Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-02
Annual Report of the Philippine
Commission Contains
Much OF Interest
THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
Political Conditions Make the Time
Ripe for a Period of Great construo-
tion-schools Need to be Enlarged
Deficit in the Revenues-Lawless
Americans Not Wanted.

| Washington. Feb 2.-The president
port of the Philippine commission. The
report calls attention to the need of
icapital for the development of the is
lands. 1t shows the demand for great
er school facilities, saying that seven
times as many teachers should be em-
ployed. II urges financial legislation
favors the employment of the native
constabulary and reviews existing
conditions in the archipelago.
Referring to the commercial and IN
dustrial development of the islands the
report says political conditions on the
island make the time ripe for period
of great construction. During the
next decade. railroads canal and steam
ship companies should revoutionize
the interior trade of the islands and
should have a marked effect on the ex-
port trade. For this reason the report
recommends that the Philippine COM
mission be authorized. with the APP
prevail of the secretary Of war and the
president, to enter into contracts with
railroad companies 20 whom fran
chisa for the construction of road
shall be granted by which an income of
not exceeding 4 per cent and probably
not exceeding 3 per cent shall be guar
anteed on the investment, the amount
of which shall be fixed In the law. The
report says this method of financial en-
couragement is much to be preferred to
the granting of lands or other forms OF
government subsidy.
There has been a great increase III
school attendance in all the provinces
but one. Still only about 100000. or 10
percent of the population of school age
are receiving public instruction.
Teachers and school houses are among
the crying needs OF the islands. The
report adds that several million dollars
could be we'll expended in the erec-
ton OF large. airy. and healthy school
houses and that the number of teach
ers well might be multiplied by seven.
The revenues OF the islands for the
year ended June 30. 1908. exceeded
those of the previous year. but the re-
port says that, by reason of the neces-
sary extraordinary expenditure, a
considerable deficit will be made
lHeS ~ eIiC Gnu VI III
present fiscal year. The commission
urges congressional act authorizing
the issuing of bonds for permanent
Improvement in the islands, not exceed
ing 100000 each issue.
The report reviews the situation In
Mindanao, saying the sultan of Jolo
long since has violated the Bates agree
ment and has forfeited all his rights
under It, Gov. Taft pronounced him
gambler and an intriguer without
spark of courage or patriotic and fra
ternai interest in his people-one who
runs his whole system of government
solely for the exaction of taxes. Nal.
Gen. Wood says force seems to be the
only method Of reaching the Moros and
beginning civilized restraints among
them.
One OF the greatest obstacles with
which the government has to contend
has been the presence of dissolute.
drunken and lawless Americans who
are willing to associate with low Fill
Pine women and live on the proceeds
of their labor. To rid the country Of
this class OF Americans, the commits
sion passes what is known as the dis
solute Americans and vagrancy acts.