The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-05
COY. TAT 7 MAKES
ANNUAL REPORT
Necessary to Purchase $15,-
100000, Worth of Food
WAITED QII[CAI0 nCoTp0vCD
WATER BUFFALO DESTROYED
These Animals Are the Most Potent
Factor In Agriculture-The Bone
of Philippine Civilization, How
ever, Is Ladronism.

report of the Philippine commission and
made public at the war department to-
day, gives a review of the results of
the years work of the commission and
contains recommendations for legislative
action by congress, deemed essential to
the welfare of the islands.
After reciting a history of the estab-
lishment of civil government throughout
the various provinces, Governor Taft in
his report says 1t has not been definitely
determined what shall be done with re-
spect to Mindanao, where. he says, hostil-
ity to the Americans does not extend be-
yond the Lake Banao Moros. The gov
ernor is of opinion that it may be pos
sible 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 encountered. The Moros,
he says, don't understand popular gov
ernment, and don't desire 1t, preferring
control by dattos. Possibly far IN the
future" he says, control by dattos may
cease. For the present, however, 1t is
necessary only to provide a paternal.
strong but sympathetic government for
these followers of Mohammed.'
$15,ooo,ooo Spent for Food.
Governor Taft tells of the conditions
that have made it necessary for the
islands to purchase about SIS, 600. 900 worth
of food on which to live and of the ef-
fects war has had upon agriculture, al
most the only source of wealth in the
islands. The greatest blow to agriculture,
he says, is the destruction of about 80
per cent of the water buffalo, on which
the cultivation of rice Is almost wholly
dependent. After speaking of the ravages
Of Asiatic cholera, Governor Taft says:
THE bane Of Philippine civilization in
the past was Ladronism, and the present
conditions are most favorable for it's
growth and maintenance. 1t is not GER
tain whether in the depressed state of
agriculture, with the temptations to
Ladronism, that the constabufary will be
able without the assistance of the mill
tary, to stamp it out. Were there tempta-
tions to agriculture, were there prosper
GUS conditions In the country, 1t would
not be a troublesome matter to deal with.
but want and famine are staring people
in the face, the life of the freebooter
forms to the desperate and the weak a
very great attraction. The natural dis
content with the government when suf-
fering is at hand, clothed with the differ
ent commodities being enhanced, might
well have caused q new breaking out of
the insurrection. and. in my Judgment.
1t speaks wonders for the ease with
which this country may be governed in
normal times that we have comparatively
so little disorder since the surrender of
the insurgent arms in April
Peace Since July.
Since the civil government was COM
pletely established in the Filipino prov
inces throughout the archipelago in July
of last year. the governor says an Amer
lean soldier has not been called on once
to fire a gun, the country having been
policed by the constabulary, a force of
five or six thousand men,
1T may be-" says Governor Taft, that
as the conditions grow worse-for they
are likely to do so before they grow bet
ter-it will be necessary In a province like
Cavite, where Ladronism seems inbred
In the people, to proclaim martial law,
and even to call in the militia finally to
suppress 1t, but it is still hoped this may
be avoided"
The Ladrones of Iloilo are characterized
as an organized band of cattle thieves.
They are being rapidly stamped out. Gov
ernor Taft says that unless water buffalo
can be replaced or other methods Of ag-
rculture substituted which will prevent
these animals being indispensable here
after. the future for several years has
gloomy outlook
The depressed condition of agriculture
and the tendency to Ladronism In the
Tagalog and In some of the Viscayan
provinces. does not apply to those pro-
vinces where hemp is the chief product.
"They are wealthy and prosperous" the
report says, land while their food costs
them more than it used to, they have
money enough with which to make i'm
provements; school houses are being
built. roads are being constructed, ma
chinery-agricutural and of other kinds
lis being introduced and there is every
evidence of forward movement"
Throughout the rice and Tagalog pro-
vinces, however, we must expect dis
turbances from time to time from Lad
rones and their associates, the Katipunan
societies.
Year of Hard Work.
On the whole, there is before us year
of the hardest kind of work relieving
the people from the hardship and suffer-
ing likely to follow the failure of the
rice crop ana IN SuppresslhB 1auIoHisii
and other disturbances due to economic
distress.
Governor Taft says for the year ended
June 80, 1902 the imports exclusive of
quartermaster's stores, OF all goods were
s41, 600 coo, while the exports were about
s27, ,OC0, 900. He says capital has seemed to
be timid in coming to the Philippines.
The governor points out among other
Ills from which the country Is suffering.
that OF fiuctuating currency. On the sub
ject of labor he speaks OF the need OF
making temporary provision such as is
recommended by the full commission.
Touching on the organization of labor
unions, the governor says tina II properly
directed the movement may give to the
laboring classes a sense of the dignity
Of labor and Of their Independence. He
regards the objection made by the FIJI
ipinos to the unlimited introduction OF
Chinese into the islands to be logical and
justified.
There is in the city of Manila real es-
tate and improvements assessible for
taxation amounting to $41. COS, 1870. while