New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-22
IN THE PHILIPPINES.

r,ry; men the last national convention met the
IuIIIpplnes also we're under military rule The
| HlSurrectos from the mountains spread terror
/ among the peaceful people by midnight @oray
ana secret assassination. AguinaId0 bided his
tiIhe IN a secret retreat over seventy thousand
american soldiers from more than five hundred
stations held a vigorous enemy in check The
Phlippine Commission had not yet begun its
The last vestige of insurrection has been swept
away; With their work accomplished. over
0o'oOO American troops have been brought back
across the Pacific. Civil government has been
established throughout the archipelago Peace
and order and justice prevail. The Philippine
commission. guided at first by executive order
anu IHen by the wise legislation Of Congress in
the Philippine Government act OF July / 1902
mas established and conducted a government
which has been = credit to their country and A
blessing TO the people of the islands The body
OF laws which IL has enacted upon careful and
Intelligent study of the needs Of the country
challenges comparison with the statutes Of any
country. The personnel Of civil government has
been brought together under an advanced and
comprehensive civil service law. which has been
rlgldIy enforced complete census has been
taken, designed to he there as It was in Cuba
the basis for representative government. and the
people OF the islands will soon proceed. under
provisions already made by Congress- TO the
election of 4 representative assembly in which
for the first time in their history they may have
q voice IN the making Of their own laws. IN
the mean time. the local and provincial govern
ments are In the hands Of officers elected by the
Fuipinos, and IN the great central Offices in the
commission. on the bench in the executive de
partnents, the most distinguished men Of the
Filipino race are taking their part in the gov
eminent of their people. A free school system
has been established and hundreds OF thousands
OF children are learning lessons which viii help
At them for self-Eovernment. The seeds of re-
ligous strife existing in the bitter controversy
between the people and the religious orders have
been deprived OF potency for harm by the pllr-
chase Of the friars lands and their practical
withdrawal BY the act OF Congress Of March
=, 1903, a gold standard has been established 10
take the place Of the fluctuatng silver currency.
The unit OF value Is made exactly One-haIf the
4 . n n
lean money is practically part OF their currency
system. To enable the Philippine government
70 issue this new currency. S6.OOO,OOO was Dor
rowed by II in 1903 in the city OF New-T ork, and
IT borrowed at a net interest charge OF la
per cent per annum. The trade Of the islands
has increased Notwithstanding adverse condi-
tons. During the last five years OF peace
under Spanish rule the average total trade OF
the islands was less than S36,tDoOO. During
the fiscal year ending June 30 1903, the trade or
the Islands was over SG6ONO0O0. There IS buzz
one point or disturbance, and that IS in the
country OF the Mahometa0 M0ros. where there
IS an occasional htfuI savage outbreak against
the enforcement Of the law recently made u
provide for adequate supervision and control 70
put an end 20 the practice OF human slavery
A PROMISE TO THE FILIPINOs.
When Governor Taft sailed from Manila IN
December last 20 I'll the higher office where he
viii stiu guard the destinies OF the people for
whom he has done such great and noble service
he followed 10 the shore by mighty throng,
not or repressed and sul.eu subjects, but Of free
and peaceful people, whose tears and prayers
OF affectiOnate farewell showed that they had
already begun 70 learn that our flag has not
lost it's gift OF benedcton in It's worldwide jour
uey their shores"
None can foreteu the future: but there seems
no reasonable cause doubt that. under the
policy already effectively inaugurated, the in
situations already implanted, and the processes
already begun. in the Philippine Islands II these
be not repressed and interrupted the Philippine
people will follow in the footsteps of the people
of Cuba; that more slowly. indeed because they
are not advanced. yet surely, they VIII
grow in capacity for government, and re-
ceiving power as they grow in capacity, Will
come to bear substantially such relations 10 the
people OF the United States do now the people
of cuba, differing in details as conditions and
needs differ but the same in principle and the
same in beuehcenu results