The Saint Paul globe., 1903-01-05
MOROS NOT TAKING
KINDLY TO OUR
METHODS
Our Mohammedan Subjects
Must Be Ruled Sternly for
a Good Long Time-Con-
troll Effected Entirely by
the Constabulary at Pres
ent.

| WASHINGTON, D. c.. Jan. 4.-The
annual report of the Philippine COM
mission and separate report by Gov.
Taft, made public at the war depart
ment today, gives a review of the re-
suits of the work of the commission
and gives recommendations for legisIa-
ton by congress deemed essential to
/ the welfare of the islands.
In dealing with the history of the
civil government through the various
provinces, Gov. Taft in his report says
1t has not been definitely determined
what shall be done with respect to
Mindanao, where hostility to Ameri-
cans does not extend beyond the Lake
Lano Moros. The governor is Of the
opinion that it may be possible to in
duce the sultan of Jolo to part with
some of the rights he claims to the
Jolo group and thus obviate many OBJ
stacles now encountered.
The Moros, he says, do not under
stand popular government and not de-
sire it, preferring control by dattos.
Possibly far in the future" he
says, control by dattos may cease. For
the present, however, it is necessary
only to provide a paternal, strong but
sympathetic government for these fol-
| lowers OF MOhammed."
Gov. Taft tells of the conditions that
have made it necessary for the islands
to purchase about $15000,00O worth
of food on which to live and of the
effects war has had upon agriculture,
almost the only source of wealth in the
islands The greatest blow to agricul-
ture, he says, is the destruction of
about 80 per cent of the water buffalo,
| n 6a
most wholly dependent. After speak
ing of the ravages of Asiatic cholera,
Gov. Taft says:
THE bane of Philippine civilization
in the past was ladronism and the
| present conditions are most favorable
for its growth and maintenance 1t
is not certain whether in the depressed
state of agriculture, with the tenden-
cies to ladronism, the constabulary
will be able without the assistance of
the military, to stamp it out"
Soldiers Not Employed.
The governor says an American SOL
der has not been called on once to
fire a gun since July. the country
having been policed by the constabu-
larry a force of 500 or 800 men.
1T may be-" says Gov. Taft, "as
| the conditions grow WorSe-for they
are likely to do so before they grow
vince like Cavite, where ladronism
seems to be inbred in the people, to
| proclaim martial law, and eve nto call
in the military to support it, but it is
| hoped this may be avoided"
The ladrones of Iloilo are character
| lied as an organized band of cattle
thieves. They are being rapidly stamp
ed out. Gov. Taft says that unless
the caraboa can be replaced, or other
methods Of agriculture substituted
which will prevent these animals being
indispensable hereafter the future for
several years has a gloomy outlook.
There is in the city of Manila real
estate and Improvements assessable for
taxation amounting to SAL ,005, ,190, while
there is nom n-asSeSsable real property
in the city to the amount of $25052,5 ,529,
of which $13,384,38S is public property
and $12,117, $40 is church property ex-
enpt under the law.
Gov. Taft commends to the commits
sion the benefits that that might ac-
crue from the establishment in the ISL
ands of postal savings banks. Gov. Taft
tells of the recently organized inde-
pendent Filipino Catholic church and
says the commission has stated that it
would take no part in religious contro-
versies.
The Philippine commission in it's an
nual report, which is the third it has
made, says at the outset:
"The insurrection as an organized
| attempt to SubVert the authority of the
| United States in these islands is en-
tirely at an end, and the whole of the
Christian Filipino population with the
exception of a few thousand people in
| the Moro country in isolated towns are
enjoying civil government. Much re-
~
government, in marshalling the forces
of law against lawlessness and disturb
ance, and in teaching the people of the
Philippines not only that they have
rights under the law, but also that they
cannot hope to enjoy such rights unless
! they acquire courage and independence
to assert them against attempts
by their fellow Fflipinos to perpetuate
the system of 'caciqueism,' or, LIBERAL
| ly translated 'bossism.' -
The report of the commission con-
cludes with the following recommends
tions, which it respectfully urges upon
the consideration of congress:
Things the Natives Need.
l. The establishment of a gold
standard in the Philippines and of
banking institutions empowered to is
sue circulating bank notes under pro-
per safeguards.
2. The reduction Of at least rs per
cent OI lH0 DInSI0y rates OIL Quly upon
goods imported into the United States
from the Philippines.
g. An amendment of the Philippine
act so that the Limitation upon lands
which may be sold to, or be held by, in
dividuals or corporations from the
public domain shall be increased to
$50 acres, or in the alternative so that
the government shall be given the
power to lease for ten years upon COM
petitive bidding public land of not
more than 5000 acres. 1t says legisla-
ton is necessary to the development Of
the islands and that as the government
owns 65,000,000 out of 70,000,00O acres
of the archipelago there is no danger
of concentrating in individuals or cor
porations.
A. The Philippine act may be amend
ed by repeating the limitation which
forbids individuals or corporations
from holding interest in more than one
mining claim.
5. That all bonds issued by the in
sular government under the authority
Of the Philippine act shall be free from
state, county and municipal taxation
in the United States.
| 6. That an amendment be made to
the Chinese exclusion act giving power
to the government by law to admit
fixed number and limited number of
Chinese into the Philippines, who are
certified to be skilled Workers on the
bond of the employer that for every
Chinese -sS-illed lanorer employed he
MIL -