The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-01-03
INSTRUMENTATION
General Davis Reports to War Depart.
ment on Senator Morgaa's Plan.
REPORT is FAVORABLE.
Ia The Main, but Some Points Are
Freely Criticized.
HE STATES NOTHING is GROWN.
In Oriental Tropics by Methods Known to
Our Southern Negroes.
NEGRO WOULD BECOME INDEPENDENT
In Philippines u He Would Work, the
General Says, but Doubt is Ex-
pressed on This Point.
In Oriental Tropics by Methods Known to
Our Southern Negroes.
NEGRO WOULD BECOME INDEPENDENT
In Philippines " He Would Work, the
General Says but Doubt Is Ex-
pressed on This Point.
Especial to The post.)


Washington January e-General George
w. Davis. commanding the division OF the
Philippines, has made report to the war
department regarding Senator Morgan's
negro colonization plan. The report in most
Instances is favorable to the plan of the
veteran Alabama statesman, hut some few
points are criticised.
General Davis says he coneeiyes that the
objects sought 10 he accomplished are two
fold;
To cover the Filipino lands with In
erty-loving negro settlers whose religious
independence would ever resist the efforts
or any priesthood to control their con-
science.
2 To relieve the existing congestion OF
negro population in the Southern States by
transferring large numbers Of this race 70
the congenlal soil Of the Philippines, where
they may aid In the development OF tho
country.
The general then asks and then answcrs
questions as follows: Would the negroes
OF our Southern States. enlisted and trained
as soldiers under white OFFICERS and organ.
lied into companies, battalions and regi-
mcnts, furnish an adequate fundamentally
FOR realizing these objects7
Assuming an affirmative answer to this
question, would these men, after discharge
come aw-abiding Industrious setters?'
a third question also suggests itself:
would the nucleus Of the negro race
thus transferred and established be aug
mouted largely from home;'
An attempt to enlist negroes in the States
on n basis % soldering for Que TO ave years
and remaining permanently In the Philip-
pines as residents would meet with seRnt
success-no more than has attended the ef.
forts to induce the cooreI fsee in america
To remove to Liberia,
There Is nothing grown In the Oriental
tropics by methods known 70 our scatheru
negroes, In Alabama negro, his family
and mule can easily pillow, plant aud
harvest cotton or corn for an area of ton
acres or more
Here native Filipino aud HIS famlly.
with one carabao, may be able 20 cultivate
IN acre and grow enough rico or maize
bananas or sweet potatoes for their own
subsistence. but no moro. Here the cotton
plant is large shrub perennial the ma
tiyes call Il tree, but the staple IS short.
tho yield insufficient aud not tenth Of
the cotton wool required for native use Is
grown here. More than one.half OF the
rice consumed In these Islands is produced
IN China; but the abHcn IS a nber produced
nowhere else, and the worlds consumption
OF Manila hemp is continually Increasing
n crop produced exclusively by small farm
ers and the entire equipment required for
the cultivation and preparation for market
Is made by natives, wooden hoe, spade.
and rude device by means OF which the
threads Of nber are Invested OF the matrix
.,,. ,ta .,t,,ftrn,te tvufnr.iat
II our negroes would work they could
have the land free, OF which there are vast
unoccupied areas in Mlndnpso Samar, Min
dora, Paragua aud Bisilan-becoma indie
pendent; but would they work II uncon-
trolledg n our negroes from the South
were living In the Philippines, would they
do better than any others OF their race in
the West Indlcs3
There is one plant FOR which the soil and
climate of tho Philippines afc admirably
suited, which can not be cultivated win
best economy except Ia very extensive
tracts under one control and this involves
a very large aggregation OF capital under
one management. Sugar cane is referred
10.
Further along 10 his report, which Is
quite voluminous, Inc general says; III
capital Is enlisted IN this cause, the hegira
which senator Morgan .issiges may be real
l-.d ana the funds Tor Investment viii be
found II tine government is efficient AID
fair ln It's attitude toward investors"
As precedent to Die carrying out 81 The
SCHEME the general susgesis that congress
enact legislation providing Tor homestead
l1w. ipsuiar ava FL the way 81 trRnsporta-
tiou permission for the granting Of fran
chls,s, 90 thar capital may be Induced %
90 10 the Islands, The granting Of land sub
Sides IN order e encourage the extensive
raising Of tie sugar the exemption from
taxation OF industrial establishments ~ a
short term Of yeat and the establishment
OF additional stea1 ship lines between the
islands aud the Pdclhe coast.
TIn nrrtrnI nf C.o,nral navis, rennr- haa