The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1903-01-09
'AID FOR PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
SECRETARY ROOT MAKES Sev-
ERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
The Islands Must Have RslIsf-He
Asks That 100000 Be ApproprI-
ated to Them-RIee Crop rail and
Cholera Adds Distress President
Roosevelt Indorses secrstary's Plan.

Washington.-In his letter trans-
mitting the third annual report ON the
Philippines and indorsing Secretary
Roots plan, President Roosevelt says:
~ call your special attention to the
recommendations contained in this let
ter OF the secretary of war. l most
earnestly feel that the enactment Of
the measures already pending In your
body for the betterrnent OF the Phil
ippine islands is imperatively demand
ed by the situation In those islands.
and serious calamity may come from
failure to enact them. Furthermore,
|, with equal earnestness, ask that
your attention be given to the recon-
mendations Of the secretary Of war
In the accompanying letter and urge
their adoption SO that the sum OF
money therein specified may be ap-
prOpriated for the uses In the manner
likewise specified, In order that the
present distress in the islands may
be remedied."
Secretary Root, In his letter to the
president. says:
Il beg to ask special consideration
Of the recommendations of the COM
mission, all OF which have my hearty
approval.
1T seems to me that the conditions
resulting from the destruction by
rinderpest Of 80 per cent Of the carl
bous, the draft animals Of the island,
and the consequent failure of the rice
crop, followed by an epidemic Of
cholera, are SO serious and distress
ing as to call for action by congress
that for which the commission spe-
officially asks.
'The removal under the laws Of
congress Of export duties on goods
shipped from the Philippines to the
United States has materially reduced
the duties Of the islands, while the
duties collected In the United States
upon importations from the Philip
pines, under the same laws. were
to be turned over to the Philippine
treasury and were expected to make
practically nothing. At the same time
the decline In the price Of silver. the
evils Of a fuctuating currency and
the impoverishment Of the people
have reduced the government revenues
when they are most needed for relief
of the people.
i 81 think the occasion for relief In
the Philippines is now greater than It
was in Cuba, when congress appro-
priated $3,000,00O for the payment Of
the Cuban soldiers out Of the treasury
Of the United States. or than 1t was
, in Porto l.ico, when hundreds Of thou
! sands of dollars were contributed by
the people of the United States and
more than $1.O00,OOO paid out Of the
national treasury for the relief Of the
sufferers from the hurricane Of Aug
ust. 1889. An appropriation Of not less
than 81, 100000 for the relief Of the dis
tress in the Philippines from the
causes which l have mentioned would
be in harmony with the course pur-
sued by congress toward the people
of the other Spanish islands-the prac-
Itical evidence Of the sincere interest
that the people Of the United States
take in the welfare Of the Philippine
people and Of the kindly and generous
treatment which they are to receive.
"The conditions in the islands indi-
cate that such an appropriation could
be made the most useful by giving the
Philippine government discretion to
apply 1t in the direct purchase and dis
tribution and sale Of supplies or
through the employment Of labor in
the construction of government wagon
lroads, railroads or other public works. -