Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-09
'FILIPINOS ARE AMPLY FED
Taft Replies to Miles Criticism Of Insular
Situation.
FAMINE LESS SERIOUS THAN EXPECTED
FOed supply Sufficient 20 Meet All
Probable Demands, but TrOub
IL Experienced In Getting
Draft Animals.

WASHINGTON, June s.-The war de-
partment today made public a report re-
ceived from Governor Taft, replying to
statements made by Lieutenant General
Miles after his visit TO the islands last
year. The report is dated at Benguest,
April IS and says:
L am in receipt by reference from the
chief Of the Bureau of Insular Affairs and
the adtutant general of the army of an
excerpt from the report of the lieutenant
general of the army relating to the con-
and the means of avoiding a probable fam
inc and IN acooTdance with the direction
n the reference have the honor TO make
the GLOWING m
Famine mt a Discount.
That there is a shortage in the islands
Of the usual food supply Is undoubtedly
true but / have been surprised to find thus
far how little famine or munger there is.
s,p ndiSe pl nov FeseiE SoYe a slh f6r r Ise for GoT free e
distribution In the entire archipelago. In
the province of Batangas, Captain Bough-
fund, the history of which has been al
ready officially reported TO you. has made
exceeding, l should think, more than $1,000
The action of the commission in directing
a proclamation by the civil governor call
ing upon the people everywhere to plant
corn. camotes or. sweet potatoes. rice and
| OIHeE QUICKLY KIONlnk lOOu DItuutAS iAo
a wide influence in stirring up the people
TO provide against the threatened famine.
1t is true that an uneXampled drouth mas
prevented this planting from being as pro
ductive as 1t otherwise would have been
and that the locusts, too, have been IN
terfering with some of the crops. but on
the whole | have been greatly surprised
to find the suffering so much less than we
In May, June and July we may have
calls for aid. but we will be able to
promptly respond, especially. now mat Vs.
The most serious feature Of the, situa-
ton is the loss Of the cattle from rhinder-
pest tnd 1t IL. Is 4 not w ftfaslTIe ma az nFis sure ttfhSt
they will not catch. the rhinderpest after
coming here and die from the disease. Inc
| rhinderpest, so that cattle from the other
islands brought here are almost sure TO
fore, that ali cattle brought in shall be
immuniZed by having a serum lnJeeteo
into their veins which will render them
the same time BY being inoculated with
the rhinderpest virus. which renders them
immune for five years and probably longer
Many CarabaOs Ordered.
We have a contract for the delivery Of
10000 carabaos in the island after their per
brought from China. Our insular agent
together with a cattle expert OF the agrl-
ports Of the orient with a view to making
further contracts.
| / am unable TO see that tne BONSTnuusht
transports could be male useful 10 US either
in the transportation of rice or cattle. we
can charter steamers adapted to sueh Pure
poses at perhaps o~ne-fourth or one-ntth OF
the cost of operating transports as pro-
posed by the lieutenant general. We have
a number of coastguard vessels which can
transport rice qpickly to any part OF the
archipelago and we can purchase rice lntthe
orient az a much cheaper price than we y
States. Rice is the food which the FIJI
ipinos are used to eating, whereas they
would have to be taught how toaeat wheat
II is exceedingly important not to paupe;-
lie the people Of these Islands 5y u%nneces-
In ANTICIPATION of 2 corner in rice we
made a purchase involving the expenditure
q about $4,000 in gold We succeeds IN
price, but should IL advance again we may
have TO do the same thing. We have
ipeiago nearly at cost whenever the mer-
chants in that neighborhood insisted on
i Wss rsaaon ,sfs rrl zee Oh have TIee on 9e S9nd sonne
$4,000 pounds Of Bangkok rice, which is the
best in the market. and we have recently
Calcutta superior famite rice. 20 be sold
throughout the archipelago at a moderate
sale. If more than we have m hand is
needed to feed STRIVING people we shall be
able to buy it in the market and distribute
1t without the use of the government traiis-
T think, generally, the statement of facts
In the report of the lieutenant general is
correct, so far, at least. as the dro1dful
depression in agriculture by reason of the
loss of the cattle is concerned. The rem
edy which he suggests by the use Of rne
government transports however l do not
The danger from famine has not bcen as
significant as l supposed II was. though the
lieutenant general was justified In his re-
event, with the funds provided by congress,
! feel confident the Philippine government
is in a position to meet any emergency of
! this kind which may arise.
Bonds stnI Float In.
The amount Of and 4 per cent bonds
thus far received at the Treasury depart
ment for exchange into . per cent consols
is sn,Si4,1OO.
silver Comes Cheap.
The director of the mint today purchased
80, 900 ounces OF silver for Philippine coin
age at an average of $3.50 cents an ounce.
"FIying Squadron" Dissolved.
AS a result of the Postof1ce investigation
what is known as the flying squadron"
of special agents of the rural free delivery
service has been abolished as useless and
the five men engaged in the work trans
ferred TO other fields. The men reported
direct to Washington, while all the other
special agents reported to the headquarters
Of their respective divisions.
Consul Dies at Colon.
A cable message was received at the
State department today. saying that John
c. Ingersoll, United States consul at Car
tagena, Colombia, died at Colon on Satur-
day. Mr.. Ingersoll was a native of Illinois
and a nephew of the late Robert G. Inger-
soil. The remains will be brought to this
country for interment II possible.
Think COnEer MisInfOFmed.
Minister Conger's protest against Count