Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-14

so per cent, which is higher than in the
United States, where it is &c 2-3 per cent.
Since the establishment of central civil
government in Manila on July A, 1901, to
which all the provincial governments re-
port, the work that has fallen upon the
civil governor and the executive office can
only be imagined by those who are ac-
qnainted with the methods prevailing IN
Spanish times, when paternalism in its
most radical form prevailed, and who con-
slider the fact that the system now OBJ
tanning is new, to every native official.
Matters of the most important and trivial
nature are submitted to the executive office
for decision through Notwithstanding
documents of voluminous proportions ana
couched in the fowery and pompous Cas-
lillian style that has survived the CEN
turtles But it must be said that the Fill
Pine office holder is as quick to learn as
his children, and a number of the officials
have adopted the short, concise. official
style of America in their correspondence.
In every way the civil government has
endeavored to carry out the education feat
ures of the Presidents instructions. 1t has
establish an agricultural bureau which is
conducted by able and experienced per-
sons and provided with the most modern
appliances and apparatus that will work
havoc with all the relics of a by-gone age
now in use there, that only serve to recall
husbandry as it was on the banks Of the
Nile when the Pharaohs reigned.
A Health Department.
A health department, with ramifcations
throughout the archipelago, has likewise
been created, and during the late cholera
epidemic 1t has done more to instruct the
native in latter-day methods and to Grad
icate old ideas and superstitions than al
most any other innovation. The average
native by nature and Spanish teaching
has always believed that he was in the
hands of the Almighty, and was not tram
meled by any duties or obligations. Dios
ang bahala God will provide) was his
motto. and come better come worse Il
was all the same to him. When the cpl
demic came and the health departm mt
met 1t heroicafly, he soon learned that
those Of his fellows who followed the rules
laid down for preventing a spread OF the
disease were often saved, while others who
supinely waited on Providence were taken
hence, and he profted by the lesson. lie
also discovered during this time that the
authorities were his friends and no: his
enemies, as he had always considered them
in former times.
Another great work of the civil authori-
ties was the creation of the Philippines
constabulary in. August of last year. a body
which by it's loyal work has justified it's
creation and now forms the bulwarks Of
the civil regime. Composed of 5596 natives,
Differed by 230 Americans. the large ma
jority of whom have seen hard service in
the field, it is gradually taking the place of
the army. as the latter is reduced and sent
cupied 459 posts in the islands; on the 10Th
of September, 1902, it occupied III, the sta
tons abandoned in that time being 80
The number of army posts occupied by the
constabulary and military is 80 The total
number Of constabulary posts in the archi-
pelago at this time is 225 The following
figures relating to the Philippines constabu-
larry will also be OF interest: The arms on
hand on September Is. 1902. were 2.405 shot
guns, g. 500 revolvers. 3,472 rifles and 1 ,423
carbines. The number of ponies on hand
was 750 of which 552 were fit for service.
The arms captured and surrendered since
the organization of the constabulary have
been 1316 rifles and carbines, 3S1 revolvers.
1856 shotguns, IA cannon, 6 muskets, TIA ma
tive-made guns, iron and wooden guns;
firearms of all kinds captured and surren-
dered since the organization Of the con-
stabulary, 20S9; rounds of ammunition cap
tured, 1851; rounds assorted. 1o5 cannon
balls, 6 cases of one-pOund rapid-f1re shells,
1h cans gunpowder; casualties to inspect
orS and enlisted men since the organization
of the body killed, inspectors and 20 en-
listed men; wounded, ~ enlisted men; ex-
petitions made since organization, 2,136;
miles covered 40, 466; stolen animals re-
covered since the organization, 1913 cara
baos 162 horses, 40 oxen and 10 head of
neat cattle.
The police force Of the city of Manila is
remarked upon by every visitor to the capt.
tall 1t is on a par with any similar body
of men anywhere.
Experience Of Two Years.
All this has been the work of two years,
and much Of it has been accomplished in
the face of great obstacles, not the least of
which has been the securing of good ma
terial to fill the offices where the field is
naturally limited, and the difficulty of re-
tanning it, The experience Of one of the
large departments of the civil government
will convey an idea of this 1t employs Ats
men. and has discharged 100 Of these in
the last six months. $50 of whom resigned,
in greater part to accept better positions in
private life or in other offices. 1t will be
readily seen that if the same ratio of dis
charges continues for the next six months
that 50 per cent of the force Will have TO De
renewed in the period of one year. prob
lem this which cries aloud for solution.
Space forbids more detailed statement
of what America has done In the Philip
pines; but one thing is certain, those islands
have passed from the sovereignty of ma
ton that reves in retrospection to that of a
young and stalwart nation that rejoices in
anticipation. One is looking backward, the
other forward.
America is in the Philippines to protect
the weak and uneducated majority from
the encroachments and despotism of the
educated and wealthy minority She is here
to erlighten. uplift and dignity the native
races and furnish them justification for
their pride of race; to do away with forced
labor among them; to teach them dsin-
terested patriotism. and bring them to a
realization of the fact that, they best serve
the public who forget themselves.
America has been already long enough in
the Philippines to show the inhabitants of
these fair islands that the men from the
occident came to the orient in no repellant
guise. but as friends who would share with
them the blessings of liberty.
The natives, as a fact. have known two
Americas The America they knew through
the armed forces of the United States. they
respected: the America they came to know
through the civil agents of the United
States. they admire. and in the process of
time-let us hope-wil revere
A. w. FERGUSON