Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-10
MONEY MELTS AWAY
Gov. Taft on the Cost of Liv-
ing in Manila.
CAN SAVE BUT LITTLE
SALARY AND PERQUISITES OF
THE COMMISSIONERS.
Testimony Resumed Before the Senate
Committee on the Philippines
This Morning.

This Morning.
In continuing his statement concerning
conditions in the Philippine Islands before
! the Senate committee on the Philippines
| today Governor Taft said that the esti-
mate for preliminary expenses in those
| islands must include considerable out
| lay for school buildings. All plans In that
| direction must, he said look to the sepa-
ration of the sexes. as that had been the
| custom under Spanish rule. Speaking of
! the American teachers in the archipelago,
| he said that of the S35 there, only one had
| been mistreated This one had been car
! ried away by the insurrectos, but he had
| been returned soon in a hammock.
1t was necessary, he said to make sal
| aries from 20 to % per cent higher than
| in the United States.
Emoluments of Commissioners.
In this connection Senator Culberson
| made inquiries concerning the salaries
and allowances of the commissioners of
| the archipelago. ''Is each of the commits
sioners paid S20,O0O?' he asked.
| No" was the reply. When We first
went out the commissioners were each
| paid $4,000 and the chairman $4,000, and
| In addition there was an allowance of
| $500 to each for expenses, making the
| total $15500 and SIT 800 respectively.
| When l was appointed civil governor l
| was allowed $1,000 for my legislative du-
| ties and $4,000 for my duties as an exc
! cutive, making 100000. The other COM
| missoncrs We're allowed 5000 for their
legislative services and $4,000 for their
| executive duties, making $4,000, all in
gold
rs each allowed a private secretary?"
| Yes.
"And you also have large clerical
force?'
Yes, you would think so If you should
| step into our offices; you also would get
an idea of the necessity for such a force"
| What other allowances are made?"
| None except that | am allowed as gov
ernor to live in the Malacanan, the old
! governor generals palace"
rs 1t an extensive placer"
Lights Cost s125 a Month.
Rather. 1t costs me sl25 in gold per
month to light 1t, and 1 pay $1,000 year
| out Of my own pocket for servant hire.
| There are fourteen ponies in the stable
| eight of which 1 own, and I also keep
| three carriages. The grounds are exten-
| sve, but they are lighted by the city of
| Manila. as any other park would be-
"Are the other members Of the commits
| sion provided with residences"
They are not. All of them pay rent and
I can assure you that ] would much pre-
Lei " pay lillie ~ ptliS ISQulltU " i've DIT
Malacanan and keep up that establishment.
| IL may be allowed a word personally,
would say that Of my SIT 800 salary last
year l had only $500 left at the end of
| the year. and l am sure that if my illness
had not prevented my entertaining to de-
sirable extent there would have been moth
| ing left of the $4,000 now paid. and Cen
eral Wright and Judge Ide have assured me
| they could save nothing. There is much en-
tertatning necessary, especially of native
| ladies and gentlemen, and the cost of
| everything is greater than in Washington.
| Indeed, money goes SO fast that it seems
lowances, other than those L have men,
| toned"
Fixing the Salaries.
| Governor Taft added that the commission
had had nothing to do with fixing the sala-
| ries of its own members, that having been
| done in Washington: but he said that it
was impossible to secure the services of
competent men for responsible positions
without paying better salaries than are paid
| here. He thought this especially true of
men holding judicial positions. He thought
| they should be paid higher than they now
are.
Governor Taft also said that the members
OF the commission and their families had
been transported free to the islands, and
that 1t had been President McKinley's espe-
cial wish that the families should be taken
because of the effect upon the Filipinos
| themselves.
I'VE want" he said, "especially to dem
onstrate to the Fiipinos the possibility of
an honest administration Of justice which
| Is something they have never experienced
under Spanish rule or under the rule of
| Aguinaldo: They have no conception of a
mans holding an office except for the pur-
pose of his own emolument."
Admission of Chinese.
| Senator Carmack reverted to some of Gov
erncr Tafts former testimony, to the ef-
feet that the Filipinos are not Industrious,
and asked whether this condition would
render necessary the importation of Chi
nese.
Governor Taft said that It was to be pro-
foundly hoped that this would not prove to
be the case. There might he added, be
some reason for taking the Chinese laborers
to undeveloped provinces like Mindanoa, but
in such provinces as Luzon, Panay and Ne
gros, he was hopeful that the native people
could be brought into a condition of greater
efficiency. In general, he thought the effect
Of the admission of the Chinese would be
to monopolize nearly all the avenues of
trade, but 1t was more difficult to saw
what the effect would be on the labor of
the islands.
Gov. Taft said there was fear voiced by
the insurgents about American expioitat alton
OF the islands.
In reply to questions, he said that re-
marks derogatory to the Filipinos found
their way back to the islands. The people
were sensitive and did not like to be char
acterized as savages or bulls. Utterances
calculated to encourage the resistance Of
the authority Of the United States were an
obstacle nf ha oP he