New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-07
THE PHILIPPINES FUTURE.
POSSIBILITIES OF THE ISLANDS VIEWED
IN THE LIGHT OF DUTCH En-
PERIENCE IN JAVA

Washington June 6 rpeciaD.-Since the
limited States unexpectedly found itself pos
sessed of sovereignty over insuiar possessions in
both the East and West Indies, ana having no
nrecedent to guide in the administration OF
distant territory. more attention than ever De-
fore has been given to the methods employed
bv other nations in the government of their Tor
eign possessions
The work of Great Britain in India. Australia.
Africa, Egypt and the Orient has been studied
with renewed interest: the colonial experiments
IF France in North Africa. Cochin China and
Madagascar have been carefully reviewed. and
she German possessions in both East and West
Africa have not escaped scrutiny None OF
,base however. present conditions suIncien1iv
analogous 10 those which obtain in the PhiIp-
mines 10 afford any satisfactory oasis OF coih-
-yso, and an examination Of these dependen-
cies while interesting. simply emphasizes the
fart that every insular or colonial possession Is
. dis.i7rt Droblem in itself, 10 be worked out
along lines suggested by the conditions imposed
by race characteristics. climate prouue'S anu
the past history of its people
The insular possessions more nearly reeeli-
bling the Philippines than any other are the
r,,,+cb Fast Indies which present many features
:. common with the new acquisition or the
Tinted States There is a similar mixture VI
Malay Chinese and native races There is
close analogy of soil, climate and prooucts, ana
,be question arises whether, under similar physl
81 conditions we can beat the Dutch in the
administration of q tropical possession In the
Orient.
WHAT THE DUTCH HAVE DONE IN JAVA
lava the principal island owing allegiance 10
no Crown of Holland, is not unlike CUBA III
size and shape, and while Surnatra' the Ceieoes
.a-ts Of Borneo. and other contiguous lslahos
- ,rc,,,ded in the Dutch East Indies, embrac-
inc a rotal area of about $4,000 square miles,
-e+ II is ii Java alone that the Dutch system
81 government has been fully worked out, anu
II is there that the advantages and defects Oh
he system may be studied to the best advan-
tage.
The area of Java is about $4,000 square
=, ,,,,i1a that of I,uzon alone is about 1900
"a .be entire area of the Philippines is esti-
-na+ad at 127S52 square miles The area OF
..~+y1a land inhabited by people with some
l,,ovz-ledee Of agriculture and more or less &C
o,,afn1ed with civilized life is in favor OF the
philippines, for great parts Of Sun1aua, lhe
carehes and Borneo have never been explored
bv their nominal rulers. and ere sparsely IN
f7abited by savage tribes When comparison
&c made however, between the population OF
the two countries, the advantage rs with Java
Ear that little island has 26,1250o3 inha bltants
= population greater than the combined popuia-
-ion Of all the other islands Of the Indian ocean,
md giving 80 inha bitants TO the square mile,
while the population of the Philippines Is esti-
rated At from 100000 to 100000. and the
larger estimate would give density Of only
se,,en+,-eigbt 10 the square mile and for the
6anei;z- nf the Philippine population to equal
that If lava would require total almost equal
n the population Of the United States, a num-
her far below the capacity of the Islands 10
support Therefore measured by the NUMBER Oh
inhabitants and density of population, the gov
or,,,,ar7r If lava has been eIninently success
fu.
A cornparison of the receipts and expenditures
Of the two governments is also interesting, anu
At first sight seems to reflect credit on the
TD,,+cb administration Taking the last three
years as basis. the period covering the Amerl-
can occUnation OF the Philippines, the following
are the total receipts and expenditures OF the
two dependencies:
PHILIPPINES