The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-07
OFFICIAL TlEN OF PHILIPPINES.
1The Annual Report of Gov. Taft
of The Philippine Islands.

of The Philippine Islands.
Washington, January 4.-The annual
report of the Philippine commission
and a separate report by Governor ".
H. Taft, made public at the war de-
partment today, giyesa review OF the
results Of the years work Of the COM
mission and contain recommendations
for legislative, action by Congress
deemed essential to the welfare Of the
Islands. Governor Taft is Of opinion
that it may be possible to induce the
Sultan of Jolo to part with some Of the
rights he claims to the Jolo group, and
thus obviate many obstacles now en-
counte-ed. The Moros, be says, do
not understand popular government
and do not desire it, preferring the
control Of dattos. gzszezsz
i Goverao at tells of the conditions
that have made 1t necessary for the
islands TO purchase about $40 ,QeG4l 600
swerth Of food onWhich to sfSye. and TO;
ssse effects warshas had 9eon agrie1l-
ft1ges alG8esksk only souses Of wealth
iin5sgfae Islands The greatest bloVssto
agriculture, he says, is the destruc-
tion of about so per cent. OF the water
buffalo, on which the cultivation of
rice is almost wholly dependent. AZ
ter speaking Of the savages Of Asiatjc
cholera, Governor Taft says:
: 80 50 The baae OF Philippine civilization
In the past was Ladronisn, and the
present conditions are most favorable
for It's growth and maintenance. It
is is not caIsS; Hh aEhss sin stnss depress-E
sedstase Of agriculture. with the tempt
asions 90 Ladronism, that the cou-
stsbulaey will be able, without the
assistance Of the military, to stamp it
out, as want and famine make the
life OF the freebooter a very great at
traction 20 the desperate and the weak.
The natural discomfort with the Gov
eminent when. suffering is. al hand,
promoted as Sc has been hy che cholera.
restrictiongssand the hig6 prices of rice
and other eommo ditiess which hare
been areat On cad S5y the depnecia-
tionaI silver migkt well Eaaes caused
a neW breaking oUso The iAsn rsection
and, IN his Judgment, it speaks won
ders for the case with which this coun-
sttsy may be goyerned innorn1d times;
that We have comparatively so little
disorders since the surrender of the in-
surgent arms in April. -
Since civil government was COM
pletely established in the Filipino pro-
Tinces throughout the Archipelago in
July last year, the Governor says an
American has rot been called on once
to dre gun, the country having been
poiced by TIE constabulary, force of
Eve or six thousand men. st may
be, - says Governor Taft, 'that as the.
conditions grow worse-for they ara
likely to do SO before they grow better
lit will be necessary in a province
like Cavite, where Ladronism seems
imbued in the people, to poclaim
marital Law, and even to call in the
iiiGagyl finally Josuppress IT, buSsiG
is assiA hoped 6hiss may be avoided,
i Governor Taft says that unless The
acrabao can be eplaced, Eor other
methods Of agriculture substituted,
which will prevent these animals being
indispensable hereafter, the future for
several years. has a gloomy outlook.
The depressed condition of .agTic1l-
tnre and The endency;to Ladronism IN
the Tagalog and IN some of the Visayan
provinces, does not apply to those pro-
vinces where hemp is the chief pro-
duct. 90 They are wealthy and prosper
ous, !" the report recites, and "while
thsir food costs them more than it used
to, they have money enough with
which to make Improvements; school
houses are being built; roads are being
constructed; machinery agricultural
and other kinds-is being introduced
and and there is every evidence of a
forward movement -
The Governor points out, among
other ills from which the country is
suffering, that of fuct1ating currency.
Touching on the organization of labor
unions the Governor says that if pro-
perly directed the movement may give
to the laboring classes q. sense OF, the
dignity Of labor and Of their in
dependence.
He regards the objection made by
the Filsinos TO the unlimited intro
duction Of Chinese into the island to
be logical and justified. Governor
Taft tells Of thesrecently organized in
dependent Filipino Catholic Church,
and says the commission has stated
thatit would take no part in religious