Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-11-16
SERVICE IN PHILIPPINES.

Some New Light on the EXlSlng
 Conditions There.
 The sensation attending the free advertisement of Charles J. Mitchell's ,phamphlet arraigning the Philippine government and charging that. the civil service merit system is practi- cally a dead letter in Manila, has brought to the public attention some facts not generally known about the way colonlal civil servants recruited in this part of the country enter into contract with the government, and what special privileges are accorded them. When an applicant has pass ed his examinations and been certified for appointment, his Acceptance of an offer of position is confirmed by his execution of an obligation to remain two years. If he has no ready mon- ey, say $4O0-to pay his way to the seat of government, he is furnished with transportation orders which make it possible for him to reach his destination without present expense, and from the time of his engagement ten per cent. of his salary is withheld. This is expected to reimburse the government for the cost of sending him to his post in case he defaults on his contract and decides to resign and return home permanently. If he sticks to his work for two years as agreed the whole of this ten per cent. is restored to him, together with such reasonable incidental expenses as he may have been compelled to pay from his own purse on his way out, He is also allowed a regular vacation of 2S days in each year, which he is ex- pected to spend on the island, and he is credited besides with one months cumulative but deferred vacation for each year, which will be given him if he remains three years instead of two.
 A three-year service man takes, in addition to his annual local leave of 28 days, five months vacation with full pay-two months being thrown in for good measure, so that his earn ed quarter-year shall not be drawn upon for any of the time spent in travelling between the Philippines and the mainland of the United States. In three years engagement, therefore, the Philippine government gets the benefit of less than two and one-half years of clerks time. On general principles, it seems as if it were the government rather than the clerk who had cause to complain, and behind both the insular taxpayer who settles the bills. NIr Mitchell's complaints nevertheless are not unique. Inspired by one motive or another, a com plainant pops up here and there from time to time. In some cases there is reason to believe from the tone of 1yaia finn fhnf ifSs nth mind has been affected by the heat and humidity. Then it is that one fully grasps the reason why so many attractions are offered to young men | who will consent to immolate them selves on the altar of colonial admin 1 istration in the tropics The discom- forts and risks are big: hence the pay and perquisites should be. Those who pull through all right get good 1 thing, for motion is often rapid and I the path is made smooth after three years for transfer from the Oriental l tropics to Washington, where first | rate clerk who knows Philippine con- ! ditions thoroughly is liable to be in profitable demand
 x MT Mitchell appears to have discov- cred at a very early date that the Philippine doll was stuffed with saw | dust, and concluded that If the gov ernment did not wish to buy his dis | covery, there were other markets to ! which he could look for bid It is | literature of his sort which is likely to keep alive the question of retain 1 ing the colonies as long as there is anybody ready to hold it at the front I as nartisan issue The end of the anti PhiliDnine agitation is not yet =. T-- ~<s.- be made bv the government to treat the islands better than distant depen.
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