The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-24

Janus anu AlOih the governor to the
Secretary in reply thereto, were made
public at the War Department to-day.
oct. %, 1904.
"To Wright, Manila.
THE Democratic candidate for Pres
ident on the fifteenth of the present
month, in a public address said: But
two classes of our people can hope to
be benefited by our holding the Philip
pines-the class which is always hunt
ing for special government privileges
and the class which seems to make of
officeholding a means of livelihood
The latter class in the Philippines com
prises some officials of whom a stu
dent of conditions there recently said.
" of the character of many in Of
fee too little cannot be said. At the
best they have been inefficient, at the
worst dishonest, corrupt and despotic.
The islands seem to have succeeded
i'll getting the very dregs OF our peo-
ple.'
He also said: The situation in the
Philippines to-day is so terrible that
it passes the comprehension of our
people at home. Alphabetically the
is going out of cultivation; the popula-
ton is ill fed and in some places I'M
able to get work. The country is over
burdened with taxation; disease is
prevalent; the farm animals dead, the
towns in many places in ruins, whole
districts in the hands of ladrones, the
price OF products poor and unremuner-
alive. Public opinion has no free ex-
preston, newspapers are bought up
or are broWbeaten into silence; men
of influence who criticisa the commits
sion are ostracised; the plays pro-
duced in the theater are censored;
there is not an organ or expression
of the popular voice that is not con-
trolled. In private life. men are
subject to a complete, far-reaching,
thorough system of espionage. Detec-
tlves appear in the guise of servants,
and the oath of a single one is enough
TO destroy a mans reputation, prop
erty, or even life itself"
Your comments as civil governor
upon this statement of conditions in
the islands is requested.
(Signed) Taft"
The reply of Gov. Wright, received
here from Manila at 1 p. m. to-day
(Oct. 29) was as follows:
Manila, Oct. 23.-Secretary of War,
Washington: With reference to your
telegram of Oct. 20, quoting recent ut
terances of Judge Parker upon admin
istration and affairs here and regard
ing statements of facts relating there
to, l report as follows:
First. The statement that any con-
siderable number of officials have
proven corrupt or inefficient does grave
injustice to a body of Woodworking,
self-respecting Americans, whose char
acter and service will compare favor
ably with those of employees of the fed
eral or state governments. Whilst
there have been a number of defaults
by subordinates, they are few, as COM
pared with the whole, and have been
promptly detected and punished Total
defaults since July, 1901, beginning
civil government $3.50. No ultimate
loss. Government protected by insur-
ance. We have comprehensive civil
service law, rigidly enforced, under
which antecedents and qualifications
employees scrutinzed. Defaulters,
with few exceptions, appointed during
disturbed conditions prior to the in
auguration of the law. Complaints OF
oppressive acts exceptional and
promptly investigated and corrected.
Relations between the American Off
Gals and Filipinos, as rule, cordial.
Second-Nothing warranting the
statement that towns are in ruin,
lands are going out of cultivation;
people i'll fed, unable to get work and
country ruined agriculturally. Towns
I'm same state as before insurrection,
save those burned by insurgents have
been rebuilt and reoccupied. Towns
generally populated as before. Sani-
tary conditions greatly improved; de-
mand for labor generally equals, and
in some cases exceeds, supply, and at
increased wages.
In 1901 and 1902 epidemic Sura, Rim
derpest destroyed probably 20 per cent.
of animals used in agriculture, caus-
ing reduced area cultivate land and
considerable distress, which commits
sion relieved by inaugurating public
works through aid generously extend
ed by Congress, Have succeeded by
tnnoculation, in checking rinderpest.
Those localities most seriously affect
ed have drawn from those where dis
ease did not prevail, and this, to-
gether with animals imported and
natural increase, has caused steady
Increase, so thaG at present there is
under cultivation nearly all lands
heretofore cultivated.
During the fiscal year ending June
30, 1904, exports were O,226,127; inn
ports, 1913 $50 Exports fell off as
compared with previous year because
Of decrease in copra and sugar pro-
duction owing to phenomenally small
rainfall In certain sections and to
plague of locusts in others.
Of expectations, 81, 794960 was
hemp; of importations, $11,54S,S14 was
fice the principal food of the people
Present crop in all lines exceptionally
good and prices remunerative and
there is not now and will not be for
the coming year any suffering from
lack of food. Enrolment public
schools in 1908 was 1S4,202, and in
1904 26S.55S.
Third. Taxation is not oppressive.
Customs duties are average about is
per cent. ad valorem, as compared
with 25 per cent. under Spanish re-
gime. Industrial taxes also less than
Spanish Receipts honestly applied
for the benefit of the people.
Fourth. 1t is not true that there are
whole districts in the hands Of la
drones. There have been occasional
instances during the last year of dep
relations of ladrones, who find con-
cealment in remote mountain fast
nesses and raid isolated settlements
Of natives and steal their carabaos.
They have been relentessly pursued
by the constabulary and scouts, who
are natives usually commanded by
American officers AS a result Of this
policy, ladronism is no longer popular
or profitable.
There is at this time not a single
band of iadrones operating in the
great Island OF Luzon and In Visayan
Islands. There are only four or five
ladrone leaders. with a few followers,
who occasionally give evidence of life
by stealing carabaos or plundering re-