The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-11-28
PHILIPPINE CONDITIONS
NO REAL CHANCE FOR WHITE
MEN.
Obstacles TO Commercial Development
on the IsIands-The Government
Competition In Rice.

Competition In Rice.
There have been many propositions as
to the best methods of developing the
Philippine islands. Some of them have
been advanced with a view to the
betterment Of the Filipino, and some
with view to reimbursing the Ameri-
can people for the trouble they have
taken with the island and inhabitants.
Without single exception every one
has said that they must be developed
by the white man, the kind of white
man varying according to his kind.
The government which has been placed
here has decided apparently. that the
islands can be developed by office
holders and bureaus, putting into effect
various kinds of Legislation which is of
about the same grade as legislation in
the United States, but changed to fit the
conditions here, according to the ideas
of those who originate the legislation,
And if you don't like the legislation, the
next question that any one asks is:
well, what are you going to do about
it?' And the old song of the defeated
party in the States. "Wait until next
year." has no weight, for we have no
political next year in the Philippine is
lands. 49,.
1t was always claimed that American
business methods would do much to
make the islands more productive. And
then one must ask how many American
concerns have come to the islands since
the occupation, and what kind OF BUSH
ness have they developed. You must
leave out such concerns as We're here
before the war. They were few enough,
to be sure, but they dealt in hemp,
copra and sugar, with the usual line of
groceries. and supplies. In the five
years that We have. held the island
there is just one American house or
concern in the islands which deals in
native products, and it uses English
capital for it. There is tobacco con,
Germ, but it is small one compared
with the foreign houses in business
The rest Of the houses do more business
in necessities for soldiers in the way
of quenehing thirst than in anything
else. .... .s ~. ..-.s
Has there been any legislation to help
the introduction of business methods?
First, there was. put a tariff on all
goods imported which has been sufficient
to pay the salaries Of all insular en-
ployes, from the $4,000 commissioner to
/ the $500 jaintor, through the constabu-
larry, at, from 5000 to s24O0, and the
school-teachers, from 5000 to $2400.
Then there was passed law creating
tho civil icSa nj 40 h1,, 1f
insular purchases, All the goods for
this bureau were admitted free until
this year, when the commission to buy
in the Manila market and pay the
duties. This makes the commissary
but a little cheaper than the private
store, since 10 per cent must be charged
for freight to the commissary offices,
which are in the capitals and con-
stabulary headquarters. Fortunately
for the private business man, there
were various bitches in the commissary
business which helped to bring trade
to him. Lately there have been many
commissary stores closed while the dis
bursting officers accounts have been in
vestigated. Several disbursing officers
are in Bilibid, while many more have
made up deficiencies and escaped prose-
cution. s-l
| There are several reasons for this
condition. Most of the inspectors came
out of the volunteer and regular army
| list Of sergeants and corporals. Some
had held positions of trust in private
| life, more had not. There is consider
able difference in a man when he gets
$3.50 per month and the same when he
gets 5000, $1,000 or $500 per year. A
good example was seen one day when a
constabulary captain was seen in his
office. In front of him was muchacho,
or private servant, with a large fan,
keeping the flies off his captaincy while
the captain worked.
The staple food in this country is rice.
If a man does business and wants to
help develop the country, he must sell
rice. Reports came in to the COM
mission that many provinces We're
STAYING. And so the governor asked for
a part of the United Staes currency to
help them out. and the Congress voted
SO, 100000, which has been largely spent
for rice in great quantities. In Batan-
gas this was sold, and the private
merchant was put out of business. A
man cannot compete with a concern
which buys rice with other peoples
money, brings it to the market without
duty or freight and pays nothing for
handling and help. But there was more
rice to be got rid of, and so the law was
passed that starving provinces were to
be supplied with rice to be given in ex-
change for labor, and the provincial
treasurers were supplied with large
quantities willy-nilly. In the province
of Misamis there has been a slight
failure of the rice and cocoanut crop on
account of locusts. And on the locust
question also the government was fit to
make an order to pay the people in rice
| for killing the locusts which came on
the peoples own land, and even had to
go so far as to make it punishable by
three or six months imprisonment and
a fine for a man not to go out and kill
the grasshoppers.
| The condition of affairs in this pro-
vince, which is like. other provinces, is
as follows: The smallest wage a man
can paw for day labor is 81 per day,
and in several towns you can see plenty
of men, but never a laborer At times
the steamboats, which ply in this section
are obliged to carry their laborers from
Cebu. From one town in the provinces
came an appealing call for help. Ac-
cording to law, all the Cinnamon in the