New-York tribune., 1902-10-30
PHILIPPINE PROBLEMS.
CURRENCY. LABOR, LAND SYSTEM AND
POLICE OF NEIGHBORING COLONIES

Washington. oct % CspeciaD.-Exhaustive m
vestlPatons !uto the experience OF England anu
Hollard IN ther dependencies IN the East, "heie
conditions are sirlilar those IN the lhllpp'eS'
hav, resulted I'm elaborate report by Frolesso.
Jeremiah " jerks, Of New-York, VIII" was sem
out by the Mar Department for that purpose' tle
idea being that such report would be he'piui ~
prepsring suitable legislation for the Islands
while this result has been secured II emphasizes
the wisdom which has been exercised by the GOV
srunnent and the Philippine Commission IN 'lie
laws already made.
The report opens with a brief discussion OF the
attitude Of the countries in question toward the'r
colonies and dependencies and their meinous %
.overnment with the apparent results. II If ule
opinion OF the writer that. however sellshlE ia
sarler davs these countries have treated ulel'
colonies At present they intend in the nam 10
govern them for the benefit of the natives theih-
selves In certain instances the government IS "a
rect; in others both England and Holland h0la
merely a protectorate native chiefs advising
Them continually however. through Brush OF
Dutch residents living at their courts.
There seems 10 ne no doubt that on the whole
a, tbe dependencics Of both countries consaeraDie
,ropress has been made in the last fe" decades
sns that conditions are more favorable man ever
- 7, neither country. however. has mueh
heer done IN the direction Of establishing selI-goV-
.rnn,ent Nowhere I'm the dependencles OF Ing
land Holland or France in the Orient mas 'he'e
been granted el'at measure OF SEN
MAJ
Che Fflipinos When il is considered that theSe ila
,ions are bevond question seriously working ior
fhe GOOD Of the natives ana that they are N't-'s
what on the whole. seems 10 them best the IA
.,dtable conclusion is that the government %
neither England nor Holland considers the ma
60 a. vel car,sble of self-government, although
,hsv are making some efforts toward educating
and fitting them for ultimate self-rule Ihe Ohi'eu
states Is commended for its earnestness IN push
sne forward these measures. but the rul.rs oi the
other countries would doubtless question 'le N'9-
Som of taking rapid steps
Attention is especially called 10 the fact that
much interference the part of the home au-
thorities in the details of the government OF the
dependencies is harmful and that those colonies
have made most rapid progress in which the Eng
ish of Dutch rulers have received from their home
government tn freest hand in administration
The special economic subjects discussed are the
currency Iabor-especiaIIy immigrant coolie labor
local taxation. and the native police
CURRENCY.
The experience of India. the Straits Settlement
the Federated Malay States Java, and srmatra.
shows that the gold standard is not necessarily
the best. The silver standard in the years when
silver steadily declining in value compared
with gold beyond doubt did stimulate in certain
colonies the export trade and manufacturing for
export purposes. il thus aided the development
of the country.
This aid not given however without certain
classes Of the community suffering In sumatra,
the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay
States the stimulus trade was given 10 a con-
siderable extent at the expense OF the Chinese
cooiie laborers. Owing 10 the fact that they were
accustomed 10 the large silver dollar Mexican or
British, and that this large dollar could more
readily he used by them they have preferred It
10 smaller coin, even though the latter was Of
greater value. Naturally. the employers have not
\ been averse TO taking advantage OF their igno-
d rance. Selling their goods on a gold basis and pay
ing their laborers and other expenses in silver
they have found exceedingly profitable
The relative fan in the value OF silver LED IN
india and elsewhere 10 very heavy losses on the
part OF the government which had large gold pay
ments 10 make in Europe, but which collected its
revenue in silver. The government employees
likewise, and others on fixed salaries who wished
20 rem" part Of their savings TO Europe. found
SILVER currency extremely expensive. This infu-
ence was what led 10 the fixing OF the rate OF
exchange In India through the stoppage Of free
coinage of silver and the gradual adoption Of the
gold standard
Tho report discusses in considerable detail this
whole question well that Of the advantages
and disadvantage which come from stability in
rates Of exchange
Althoueh recognizing that silver standard may
ne Desi ~ certain countries, as. for example Su-
matra ana the Federated Malay States, the conclu-
tlon is reached that Tor the Philippines il is much
better TO adopt the fixed rate OF exchange with
gold. as recommended by the Philippine Cornmis-
SION While encouraging the use of silver as a cur
fency much possible The sDecal rAasops
given arc that Al the SILVER standard continues IN
depreclate, those who gain from its depreciation
viii b. tho exporting houses, chiefly English ana
German, although IN part American while the ma
tive Fiiipinos. who srow hemp. sugar tobacco etc
on their plantations, viii be the losers As the
chief purpose OF the government is to protect Fiji
pino laborers and producers rather than American
or foreign business men who are better able 10
HOOK after themselves. II is considered lnwise m
hoopt legislation which would seem TO discriminate
~ favor OF the latter. Moreover the fixed rate of
exchange with gold would remove many OF the dif-
hcnlues Of the Philippine government which has
INTENDED to paw its employees in gold and it would
also tend 10 encourage commerce with the United
States rather than with silver standard countries
The report on this subject has the greater sgnia-
eance, as the writer. appears from the report
Is not gold stan lard man In the sense thar bs he
Aeves the gold standard should be universally en-
ployed. He recognizes that silver is better FOR
some countries but IN the interests OF tbA NATIVE
Filipino urges that il would not be best for the
Philippines
LABOR
In the Oriental countries visited with the ,o
ton Of Java. there is dearth OF efficient oor,ron
labor. The resources of these countries could ,o+
be developed by the native Malays or Burmese -
IA most Of the countries il has been found hest =,
import coolies.
In CeylOn, Burmah, Assam, and FOR aeric,,,t,,-.,
purposes in the Straits Settlements ana the Fea-
Grated Malay States, Indian coolies from the uoorar
districts IN India have been imported under ron
tract On the other hand in sumatra Cor work On
the tobacco plantations, and in the Straits Settle
ments and Federated Malay States for work IN the