Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-02
A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK
Annual Report Of the Philip
pine Commission.
A YEAR OF SUFFERING
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO AL
LEvIATE CONDITIONS.
Departure Of the Spanish Friars-In-
crease in the School Attendance
Growth in Revenues.


Growth in Revenues.
The President has sent to the Senate the
annual report of the Philippine commits
sion, including the report of the civil gov
ernor of the Philippine Islands and the re-
ports of the heads Of the executive de-
partments for the period ended December
| %, 1903. The report Of the commission
also contains the report of the auditor for
! the Philippine Islands for the period ended
| July !, 1903. 1t contains further detailed
| statement by the auditor Of expenditures
| under the appropriation Of 100000 for
the relief of distress in the Philippine Is
| lands.
| Gov. Taft says the year was one of con-
siderable suffering among the people Of
| the Philippine Islands on account of a
short food supply, but that the worst is
| passed. While he does not consider the
| future as bright as it might be, he be-
i lieves we are beginning an era in the his
| tory Of the islands which, with the assist
ance of proper tariff reduction In the
| United States and proper navigation laws
| for the islands, will be one of decided ma
| terial developments.
| The Purchase Of Rice.
| One of the causes of the food famine, he
| says was a Corner in rice, formed In No
vember 1902, which he met by having
passed an act appropriating 100000 in
| Mexican money to buy rice In foreign mar
| kets and distribute it among the natives
1t was necessary to go to Siam and Cal
| cutta to get sufficient supplies. The Cal
| cutta merchants palmed off on the Manila
| authorities an inferior red rice for first
| class famine rice, and the loss to the Phil
| ippine government, on account or the rice
developing weevils, was extensive COY,
go as far as Calcutta to break the corner,
| but 1t would have been wiser to buy bet
ter quality of rice. The purchases
amounted in Mexican money to Sl,sln,3i4,
| and the sales amounted to $1,561,6l2 leav-
| ing a loss Of $24S,'S2
The members of the commission, antici-
Mating a small rice acreage in 1903, pro-
vided against the danger of famine by
| calling meetings at all towns and urging
| the planting of quick-growing crops OF
corn sweet potatoes, rice ana otner 1000
plants.
Decrease Of Ladronism.
Speaking of the conditions in the islands
Governor Taft says that at no time has
there been less ladronism than when this
was written December 10, 1903. He refers
to the fact that on a dead ladrone a letter
was found from Mabini who had recently
landed in the islands from Guam, after TAX
ing the oath of allegiance, and says he sent
for Mabini and expressed surprise that SO
soon after taking the oath the Filipino
should open communication with men in
arms against the government Mabini, he
saws, replied by sending a copy of letter
he had sent San Maguel advising that 1T
is better to endeavOr to secure independ-
ence through the paths of peace rather
than by open warfare. He said further.
however, that he believed that so long as
the Filipinos do not endeavor to iberate
I themselves from their bonds the period of
their liberty will not arrive. Governor Taft
correspondent with Mabin and in one letter
thanked him for his interest In the mainte-
nance Of law and order in the Islands.
Within a few weeks after this correspond
ence Mabini died of cholera.
Speaking of the use of scouts with the
conStabulary, Governor Taft says:
TN this country it is politically most i'm
| portant that Filipinos should suppress FL
| lipino disturbances and arrest Filipino out
| laws"
One of the greatest obstacles with which
| the government has had to contend he says
| has been the presence of dissolute, drunken
| and lawless Americans, who are willing to
associate with low Filipino woman and live
| on the proceeds of their labor To rid the
| country of this class of Americans the COM
| mission passed what is known as the dis
! solute Americans and vagrancy acts.
The Friars' Land Settlement.
Governor Taft reviews at length the he
gotiations leading up to the present status
| of the friars' land settlement. He says lie
is officially informed that the number of
friars in the islands is 246. as compared
with 1,O13 in the figures given by the apos-
tolic delegation in 1898. Governor Taft
says:
| Whatever may happen during the first
| few months of the coming of the -Ameri-
| can bishops, it Is certain that the spirit of
| the American Catholic Church is SO differ
| ent from that of the Spanish church from
| a political standpoint that the influence of
the Spanish friars will gradually Sane and
| that of the American bishops become con-
| trolling, bringing about that which we SO
| much desire. the Americanizing of the no
man Catholic Church in the Philippines
The value OF the sugar exports from the
| islands for the fiscal year ended June 80
| 1903 increased 81, 194 1896 over the previous
year. due. Governor Taft says, to the natu-
| raj result of a betterment Of conditions as
| to tranquility. To prevent further falling
| off in the production of leaf tobacco Gov
ernor Taft urges the reduction of the duty
| to % per cent of the Dingley tariff rates.
| He says he Is confident that such a redu,-
| ton in neither sugar nor tobacco would af-
| feet injuriously any interest in the United
| States. while it would be of the greatest
Importance to the prosperity of the is
| lands.
Gov. Taft says political conditions on the
| islands make the time ripe for a period of
| great construction. During the next decade
! railroads. canal and steamship companies
| he says. should revolutiOnize the interior
traue OF the ISLANDS ana should have
marked effect on the export trade. For this
reason he recommends that the Philippine
| commission be authorized with the APP
| prevail Of the Secretary of War and The
| President. to enter into contracts with rail-
| road companies to whom a franchise for
| the construction of a road shall be grant,
! ed by which an income of not exec ding 4
| per cent and probably not exceeding 3 per
| cent shall be guaranteed Gu the investment.
| the amount of which shall be fixed by law.
| He says this method Of financial encourage
ment is much to be preferred to the grant
| ing of lands or other forms of government
| subsidy
| Concerning the cholera epidemic. which
| began in March. 1902. the report says the
number of cases was more than 10000 and
] the number of deaths more than 100000
| In Manila the epidemic is decreasing due
| is believed finally will be the solution of
| the health problem.
L