Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-29
NEW PHILIPPINE CAPITAL.
Headquarters of Colonial Government to Be Transferred from Ma
 nila to New City.

A new capital for the Philippines is ehe latest project of the administration. Details of the plan to move headquar- ters of, the colonial government from Manila were told by Secretary of War William Fl. Taft on his arrival in Chi cago recently, reports the Chronicle. Work on the new city has begun
 The site chosen is in the province of BenJuet, 155 miles as the crow flies from Manila, on 8 spot which is 5000 feet above the sea level It will be con- nected with Manila by an electric rail- way, which Is already being construct ed. The town will be about 12 hours ride from Manila by the electric rail- way" said Secretary Taft. Tt will have climate similar to that of the Adiron- dacks, and will be very convenient place for American business men to go for a couple of months in the summer to get over the nervous strain of living in such a uniformly high temperature as there is in Manila 2
 The new capital is to be to the Phil ippines what Simla is to India. It is ex- pected it will be the headquarters of the American residents of the islands, and is to be constructed on sanitary and modern lines as much as conditions in the islands will permit.
 T spent several months at the spot where the capital Is to be- the secre- tary said, land found the climate de- lightful and the place inviting"
 Secretary Taft spoke enthusiastically of the future of the Philippines
 Probably the most encouraging thing about the islands, he said. "is the way in which the Filipinos are receiving the efforts of American teachers to instruct them. In Manila, for instance, there are 5000 natives attending night schools to learn how to speak and write the Eng fish language. They come voluntarily. to bear to make them.
 Besides there are the children at tending the day schools. Almost every where the teachers are being cordially received. There are at present about 5000 Americans Tn the islands, so you can see emigration has not been very heavy When the new capital is built there will be more inducements for Americans to go there, and the number may be increased. It does not look as if Americans would overrun the islands, however.
 'All the army, except 15,000 troops, has been withdrawn, and for those who remain more comfortable quarters are being erected. The different detach- ments will be brought together at cen tral posts to be established, and with the 20 per cent additional pay for for eign service the Philippine posts will be most desirable Tn the four years 1 was in the Philippines did not suffer from the heat.
 "The Philippines are not as near the seat of war as people here sometimes imagine The most extraordinary thing about the conflict is the way in which foreign correspondents and mili- tary attaches have been kept away from the scene of active operations. This feature is something unparalleled in modern wars Brig. Gen. Allen, think ing hostiiities were about to open, got nearer to the seat of war than any other foreign military officer. He got to Ping Yang and telegraphed that he was not wanted, and then went back to the Phil- ippines."