Cañon City record., 1904-11-03

space. / will take some of them seria-
tim:
.No. /. The officials OF the govern
;ncnt are dishonest. corrupt and despotic.
The islands seem to have succeeded in
getting the very dregs Of our people
NO government In the world has q
more intelligent, honest or industrious
corps OF employees than is serving under
the Philippine commission. aud the as
sertion is an Insult to the families and
friends who remain in the United States.
The records OF the Philippine govern
ment TO date will show a degree OF efii-
cheney. honesty and fidelity equal to the
executive and judicial branches of any
government in the world.
"No. 2. .Agricuiiurally the country
Is for the time ruined. Land is going
out OF cultivation. the population Is i'll
fed. and In some places unable to get
work
Prosperity Now Reisns-
Two years ago there was a terrible
drought all over the Philippines and the
farmers lost their crops. Famine was
averted by an appropriation from Con-
gfess which was expended for rice and
other foods and distributed where 1t was
needed among the people. But is IL
honest for Judge Parker to hold the gov
dr r,ecf Last year. however, prosperity
VAS restored and at the present date
there ~ no spot on earth where the agrs-
cultural population Ia In better condi-
sion than in the Philippine Islands Tho
only difficulty is the lack OF labor. Il is
Impossible for farmers or other employ
er~ to obtain the help needed, although
wages are three. and in some cases four
times as high A. they were before Amer
lean occupation. The people are clam
oring for Chinese coolies, who are pro-
hihited from seeking employment In the
Philippine Islands under the same ex-
ciusicn laws that prevail In the United
States
mo. J. The country is overburdcned
with taxation: disease Is prevalent and
the farm animals are dead
The rate OF taxation will average IS
per cent. lower than under Spanish
domination. hut under American rule
taxes are collected from everybody i'm
partially. Formerly those who had a
pull or were disposed to bribe the col
l-ctors evadei payment. while others
we're compelled 10 pay the last penny.
The revenues. therefore. are three and
four times as large as they ever were.
Since the enforcement OF sanitary laws
aud regulations. the construction OF sew
ers aud the purihcation of the water
supply the death rate has been decrcs sed
so per cent. II is t-ne that more than
half the farm animals In the Philippines
died from tho plague during the great
drought of 1902, but Is II honest for
Judge Parker 90 charge that calamity to
the administration
"No. 4. Whole districts are In the
hands of lsdroncs.'
Lsdrones fxtsrmin ated.
"Ladroncs are hshwaymen. freeboot-
ers. who live in gangs in the woods. raid
the settlements aud biackmaii the plant
ers. In Spanish times they used to
flourish, but the vigorous and vigilant
operations of the native constabul,ry
have practically cxterminatcd them, aud
the Philippine Islands are now as safe
as any part OF the United States.
NO. .. The price of products is
poor and unremuncrative.'
ANY person interested In the details
on this point can obtain the quotations
on Philippine staples, such as hemp,
tobacco. sugar. copra and rice, from any
commission-house. where Judge Parker
could have secured accurate information
II he had placed any value upon his
word. lie ought to know that prices of
agricultural products are not fixed In
Manila, but In the great markets Of the
world.
"No. O. Public opinion has no free
expression; newspapers are bought up
or are browbcaten into silence
"Thc editors Of the Manila American,
the Cable News. the Times, the Sunday
Sun and Others newspapers published
In Manila will smile when they read that.
They differ In opinion as to the merits
of the ncn and the wisdom OF the policy
OF the administration. Some of the
papers support It and some oppose II,
and the latter lnmbastc the officials with
an energy that Is unequaled In any other
editorial room In the world. Before
Judge Parker made such prcpostcrous
assertion he should have examined file
OF the Manila Times or the Sunday Sun.
The editors of those papers have good
ground for Libel suit against him.
Rare csse Of tue~usi seucy.
"The criticisms OF tho administration
which appear daily In the Manila papers,
often bitter and violent. are almost With
out exception based upon Its libcraiity
toward tho natives; for doing exactly
what Judge Parker says It has not done;
for giving the Filiplnos TOO much self
government: for promising them inde-
pcndcnce and for appointing % many
nativeu to once. livery governor or
every province, every mayor Of every
town except Manila. and almost every
a~1 -m..t-a l.