Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-09
Little Real Famine or Hunger
Has Yet Resulted From
the Shortage
RHlNDERpEsT AMONG CATTLE
The Heavy Loss from This Disease Is
the Most Serious Feature-contracts
Made for 10000 carabso With Per.
manent Immunization Provision
Made for Distributing Rice.

Washington, June 9.-The war de-
rar.ment has made public a report re-
lceived from Governor TAFT, replying t
statements made by Lieutenant Genera
Miles after his visit to the islands las
year. The report is dated at Benguest
April 49, and says in part, with refer.
ence to General Miles statements re.
lating to the condition of agriculture
| in the archipelago and the means Of
| ding probable famine:
THAT there Is a shortage in the
| islands of the usual food supply is I'M
ooubtedly true, but l have been sur.
prised to find thus far how little rea
famine or hunger there is. have not
received a single call from a single
provincial governor for rice for free
distribution in the entire archipelago
In the province of Batangas Captain
Boughton in managing the so-called
war famine fund, the history of which
has been already officially reported to
youi has made very small gratuitous
distribution of rice not exceeding,
should think in quantity more than ST.
600 worth.
.The action Of the commission in di-
recting proclamation By the civil gov
ernor calling upon the people every
where to plant corn, tomatoes or sweet
potatoes, rice and other quickly grow
ing food products has been very wide
influence in stirring up the people TO
provide against the coming of famine.
1T is true that an uneXamnled
dro,ith in the islands prevented this
planting from being as productive as it
otherwise would have been and that the
locusts, too have interfered with some
Of the crops, but on the whole | have
been greatly surprised to find the suf-
fering SO much less than we expected 1t
to be. 1t may be that in May, June and
July we shall have calls for aid, but
think we shall be able to promptly re-
spond to them. especially now that So
100000 have been appropriated for the
purpose. The most serious feature of
the situation is the loss Of the cattle
from rhinderpest 1t is not feasible to
DlIUS Cdltit lillo Tie lsldHu WITHOUT
making sure that they will not catch
the rhnderpest after coming here and
ole from the disease. The fields of the
islands are infected With rhinderpes;.
so that cattle from the other islands
brought here are almost sure to have
the disease. 1t is necessary. therefore,
that all cattle brought here shall be i'm
muIliZed by having a serum injected
into their veins which Will rander them
immune for three or four months and
at the same time by being inoculated
with rhinderpest virus which renders
them immune at least for five years and
probably longer
I'VE have made a contract for the
delivery of 10000 carabao in the islands
with the permanent immunizatior.
These are to be brought from the Yang
Isl valley in China. Our ilsular pur-
chasing agent, together With a cattle
expert of the agricultural bureau, is
nuN visiting the various ports of the
orient with n view of making further
contracts. i am unable to see that the
transports could be made
Useful to us either in the transportation
OF rice or the transportation of cattle.
We can charter steamers adapted to
our purposes at perhaps on afourth or
one-tifth OF the cost of operating the
transports as proposed by the lieuten-
ant general of the army. We have some
twelve or fourteen coast guard vessels
which can transport rice and we can
purchase rice in the orient at much
cheaper price than we can bring corn
or wheat from the United States.
~;y.l, ~,
save the people from starvation is the
food which they are used to eating:
whereas. they would have tc be taught
To eat wheat. 1t is exceedingly impor-
tan, that we shall not pa,lperize the
people of these islands bv unnecessary
graiuitous distribution. of rice. In an
ticipation of corner in rice, we made
a purchase of rice involving the ex-
peniiture of about 100000 in gold. We
succeeded in breaking the corner and
Seeping down the price of rice, and
should the price of rice advance again,
we may have to do the same, thing. We
have sold the rice in various parts of
the archipelago nearly at cost whenever
the merchants in that neighborhood in
sisted on forcing the price beyond wha.
was reasonable. The purchase of cattle
md the landing of them in the islands
IRE attended with the greatest diff
7ulty, for the reasons have stated. We
IAN not hope to bring into The islands |
rs many cattle as have died. We can
,nly hope to bring in a sufficient num-
Der to keep agriculture going. The |
price at which we have contracted for
he first 10000 is SIS Mexican, deliv- |
red in Manila completely immunized |
Ne hope to be able to make purchases
# our own at a somewhat lower price, I
no hardly less than $50 Mexican. IF /
re are able to sell the carabao in the
PROVINCES at 500 Mexican it will be 4
;reat boon to the people. especially if
Va do not require a deposit of more
han SO per cent of the cost price and
llow a credit of six months for the
'ayment of the balance"