The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-24

lowing cablegrams from Secretary of
War Taft to Governor Wright of the
Philippines and from the Governor to
the Secretary in reply thereto were
made public at the War Department
to-day:
October 20, 1904.
To Wright, Manila The Democratic candi-
date for President on the 18th OF the present
month, in a public address, said:
but two classes of our people hope to
be benefited by holding the Philippine
the class which is always hunting for special
Government privileges and the class which
seeks to make of office holding a means of
livelihood The latter class in the Philippines
comprises some officials, of whom student
of the islands recently said, OF the character
Oh many In oInee too little cannot be sa ~
worst, dishonest, corrupt and despotic. The
islands seem to have succeeded in getting the
very dregs of our people
He also said:
THE situation in the Philippines to-day is
SO terrible that 1t passes the comprehension
country is for the, time ruined. Land is go
ing out of cultivation, the population is ILL
fed and in some places unable to get work.
The country is overburdened with taxation;
disease is prevalent, the farm animals dead;
the towns in many places in ruins; whole dis
products poor and unremunerative. Public
opinion has no free expression; newspapers
men OF influence, who criticize the commission,
are ostracized the plays produced in the thea
tiers are censored there is not organ OF ex-
preston OF the popular voice that is not con-
trolled- In private life the subject
to a complete, far reaching, thorough system
of espionage Detectives appear in the guise
Of servants and the oath of a single is
enough to destroy mans reputation, property
or even life ITSELF
Your comment as civil Governor upon this
statement of conditions in the islands is re-
quested. TAFT.
The reply of Governor Wright was
received here from Manila at 1 D. m.
to-day and is as follows:
MANILA. Oct. 20, 1904.-secretary Of War.
Washington d. c.: With reference to your
telegram OF the Goth, quoting recent utter
and conditions here and requesting statement
OF facts relating thereto, 1 report as follows:
Flrst-The statement that any considerable
number of officials have proven corrupt in
efficient or despotic does great injustice to a
body Of Woodworking. self-respecting Ameri-
cans, whose character and service will COM
pare favorably with those of employees Of the
Federal or State governments. While there
mates. they are few as compared with the
whole. and have been promptly detected and
punished. The total of defaults since July
1901, beginning civil government, SIS, $50;
there has been ultimate loss; the Govern
ment is protected by insurance. We have a
forced, under which the anteeedents and quail
fcations of employees are scrutinized. Default
ing disturbed conditions, prior to the inaugu-
ration OF the law. Complaints of oppressive
acts are exceptional and are promptly inves-
tigated and corrected. The relations between
the American officials and Fflipinos a rule
cordial.
Second-There is nothing warrantins the
statement that towns are in ruin lands are
going out of cultivation, people i'll fed, unable
to get work, and country ruined agricultur-
ally. Towns are in the same state as before
the Instruction, save a few burned by the
insurgents. which have been rebuilt and
as before sanitapy eonstioSs are @
improved labor demand generally equals and
in some cases exceeds the supply. and at in
In 1901 and 1902 epidefnics of surra and
rinderpest destroyed property and 20 per cent
of the animals used in agriculture. causing a
reduced area of cultivation and considerable
distress which the commission relieved by in
augurating public works through aid gener-
ously extended by Congress. We have sue
ceeded, by incubation, in checking rinderpest
Those localities most seriously affected have
drawn from those where the disease did not
prevail and this together with the animals
imported and the natural increase, has caused
steady increase. so that at present there is
under cultivation nearly all the lands hereto
fore cultivated.
During the fiscal year ending June 3d. 1901
exports were $50 226 1877 imports S3S POI ESQ
Exports fell off as compared with the previous
year because Of the decrease in the copra and
sugar crops, due to a phenomenally small rain
fall in certain sections and to plague locusts
in others. or the expectations. s21, 794, $50 was
hemp; of the importations, $11, 54s S14 was rice
people.
crops 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. The enrolment In the pub
55G ''-''' = '0'' -'''-'- anu - -'O' -O''
Third-Taxation is not oppressive. Customs
as compared with % per cent under Spanish
Spanish. Receipts are honestly applied for the
benefit OF the people.
Fourth--It is not true that there are whole
districts In the hands Of ladrones. There has
been ar occasional instance during the last
year of oepredations of ladrones. who find con-
cealment In the remote mountain Businesses
and raid isolated settlement and steal the carl
boos They have been relentlessly pursued by
the constabulary and scouts. who are natives,
usually commanded by American officers AS
q result of this policy ladronism is no longer
popular or profitable. There Is at this time
not single band Of ladrones operating in the
great Island OF Luzon and in the Visayan ISL
ands. There are only four or i've ladrone Lead
with few followers
There Is no disorder or disposition to vio-
lence among the great mass Of the people, who
are attending to their usual vocations. Ameri-
cans can and do go everywhere without dan
about $4,000 American troops in the islands
This year there only about 1900. 1t may
as safe here as in the United States.
Those general statements to peace and
order are intended to apply to all Of the islands
inhabited by civilized Filipinos except the ISL
and Of Samar. 1t has population in the
mountains Of the interior many Of whom
seen
age and have weakness for raiding towns
along the coast. They are also religious ia
natics. generally directed by pope claiming
to be invulnerable. Seven months since there
was an eruption Of these people. who plum
dered and burned a number of coast towns.
killing men. women and children when the
slightest resistance offered. They have
been given severe lesson by the constabulary
and scouts. but there still q number of
small bands of these people prowiing about the
country. Similar half wild men are found
scattered through the mountains OF the arch
ipelago. and until their country is opened up
by roads and schools are established occa-
sional disturbances Of the character indicated
may be expected.
F1fth-The statement that newspapers are
bought up or browbeaten into silence: that
men who criticize the commission are ostra-
cized: that all organs OF expression Of public
opinion are controlled. and that there is no
free expression Of the. popular mind are who'll
ly indispensable by facts. The right OF free
expression of opinion through the press or 9TH
erwise Is recognized here as in the United
States and practiced with the same freedom:
the only Limitation being responsibility for
iibelous and seditious utterances the law
relative to those being drawn from Federal
and State statutes Of the Union. No newspa-