines. Governor Taft, the highest
salaried officer in the archipelago, receives
s2oOoO per annum, with no allowance for extra
expenses and the governors of the provinces, Of
which there are at present thirty-four, receive
salaries ranging from 81 800 to $4,000
In Java, after twenty years service. the civil
employees are permitted to retire On liberal pen
sionS, which paid from the insular reve-
nues, while in the Philippines there is no time
limit to service and no pension is provided upon
retirement When the Forestry Bureau OF the
Philippines desired to secure educated and ex-
perienced foresters for service in the islands it
was found impossible to secure competent men
in the United States, and an effort was made to
secure a number from Java. A salary Of S2O0
in gold 4 month was offered but it was learned
that the foresters in that island were receiving
from $3.50 TO $500 in gold year, with the
right TO retire with pay after certain number
Of years service. when disabled and natu-
rally they declined to accept employ 1nent under
the government of the Philippines. Further
investigation revealed the fact that the gov
eminent of Ceylon paid foresters about the same
salary that is paid in Java.
TAXATION AND LAND SYSTEMS.
For almost a century Java has sent continu-
Gus stream of gold to swell the receipts Of the
home government in Holland, amounting for
long time to sos 100000 a year, but this has
now been reduced. not much by any change
of policy on the part of the Dutch Government
as owing to the fact that the low price of sugar
throughout the world and the destruction of the
coffee plantations by pests have rendered it
impossible to increase the revenues to a point
that would permit the usual tribute to be sent
across the sea. The policy Of Holland was to
make the East Indies pay direct return to
the home government 1t never regarded colo
NAL administration as missionary work in any
sense of the word. The United States, on the
other hand, has distinctly disavowed any pur-
pose of taxing the Philippines for the benefit of
the home government. Philippine taxes of all
kinds remain in the Philippines for the purpose
of developing the islands, building roads, har-
bors schools and in preparing the people for
larger and larger measure of self-government
The land systems of the two countries also
show marked contrasts The greater part of the
land in Java is claimed government property
though in the western residences of the island
there are some private estates, chiefly owned by
Europeans and Chinese Both the government
and the private landowners can enforce one
days gratuitous work out of seven lit was for
merly five) from all Iaborers their estates, and
certain crops of the natives must be sold at a.
fixed price to the government No land has been
aienated by the Javanese Government since
1916, so the Javanese are in no sense the pro-
prietors of their native SOIL
In the Philippines so far as any policy has
small holdings of land by natives and others,
always giving the preference 10 the former
who will improve and cultivate the same, ana
it has been recommended by the Philippine Com
mission that the lands owned by the religious
orders. commonly called 'friars' lands" be pur-
chased by the government at fair valuation
and divided into small holdings and sold to the
present tenants at q price just sufficient to pay
for the same, together with the interest on the
bonds to be issued in order to secure funds with
which to purchase the lands Legislation IN
tended to carry out this policy Is now pending
in both houses of Congress. The remaining ara
bic land of the islands, whose title rests IN the
government, will be thrown open to settlement
by means of some sort of a homestead law, ana
the natives Will be encouraged to become land
owners. 1t is not the purpose TO open the TIM
Der land to entry, but to preserve the forests,
and allow, under government supervision. the
cutting of such timber as is fully grown, to pro-
tect the smaller growth, and thus make the
,orice1ess forests Of the Philippines, which are
said to be the finest in the world, contribute d
constant revenue to the government
The Philippine Government does not engage in
farming, it creates no monopolies. 1t CONDUCTS
no business. it compels no enforced or gratultous
labor but directs its efforts to encourage the
natives to develop the resources OF the country
and reap the benefits of their Iabors, peheVlhs
that this will not only conduce to the develop
ment of native character. but in the end best
contribute to the revenues of the ISLANDS.
EDUCATION.
The same marked distinction be observed
by comparing the policy pursued by the two
governments In educational affairs. For long
time no effort made by the government OF
Java TO provide in any way for the education
of the natives under fits control Even the study
of Dutch discouraged, and If native
ventured 10 address a European in that IAN
guage he was answered in his native tongue,
and the distinction between Javanese and Hol-
lander was emphasized in every possible man
ner. This policy has undergone gradual
change for even the conservative Hollander is
not insensble to the public sentiment or the
age In 1899 Java had five normal schoois, with
- teachers and IA pupils, besides TOUT schooS
for the sons of native chiefs, with ~ pupils.
There also 232 government SCI scnools Tor
schools with 26,644 pupils, or about one native
school attendant for every 400 Of the popula-
ton. 49,
In contrast with this meagre showing, there
are in the Philippines between 3oyo and 4'ooo
native elementary teachers employed ana aoout
600 trained teachers, graduates OF colleges and
normal schools, have been sent from the United
States A transport loaded with teachers was
sent from San Francisco to Manila last summer
"a fact which has no parallel in colonial his
tory 4 normal school for the instruction OF
native teachers at Manila enrolled oUo stuoenIs
ar a summer session last year. and more would
have attended could arrangements have been