The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-05
YAFT 0 GAO YEAR

TAFT REPORTS BAD YEAR
Philippine Islands Suffered From 4
Shortage in The Rice Crop.
Washington, Feb. 4.-The president
has sent to the senate this nnual res
ports Of the Philippine commission, in-
Guiding the report OF the civil governor
of the Philippine island and the res
ports of the heads of the executive de-
partments for the period ended De-
cember %, 1903.
Governor Taft says the y,,ar was one,
of considerable suffering among the
people on account of q short food SUPP
ply, but that the worst is passed. While
he does not consider the future AS
bright as 1t might be. he believes we
are beginning an era in the history of
the islands, which, with the assistancel
of proper tariff reduction in the United
States and proper navigation laws for
the islands. will be one of decided mai
terial development.
One of the causes Of the food famineI
was a corner" in rice. formed In No,
vember. 1902. which he met by having!
passed an act appropriating $4,000, 600
In Mexican money to buy rice in for,
eign markets and distribute 1t amongt
the natives. 1t was necessary to go to,
Siam and Calcutta to get sufficient sup
plies. The Calcutta merchants palmed,
off on the Manila authorities al infer
Tor red rice for first class family rice. !
and the loss to the Philippine govern
ment on accom- of the rice developing
Weevils was extensive.
Anticipated to Some Extent.
The members Of the commission, an
~ticipating q small rice acreage in 1903,
provided against the danger of famine
by calling meetings at all towns and
urging the planting Of quick growing
crops of corn. sweet potatoes. rice and
other food plants. h
Speaking of the conditions in the ISL
ands, Governor Taft says at no time
has there been less ladronism than
when this was written, December 10.
1903.
One of the greatest obstacles with
which the government had had TO con-,
tend. he says, has been the presence of,
dissolute, drunken n lawless Ameri-,
sans, who are willing to associate with
low Filipino women n live on the pro-i
ceeds of their labor. To rid the country
of this class of Americans the commits!
sion passed what is known as the dis,
solute Americans and vagrancy acts.
Governor Taft reviews at length the
negotiations leading 10 to the presents
status of the friar lands settlement. He
says he is officially informed that the
humber of friars in the Islands is 246,
as compared with lob in the figures
given by the apostolic delegation in
1898. Governor Taft says:
Spanish Influence Will Wane.
Whatever may happen during the
first few months of the coming of the
American bishops. 1t is certain that the
spirit of the American Catholic church
Is so different from that of the Span
ish church, from a political standpoint,
that the influence of the Spanish friars
will gradually van and that of the
American bishops become controlling.
bringing about that which we so much
~desire-the Americanizing of the Ro-
ma Catholic church in he Philips
pines"
The value of the sugar exports from
the islands for the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1903. increased 81, 1874, 396 over
the previous year, due, Governor Taft
says, to the natural result of a better-
ment of conditions as to tranquility.
To prevent further falling off in the
product of leaf tobacco Governor Taft
urges the reduction of the duty to %
per cent. of the Dingley tariff rates.
This would be of the greatest imports
ance to the prosperity of the islands.
Governor Taft says political condi-
tons on the islands make the time ripe
for a period of great construction
During the Mex decade railroads., ca
nal and steamship companies, he says,
should reVolutioniZe the interior trade
of the Islands and should have a
marked effect on the export trade.
Will Give Franchises.
For this eason he recommends that
the Philippine commission be author
lied, with the approval of the secre-
tary of war n the president, to enter
into contracts with railroad companies,
to whom a franchise for the CONSTRUCT
ton of a read shall be granted by
which an income of not exceeding 4 per,
cent, n probably not exceeding 3 per-
cent, shall be guaranteed on the I'M
vestment, the amount of which shall be-
fixed in the law. He a this method
of financial encouragement is much to,
be preferred to the granting of lands or
other forms of government subsidy.
There has been a great increase I'M
school attendance in all the provinces,
but one. Still, only about 10000. or
10 per cent. of the population of school,
age are receiving public instruction.
Teachers and school houses are among
the cry ing needs of the islands.
The Of the islands for the
year ended June 80, 1908, exceeded
those of the previous year, but Gov
ernor Taft says that by reason of the
necessary extraordinary expenditures
a considerable deficit will be made
should they continue the same to the
end of the present fiscal year. He says
1t seems to him that a congressional
act authorizing the issuing of bonds
for permanent improvement in the ISL
ands, not exceeding SIS, 200, 900 each is
sue, would not be comforting on the
commission or legislature of the isl
ands excessive authority, and that it is
really a necessary provision to prevent
possible financial embarrassment.