Milford chronicle., 1904-11-04
cost Of Philippines
Grossly Exaggerated Statements
Reiterated by Judge Parker
In Recent Speech.
Shows NarrOTness or Obstinacy In
Repeating Previous Errors
Officially Corrected.
washington Dispatch to the New York
Tribf1na

Washington Dispatch to the New York
TTibune1
The avidity with which Judge Par
ker and ex7Secretary Olney swallowed
the statement that the Philippines had
cost this country S65O,OOO,OOO and the
pertinacity with which they cling to it
after its falsity has been proved again
and again are past the comprehension
Of persons in Washington who are IA
miliar with the real conditions in the
Philippines.
That the cost of the Philippines, in
Guiding the S-O,OOO,OOO paid to Spain,
amounted, up 10 May 1, 1902, TO SlS9,-
100000 has been established beyond
dispute No Democratic member of
either house of congress has dared to
challenge Secretary Roots statement
to that effect The cost to this coun-
try for the following year has been
shown to be S3.OSO,UO0. and for the
year just ended $2.1OOOOO, total OF
$l94, 10000 That has been the actual
cost of the Philippines up to June 30
1904.
The statement Mr.. Parker permitted
himself to repeat when he declared
that ''oyar 2OO.O0J lives have been sac
rificed" is equally false. The total loss
of life of american troops ana Fill
pinJs in the american army from all
causes has amounted to 4,OG7 privates
and loo officers, a total of 4,222 men.
Even adding to this number the loss Of
Filipino insurgents, a liberal estimate
OF which is less than 10000, the grand
total aggregates 1900 against Mr..
Parkers 100000. Moreover, the totals
here given include deaths from wounds,
sickness drowning and other acci-
dents. and, an important cOntributory
cause. the contagious diseases which,
uurestrained ravaged Americans and
Filipiuos when American occupation
began. Only 126.OOO American soldiers.
all TOLD, have been sent to the Philip
pines.
As an offset to this loss Of life
should be set the magnificent work
Of the army medical corps and Of the
health officers of the Philippine com
mission. whose unremitting efforts
have stamped out the plague, reduced
smallpox and other contagious diseases
to minimum and rendered the Phil
ippines as healthful as Cuba.
That unintelligent campaign speak
ers should voice the eXtravagant
charges Of the partisan press without
taking the trouble to Investigate them
may not be surprising, but that men
Of higher standing should reiterate
them, especially in the face of the tes-
timony of high minded and unim-
peachable witnesses, is a source of
amazement. The insular bureau points /
to the interview with the Most Rev. |
J. J. Harty, the Roman Catholic arch /
bishop of Manila, cabled from the |
Philippines, as indisputable evidence Of |
existing conditions in the Philippines.
Archbishop Harty's testimony agrees |
with that Of Dr. Brent the Episcopal |
bishop Of Manila, who is now in this
country. The archbishop, after return
ing from an extended tour through the .
islands, declared his hope that Theo-
dOre Roosevelt would be elected presi
dent of the United States and said:
Il was impressed during my journey
ings by the progress of American in
stitutions among the masses Of the
people. the general happiness, the Sc
curity of person and property and the
supremacy of order and justice. l be-
lieve that under divine guidance the
beneficent rule Of America is destined
d, NTng /
race on a moral and political plane
that as yet has never been attained by
an oriental people. This task that the
Americans have assumed they cannot
shirk or abandon. This work that Gov
ernor Taft so auspiciOusly began and
that Governor Wright continues must
be carried to u triumphant conclusion"
Archbishop Harty is eminently quail
ifed to judge of the situation. In his
nine months residence at Manila he
has held exhaustive conferences with
the bishops and provincial priests. He
has spent months living with the peO-
pie. travelling practically alone and un-
guarded even in the remOtest prov
inces, inspecting parishes and visiting
the people in their homes. In some of
the districts he visited 1t had been
thirty years since Il bishop had been
there.
Nor is the testimony Of these church
men isolated. Every one who has had
an opportunity to judge Of conditions
in the Philippines as they actually ex-
list brings to Washington the same stO-
ry Of progress. The Philippine govern
ment is being judlciOusly administer
ed, the people are prosperous, Christi
anity is thriving under the freedom Of
American policies, and the perniciOus
influence on a few excitable FilipinOs
of the false assertions Of Democratic
candidates and speakers is now the on
ly menace to uninterrupted peace and
prosperity in the Philippines.