New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-02
PHILIPPINE PROGRESS.
coV TAFT'S LAST REPORT.
csct Development Scith Proper
Tariff aid Navigation Lasos-

- z.h The President to-day
% tbe Senate the annual report o. One
N,,--,,. Commission. including the report %
sell Governor OF the Philippine lsianos ana
-.,.,,-.s a, the heads OF the executive Depart
-. ,o- the period ended December %, AoOS-
-. -a,ort Of the commission contains oe-
-. ,.s.e-oent by the auditor for the lsla1cs
-~-o,situres under Tie appropriation O. Co.
n,oa,oo fo- the relief Of distress
covernor Taft says the year was one o. con
80. Suffering among the people OF the
,y.y,,,-ines on account OF 8 short 1000 supply
-, fhst the worst is passed. While ne does not
..,.sscr the future as bright as II might De- ne
..,,.ves az era is beginning IN the history OF
-. Stands. which. with the assistance OF proper
- resact.on n the United States and proper
-...rst,on laws. VIII be one a oeclGeo ma
,e-ssl Development -
- che causes OF the food famine, ne says
aco-ner n rice formed In November, lSd-,
x,.s.h he net by having an act passed appro-
....ssng So GOO 900 in Mexican money 10 ouy rice
..-.,rn markets and distribute il among the
,.,,vss n was necessary TO 60 70 siam and
os,cutta 70 get sufficient supplies The CaIouula
--.-.As,.s ns1r,es off on the Manila authorities
an inferior re5 rice for first class famine rice
nd the loss 70 the Philippine government on
.ocount OK the rice developing weevis was eN-
.en,ive. Governor Tatt ADDS: 1T was prooaoI!
necessary TO 60 as far as Calcutta to break lhe
oo-nar hut II would have been wiser to buy
halter quality OF rice" The purchases amount
81 IN Mexican money 10 SlS15974, and the
sales amounted 10 81 500 .642. leaving a loss o.
S2zs.332.
The members Of the commission, anticipating
q email rice acreage in 1903. provided agslnsl
the danger OF famine by calling meetings IN al
towns and urging the planting OF quick growing
crops OF corn sweet potatoes rice ana o'her
food plants.
LADRoNIsM DECREASING.
sneal.ns Of the conditions IN the ISLANDS, Gov
,-nor Taft saws that al no time has there been
less ladronism than when this was written, De-
oeuber 10 1908. He refers TO the fact that on
q eead laaroae q letter was found from Mabini.
who had recently landed in the ISLANDS rom
cuarn. after taking the oath Of allegiance, and
eays he sent for Mabini and expressed surprise
that so soon after taking the oath the Filipino
should open communication with men In arms
urainst the government Mabini he says, re-
piled by sending a copy Of a letter he had sent
10 San Miguel advising that IL is better TO en-
6eavor to secure independence through peace
rather than by open warfare He said further
that he believed so long the Filipinos do not
.ndeavor 10 liberate themselves from their
bonds the time Of their liberty will not arrive.
Governor Taft oo-responded with Mabini, and in
one letter thanked him for his interest in the
maintenance of law and order IN the islands
within few weeks after this correspondence
Mabini died from cholera
Speaking Of the use OF scouts with the con-
stsbulary. Governor Taft says: IN this coun.
s-y it is politically most important that Filipino,
should suppress Filipino disturbances and arrest
Filipino outlaws"
one OF the greatest obstacles with which thu
government has had to contend. he says. has
been the presence Of dissolute, drunken and
aaW-less Americans who are willing TO associate
with low Filipino women and live on the pro-
ceeos OF their labor. To ria the country OF this
class of Americans the commission passed what
is known as the Dissoiute Americans and Va
eTancy acts
TEE FRIAR QUESTION.
Governor Taft reviews at length the negotia-
tiors leading up 10 the present status OF the
friars' LAND settlement He says he is officially
informed that the number Of friars in the ISL
ands is GAG. as compared with lob In the fig
Ures given by the Apostolic Delegation in 1898
Governor Taft says:
whatever may happen during the first few
months OF the coming OF the American bishops.
n Is certain that the spirit OF the American
Catholic Church is so different from that OF the
Spanish Church, from political standpoint.
that the influence of the Spanish friaTs viii
gradually wane and that Of the American
bishops become controlling, bringing about that
which we 50 much desire-the Americanizing Of
the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.
The value OF the sugar exports from the ISL
snds for the fiscal year ended June 30. 1903.
increased 81 1e4. 3es over the previous year. due
Governor Taft says. to the natural results Of the
Improvement OF conditions as to tranquility.
To prevent further falling of in the produc-
ton OF leaf tobacco. Governor Taft urges the re-
auction Of the duty to - per cent OF the Ding
ley tariff rates He says he is confident that
such a reduction on sugar and tobacco would
not injuriously affect any interest in the United