The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-05

chants of Manila in their demand for the
admission of Chinese coolies is the great OBJ
to the opening by the United States or It's
markets TO Philippine products"
There is in the city of Manila real es-
alton amounting 10 Sal 005. 100, while there
is nonassessable real property in the city
to the amount OF s25.5o2.S29. of which slS.-
3S4,3SS is public property and Sl2lli,9i0 Is
church property exempt under the law.
Governor Taft commends to the commits
sion the benefits that might accrue from
the establishment in the islands of postal
savings banks
Governor Taft tells of the recently organ
lied independent Filipino Catholic Church
and says the commission has stated that 1t
would take part in religious contro-
versieS.
The Philippine commission in it's annual
report, which is the third it has made, says
at the outset:
THE insurrection. as an organized at
tempt to subvert the authority of the
United States in these islands, is entirely at
end, and the whole OF the Christian
Filipino population, with the exception of
a few thousand people in the Moro country
in isolated towns, are enjoying civil gov
ernment. Much remains to be done
in perfecting civil government, in mar
shaling the forces of the law against law
lessness and disturbances, and in teaching
the people of the Philippines not only that
they have rights under the law, but also
that they cannot hope to enjoy such rights
unless they acquire courage and independ-
ence sufficient to assert them against at
tempts by their fellow-Filipinos to perpet-
uate the system of 'caciqueism, or, iber-
ally translated, 'bossism.
The report saws the Filipino laborers must
be taught the independence and dignity OF
labor under a free government, and adds:
THE organization of labor into unions in
Manila. while brought about by crack.
Drained insurrecto agitator for political
purposes only, will, We hope, lead to an
organization which may have much to do
with inculcating this lesson.
''The Filipino people of the better class
pne aet Wish great re the re-
port recites, and further along IL says:
1.-The coming year. under the trying cir
sumstaness which now 3rI prevail will III show 6on
servative and lawabiding character OF the
controlling elements of the Filipino peo-
ple.''
NEEDS OF THE ISLANDS.
The commission urges that it is the duty
of the United States TO secure to the Phil
ippines as stable a currency as that used
by the people of the United States.
The commission concludes with the fol-
lowing recommendations which are respect
fully urged on the attention of Congress:
1.-THE establishment of a gold standard
in the islands and of banking corporations
empowered to issue circulating bank notes
under proper safeguards.
THE reduction of at least 75 per cent.
of the Dingley rate of duty upon goods i'm
ported into the United States from the
Philippines.
IAN amendment of the Philippine act so
that the limit upon lands which may be
sold or TO be held by individuals or corpora
tions from the public domain shall be in
creased to ZOO acres, or in the alternative
so that the government shall be given the
power to lease for sixty years upon com
petitive bidding, tracts from the public
land aggregating in any individual or cor
porate lessee not more than 5000. 1t says
this legislation is necessary to the develop
ment of the islands and that as the govern
ment owns 65,000000 out of 100000 acres in
the archipelago there is no danger of con-
centration of ownership In individuals or
corporations.
",That the Philippine act may be amended
by repeating the limitation which forbids
an individual or corporation holding an
interest i'm more than one mining claim.
THAT all bonds issued by the inSular gov
ernment under the authority of the Philip
pine act shall be free from state, county and
municipal taxation in the United States.
THAT an amendment be made to the Chi
nese exclusion act giving power to the gov
ernment by law to admit fixed and linn
tied number of Cinnamon into the Philip
pine islands who are certified to be skilled
laborers. on the bond of the employer that
for every Chinese skilled laborer employed
he will employ Filipino apprentice, and
that he will return the Chinese skilled la
borer thus introduced within five years
he shall pay a head tax of not exceeding
$50 for each Chinaman so admitted to the
insular government to meet the expenses OF
the enforcement of these restrictions"
The commission thinks unlimited admis-
sion of Chinese would be unwise.