The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1904-10-24

Islands. and from the governor to the
secretary i'll reply thereto have been
made public at the war department.:
Oct 20, Ioo4.-To Mr. Wright, Ma
president on the fifteenth OF the pres
ent month, i'll public address. said:
But two classes OF our people can
hope to be benefited by our holding the
Philippines-the class which is always
hunting for special government privil-
cges and the class which seeks to
make Of office holding means OF live
lihood. The latter class in the Phil
ippineS comprises some officials OF
whom a student OF conditions there re-
Gently said:
"'Of the character Of many in office
too little cannot be. said. At the best
they have been inefficient. at the worst
dishonest, corrupt and dcspotic. The
islands seem to have succeeded in get
ting the very drcgS OF our people
"l4e also said: The situation i'll the
Philippines today is SO terrible that it
passes the comprehension of our peo-
pie at home. AgriculturalIy the coun-
try is for the time ruined. Land is go
ing out of cultivation. the population IS
i'll fed and in some places unable 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 prod
uctS poor and unrenumerative. Pub
g.
newspapers are bought UP or are brow
beaten into silence, men OF influence
who critcisc the commission are ostra-
cised, the plays produced i'll the thea
ters are censored; there is not an or
gan OF expression Of the popular voice
that is not controlled In private life
men are subject to a complete FAR
reaching, thorough system OF espion
age. Detectives appear in the guise o
servants and the oath OF single one
is enough, to destroy mans reputa
ton, property or even life itself.
Your comment as civil governor
upon this statement OF conditions in tht
islands is requested. Taft"
The reply of Governor Wright was
received here from Manila at I p. m.
Oct. %. and was as follows:
"Manila.-Secretary of War, Wash
ington-With reference to your tcle
gram of Oct. 20, quoting recent utter
| ances OF Judge Parker upon admins
| tration and conditions here and re
questing statement of facts relating
| thereto, | report as follows:
"First-The statement that any con
siderable number of officials have
proven corrupt. inefficient or despoti'
does great injustice to body OF hare
| working. self-respecting Americans
| whose character and service will com
pare favorably with those of employe
| of the federal or state governments
| Whilst there have been a number O
| defaults by subordinates. they are few
| as compared with the whole, and hav'
| been promptly detected and punished
Total defaults since July, 1901, begin
| ming civil government. $78,55o. NJ
| ultimate loss. Governor protected b.
insurance We have comprehensive
| civil service law, rigidly enforced, un
| ders which antecedents and qualification
| OF employees are scrutinized. Defaulter
| with few exceptions, appointed during
1 ulSlut DOu SOiiNitlollS, pi III W tiiC III
auguration of the law Complaint
OF oppressive acts exceptional ant
1 promptly investigated and corrected
/ Relations between the officials and Fill
4 pinos, as rule. cordial. e~.-
/ Second - Nothing warranti11g tn
statement that towns are in ruins
lands are going out OF cultivation, peo
pie i'll fed, Unable to get work AM
country ruined agriculturaliy. Town
Tin same state as before the insurrec
ton, save few burned by insurgents
which have been rebuilt and reoccu
pied sTowns generally populated a
before. Sanitary conditions greatl
improved, demand for labor generall
equals and in some cases. exceeds sup
ply and at increased wages. In 100
and 1902 epidenics of Surra and Rim
| derpest, destroyed probably 70 per cen
/ Of animals used in agriculture, causini
i reduced area cultivated land and con
siderable distress, which commission
relieved by inaugtirating public work
through aid generously extended b
congress. Have succeeded by ii1ocll
lation iii checking rinderpest Thos
localities most seriously affected hav
drawn from those where disease di
not prevail and this, together with ami
j mails imported and natural increase ha
caused steady increase, SO that at pres
cnt there Is under cultivation nearly Al
lands heretofore cultivated
During the fiscal year ending Jun
i so. 1904. exports were $3o,227.I27; i'm
ports $33,22r,25o. Exports fell off a
4 compared with previous year becaus
| Of decrease in coppra and sugar crop
4 due To phenonenallv small rain ia
i in certain sections and to the plague I
locust in others. OF expectations $2I
77o4. 900 was hemp; of inportations Sill
H 548,8r4 was rice, the principal food {
i the people. Present crop iii all line
Il exceptionally good and prices reinunel
y alive and there is not now and will ne
be for the coming year any suffering fc
i lack of food. Enrolment publ
schools IN 1908, was IS4,2c2 and il Ioc
IL 265ss8 =
Third Taxation IS not Oppressive