Milford chronicle., 1904-11-04

tim:
mo. /. The officials of the govern
ment 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
more intelligent, honest or Industrious
4 corps Of employees than is serving under
the Philippine commission, and the as
sertiOn is an insult to the families and
friends who remain in the United States.
| The records Of the Philippine govern
nent TO date will show a degree Of eff
cheney, honesty and fidelity equal to the
executive and judicial branches of any
government in the world.
mo. ?. AgrCulturally 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 Reiens.
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-
gress which was expended for rice and
other foods and distributed where it was
needed among the people. But is it
honest for Judge Parker to hold the gov
erument responsible for an act Of Pr0vi-
dence? Last year, however. prosperity
was restored and at the present date
there is no spot on earth where the agri-
cultural population Is in better coudi-
tion than in the Philippine Islands. The
only difficulty is the lack Of labor 1t is
impossible for farmers OF other employ
ers 10 obtain the help needed, although
wages are three and in some cases four
times as high as they were before Amer
lean occupation. The people are clam
orins for Chinese coolies, who are pro-
hibited from seeking employment in the
Philippine Islands under the same ex-
clusion laws that prevail in the United
States.
No 3. The country Is overburdened
with taxation; disease is prevalent and
the farm animals are dead
The rHie Of taxation will average 80
per cent. lower than under Spanish
domination but under American rule
taxes are collected from everybody i'm
partially. Formerly those who had a
pnlP or were disposed to bribe the col
lectors evaded payment, while others
were compelled to pay the last penny.
The revenues, therefore, are three and
four times as large ns they ever were
Since the enforcement OF sanitary laws
and regulations, the construction Of sew
ers and the publication Of the water
supply the death rate has been decreased
90 per cent. 1t is true that more than
half the farm animals in the Philippines
died from the plague during the great
drought Of 1902, but is it honest for
Judge Parker to charge that calamity TO
the administration
No. 4 Whole districts are il the
hands Of ladrones,
Lndronea Extorminatcd.
"Ladr0nes are highwaymen, freeboot-
ers who live in gangs In the woods, raid
the settlements and blackmail the plant
ers In Spanish times they used to
flourish but the vigorous and vigilant |
operations Of the native constabulary |
have practically exterminated them, and |
the Philippine lslRuds are now as safe |
as any part Of the United States.
No 5. The price of products is |
poor and unrenunerative.'
Amy 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 |
commissiou-houSc, where Judge Parker |
could have secured accurate information
if he had placed any value upon his |
word. He ought to know that prices Of |
agricultural products nre not fixed in |
Manila. but in the great markets of the !
world.
No 6. Public opinion has no free |
expression; newspapers are bought up |
or are browbeaten into silence.
The editors Of the Manila American. |
the Cable News, lhe 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 men and the wisdom Of the policy /
Of the administration. Some Of the |
papers support it and some oppose it. |
and the latter ambaste the officials with !
al energy ihat is uneQualed in any other !
editorial room in the world. Before |
Judge Parker made such a prep0ster0us /
assertion he should have examined a file |
of the Manila Times or the Sunday Sun.
The editors of those papers have good |
ground for a libel suit against him.
Rare Cnae Of IRoonsi.tency.
"The criticisms of the administration
Wnicn appear uHlly III tue MdhHd papeEs'
often bitter and violent are almost with
cut exception based npon its !iberality
toward the natives; for doing exactly
what Judge Parker says it has not done;
for giving the Fihpinos too much self
government; for promising them indie
nendence and for appointing so many
natives to office. Every governor Of
every province, every mayor Of every
town except Manila, and almost every
provineinnl and municipal official Is