The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-13

l
ment from the Philippine commission
was in the mails when the Root report
| was written. 1t will be made public
when it shall have been received But
| in the secretary's summary there Is
| much that is of general interest.
The negotiations of Judge Taft at
Rome concerning the problem of the
| friars form the topic of some eXplana-
| tion, from which it appears that the
authorities at Washington had no eX-
| pectation Of u complete understanding
but hoped simply to establish the basis
| of further negotiation such as is now
| in progress. While many of the ques-
tions involved are delicate and difficult,
, Secretary Root says he has no doubt
that just conclusions will be reached
satisfactory to both sides.
During the year the trade of the
Philippines has been greatly hampered
by the ravages of rinderpest causing a
| mortality in some provinces of over 80
per cent. among the carabao and there
by a shortage of food crops. Business
in many sections was also interrupted
by the cholera Nevertheless the i'm
ports of the archipelago We're the larg-
est in its history and it's exports were
| exceeded in but two previous years. In
value the imports We're $32, ,14l ,S42, a
gain of per cent. and the exports $22.-
921 ,619, Il gain over last year of per
cent. Imports from the United States
increased over 1900 14S per cent, and
! exports to the United States increased
| over the same year lis per cent. Our
trade with the Philippines is growing
more rapidly than that of any other
| country, illustrating the truth of the
saying that trade follows the flag.
The total importations received from
date Of American occupation to and in
Guiding June 30, 1902, amounted to $685.
1854, or, reckoning complete yearly
periods covered by the last three fiscal
years, an average annual import trade
of more than twenty-seven and half
tanned; and the total duty collected
| during these years approXimated twen-
ty-two and u half millions. The value
| Of merchandise exported during the
same period was s7926O,607, the duty
collected amounting to $3O00,O00. In
the same time the total revenues have
amounted TO 33,5S9,S19.05 and the total
expenditures to $.3253,573.13. American
money. The surplus of income over eX-
penditure has in a great measure been
allotted to the payment of various con-
tracts for public improvements and
of free cash in the treasury is compara-
lively small.
Immigrants to the number of 30,094
arrived in the Philippine islands during
the fiscal year 1902 as against 17,10S in
| 1901. OF this number 12,751 Gncluding
10,101 Chinese) had been in the islands
before. Among the 11.343 who came
for the first time there were 1912, or
IS per cent. Americans, 36S Chinese, 451
Japanese, 222 English, 1858 Spaniards,
129 East Indians, and SOB of other ma
tionalities. There We're 2,497 females
and ops children under ii years of age.
With the exception of S,349 Chinese but
3 per cent. of the immigrants We're il
literates. Among the Americans there
were l76 merchant dealers and grocers,
100 teachers, 122 clerks and account-
ants. The greater number of Ameri-
cans are, however, not described by oc-
cupation. More than three-fourths of
the Chinese We're laborers, and more
than half the remainder merchants.
Secretary Root makes an eloquent
appeal to congress to extend to the
Philippines the same degree of tempor-
AIRY relief in way of tariff reduction
that was granted by the last congress
to Porto Rico; and also urges that the
archipelago be permitted to establish
its monetary system on the gold stand
ard. This is his argument:
The people of n country Just emerging
from nearly SIX years of devastating
warfare, during which productive indus
| Try was interrupted, vast amounts Of
property We're destroyed, the bonds OF So
cal order We're broken, habits of peace
ful industry We're lost, ana ar the close
of which great reSlduum of disordery
| men We're left leading life OF brigandage
! and robbery, had sufficiently difficult
task before them to restore order ana
prosperity. In addition to this, however,
the people OF the Philippine Islands have
within the past year been visited by
great misfortunes. The rinderpest has
destroyed about 30 per cent of all their
| carahaos, leaving them without draft
animals to till their land and aid in the
ordinary work OF farm ana village life.
Carabaos have increased in price from
S2O To 500 Mexican. The Eastern disease
known as 'surra" has killed and is kill
ing the native and American horses, fur
iher gripping transportation, The rice
crop has been reduced 10 % per cent. of
the ordinary crop Last year In the Visa
yam islands and this year In Luzon Il
plague of locusts has come upon the
land, destroying much OF the remaining
% per cent. of the rice crop. A drought
in China and the fall in the price of sill
Yer have raised the price Of lice from 81
10 81 picul. The commission has been
obliged to go out of the islands and use
insular funds to buy over 10000, 600 pounds
of rice to save the people from perishins
by famine, Cholera has ragged and is
raging throughout the islands. The ig-
norance of the people and their unwill-
ingness to submit to sanitary regulations
have made 1t almost impossible TO check
the ravages of the disease, which, it is
estimated. will claim not less than 10000
victims. The decline in the price of sill
Yer has carried Mexican dollars down
from ratio of two To one in gold to Il
|