The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-05
TURN To LADRONISM
FILIPINOS FORCED To ROBBERY
By DESTITUTION.
GOVERNOR TAFT so REPORTS.
COMMISSION ALSO MAKES ITS An
NUAL REPORT.

About $I5,OOO,OOO Worth of Food
ON which to Live-LOss of Water
BuTaIOes Chiefly ResponsibIe-Mil-
stRbuInry - RecOmm endatiOns of
the Commission.
Washington, Jan. 4.-The annual re-
port of the Philippine Commission and
a separate report of Gov. Taft, made
public at the War Department, give
a review of the results of the years
work of the commission, and contain
recommendations for legislative action
by Congress deemed essential to the
welfare of the islands. Gov. Taft is of
opinion that it may be possible to in
duce the Sultan of Jolo to part with
some of the rights he claims to the Jolo
group and thus obviate many OBJ
stacles now encountered. The Moros,
he says, do not understand popular
government and do not desire it, pre-
ferring control of dattos.
Gov Taft tells of the conditions that
have made 1t necessary for the islands
to purchase about $15,OOO.0 900 worth of
food on which to live, and OF the eff
fects war has had upon agriculture, al
most the only source of wealth in the
islands. The greatest blow to agricul-
ture, he says, is the destruction of
about 80 per cent. of the water buffa-
loes, on which the cultivation of rice
is almost wholly dependent After
speaking of the ravages of Asiatic
cholera, Gov. Taft says:
LndrOnism the Bane.
1.-THE bane of Philippine civilization
in the past was ladronism, and the
| present conditions are most favorable
| for its growth and maintenance, 1t is
not certain whether in the depressed
state of agriculture, with the tempta-
| tons to ladronismb that the constabu-
| larry will be able without the assistance
| of the military to stamp it out as want
| and famine make the life of the free
| booter to the desperate and the weak
a very great attraction. The natural
| discomfort with the government when
suffering is at hand, promoted as II has
| been by the cholera restrictions and the
| high prices of rice and other commod-
| tiles, which have been greatly en-
HANGED by the depreciation of silver,
| might we'll have caused a new breaking
| out of the insurrection, and in my
| Judgment 1t speaks wonders for the
| ease with which this country may he
| governed in normal times that we have
| had comparatively SO little disorders
| since the surrender of the insurgent
arms in April"
Since the civil government was COM
pletely established in the Filipino
provinces throughout the archipelago
in July, last year. the Governor says,
an American has not been called on
| once to fire a gun, the country having
been policed by the constabulary,
force of 5000 or 5000 men.
1T may be-" says Gov Taft, that
as the conditions grow worse-for they
are likely to do so before they grow
better-it will be necessary in a prov
ince like Cavite, where ladronism
seems imbued in the people. to pro-
claim martial law and even to call in
the military finally to suppress it, but
it is still hoped this may be avoided"
BuhaIoes Must be Had.
Gov. Taft says that unless carabao
can be replaced or other methods OF
agriculture substituted which win pre-
vent these animals being Indispensable
hereafter, the future for several years
has gloomy outlook.
The depressed condition of agricul-
ture and the tendency to Iadronism- in
the Tagalog and in some of the Visa
yam provinces does not apply to those
provinces where hemp is the chief
product. "They are wealthy and pros
porous" the report recites, and while
their food costs them more than it used
to, they have money enough with
which to make improvements; school
houses are being built roads are be-
ing constructed; neutrality-suspicious.
tural and other kinds-is being intro
duced, and there is every evidence of
a forward movement"
He points out, among other ills from
which the country is suffering, that
of fiuctuating currency. Touching on
the organization of labor unions he
says that IL 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
Filipinos to the unlimited introduction
of Chinese into the islands to be logi-
cal and justified. He tells of the re-
Gently organized Independent Filipino
Catholic Church and says the commits
sion has stated that IL would take no
part in religious controversies.
No Organized Insurrectfon.
The Philippine Commission in It's
annual report which Is the third it
has made, says at the outset
1.-THE insurrection as an organized
attempt to subvert the authority of the
United States IN these islands is en-
tirely at an end. and the whole of the
Christian Filipino population, with the
exception of a few thousand persons
in the Moro country in isolated towns,
are enjoying civil government"
The report says the Filipino labor
ers must be taught the independence
and dignity of labor under a free gov
eminent, and adds: THE organization
of labor into unions in Manila, while
brought about by crack-brained in
surrection agitator for political pur-
poses only, will, we hope, lead to an
organization which may have much to
do with intoxicating this lesson"
The Filipino people of the better
class have received the passage of the
Philippine act with great satisfaction,
according to the report.
Commissions Recommendations.
The commission concludes with the
following recommendations, which are
urged on the attention of Congress:
First. The esta blishment of a gold
standard in the islands, and of bank
ing corporations empowered to issue
circulating bank notes under proper
safeguards.
Second. The reduction OF at least
70 per cent. of the Dingley rates of du-
ties upon goods imported into the
United States from the Philippines.
Third. An amendment of the Philip
pines act so that the limit upon lands