Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-06-11
GOVERNOR TAFT THINKS GENER.
AL SEVERE.
REPLY GIVEN TO PUBLIC
War Department at Washington Gives
Out Report of Official in the Phil.
ippines to the Effect That Condi-
tons of Disease and Famine Are
not So Bad.

Washington, June 9.-The war de-
partment yesterday made public the
report received from Governor Taft,
replying to statements made by Cen
eral Miles after his visit to the islands
last year.
Governor Taft says there is a short
age of the usual food supply, but he
has not received call from any gov
ernor for rice for free distribution. In
the province of Batanzan where Cap
tain Boughton is managing the So
called famine fund, less than $4,000
has been gratutiously distributed
Governor Taft says that in view OF
other adverse circumstances he was
surprised to find the suffering so much
less than was expected. The most SER
6us feature is the loss of cattle from
the rhinderpest The fields are infect
ed, so the cattle brought over are sure
to have the disease. 1t is necessary,
that the cattle be immunized by the
injection Of serum and otherwise pro
tected against the rhinderpest Con-
tracts are now being made for the i'm
portalion and immunization of cattle.
81 am unable to see" said Governor
Taft. that the government transports
could be made useful either in trans
portatOn of rice or cattle. We can
charter steamers adapted to our pur-
poses at perhaps Onefourth or one
fifth the cost of operating the trans
ports as proposed bg the lieutenant
general of the army. We have some
10 or IA coast guard vessels which can
transport rice quickly to any part of
the archipelago and we can purchase
rice in the orient at much cheaper
price than we can bring corn or wheat
from the United States.
"The rice which we can thus bring
to save the people from starvation is
food which they arc used to eating;
whereas they would have to be taught
to eat wheat. 1t is exceedingly i'm
portant that we shall not pauperize the
people of these islands by the unnec,
essary distribution price"
chase of rice and thereby breaking the
corner and keeping the price down
He showed the amount of rice on hand
and says if necessary he can get more
and is able to distribute it without the
aid of government transports. The
purchase of cattle and landing them in
the islands, he says, are attended with
the greatest difficulty, but he hopes to
he able to purchase immune cattle
and sell them to the natives at such
price as to materially assist the peo-
pie, and especially If the government
docs not require a deposit of more
than so per cent of the cost and allow
credit of six months for the payment
of the balance.
Il think" said Governor Taft, "gen-
orally the statement Of facts in the
report of the lieutenant general is
correct as far at least as the dreadful
depression in agriculture by reason of
tho loss of cattle is concerned. The
remedy which he suggests, by the use
of government transports, however,
do not concur in The danger from
famine has not been as great as | sup
posed 1t was from the reports which
he heard In any event, with the funds
provided by congress now, feel con-
fident the government is in a position
to meet any emergency of this kind
which may arise"