Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-24
PARKERC0HTRAD|CTED
Statements Regarding the
Philippines Refuted.
CORRUPT OFFICIALS
GOV. WRIGHT DECLARES THAT
THEY HAVE BEEN FEW.
Denied That Whole Districts Are in
the Hands Of DEMONSTRATION
of Speech Not Forbidden.

| Sdulc correspondence between tIt SetIc-
tary of War and the governor of the Phil
| ippines regarding Philippine affairs has
been made public at the War Department.
| Under date of October 70 Secretary Taft
addressed Gov. Wright at Manila fol-
| lows:
] Judge Parker's Charges.
1.-The democratic candidate for President
on the 18th of the present month, in pub
| lie address, said: But two classes of our
| people can hope to be benefited by our hold
| Ing the Philippines-the Class which is al
| ways hunting for special government
| privileges and the class which seems to
make of offceholding means of livelihood.
| The latter class in the Philippines COM
prises some officials of whom a student of
/ conditions there recently said: "Of the
character OF many in offices too little can
| not be said AT best they have been inefti-
| cient; at the worst dishonest, corrupt and
| despotic. The islands seem to have sue
ceeded in getting the very dregs of our
| people
| He also said: The situation in the Phil
ippines today is so terrible that it passes
| the comprehension of our people at home.
| Alphabetically 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 The country is over
| burdened with taxation; disease is preva-
| lent; the farm animals dead; the towns in
| many places in ruins; whole districts in the
| hands of ladrones; the price of products
| poor and unremunerative. Public opinion
| has no free expression; newspapers are
| bought up or are broWbeaten into silence
| men of influence who critlclSe the commits
| sion are ostraciZed; the plays produced in
| the theater are censored; there is not an
| organ expression of the popular voice
! that is not controlled. In private life men
are subject to a complete. far-reaching,
| thorough system of espionage. Detectives
! appear in the guse of servants. and the
| oath of a single one is enough to destroy a
mans reputation, property or even life it
| self
Your comment as civil governor upon
| this statement of conditions in the islands
| is requested.
Governor Wright's Reply.
The reply of Governor Wright was
received here from Manila yesterday and
is as follows:
with reference to your telegram OF
Goth, quoting recent utterances of Judge
Parker upon administration and conditions
here and requesting statement of facts re-
lating thereto, | report follows:
First. The statement that any consid-
cradle number of officials have proven cor
rupt, inefficient or deSpotc does grave in
justice to a body of Woodworking, self
respecting Americans, whose character and
service will compare favorably with those
of employees of the federal or state gov
| ernments Whilst there have been a num-
Der of defaults My SubOrdinateS, they are
few compared with the whole, and have
| been promptly detected and punished. To-
tai defaults since July 1901, beginning
civil government, SIS, $50. No ultimate loss.
Government protected by insurance. We
have comprehensive civil service law, rig
idly enforced, under which antecedents and
qualifications of employees are scrutinlzed.
DefaulterS, with few exceptions. appointed
during disturbed conditions, prior to the
Inauguration of the law. Complaints of
oppressive acts exceptional and promptly
investigated and corrected Relations be-
tl1n Anna ipar off ni IN nnh
as a rule. cordial
Second. Nothing warranting the state
ment that towns are in ruin, lands are 60
ing out of cultivation, people i'll fed. UNI
able to get work and country ruined agr1-
culturally. Towns in same state as before
the insurrection save a few burned by in
surgents, have been rebuilt and reoccupied
Towns generally populated as before. SAM
tary conditions greatly improved demand
for labor generally equals and in some
cases exceeds supply, and at increased
wages.
IN 1901 and 1892 epidemic surra rinder-
pest destroyed probably 30 per cent of ami
mails used in agriculture, causing reduced
| area cultivated land and considerable dis
tress, which commission relieved by inau-
gurating public works through aid gener-
ousy extended by Congress. Have sue
ceeded in incubation in checking rinder-
pest. Those localities most seriously af-
fected have drawn frsm those where dis
ease did not prevail, and this. together
| with animals imported and natural in
| crease, has caused steady increase, SO that
| at present there is under cultivation nearly
| all land heretofore cultivated.
Commerce of the Islands.
During the fiscal year ending June 80
| 1904 exports We're $50, 226, 127; imports, $33,-
| 2o1 go. Exports fell off compared with
previous year because of decrease in copra
| and sugar crops, cue to phenomenally small
| rainfall certain sections and to plague of
| locuStS in others.
| ..Of exportations, sol 794 $50 was hemp
| of importations, $11 ,54S,S14 was rice, the
| principal food of the people. Present crop
| in all lines exceptionally good and prices
| remunerative. and there is not now and will
hot be for the coming year any suffering
| from lack of food. Enrolment public
schools in 1903 was 1s4,2O2, and in 1904,
| 263. 55S.
| toms duties average about IS per cent ad
yalorem as compared with % per cent I'M
| der Spanish regime. Industrial taxes also
| less than Spanish Receipts honestly APP
! piled for the benefit of the people.
Depredations of. Ladrones.
Fourth 1t is not true that there are
| whole districts in the hands of ladrones.
| There have been occasional instances dur
| ing the last year of depredations of la
! drones. who fin1 concealment in remote
m ountain Businesses and raid isolated set
| Elements of natives and steal their cara
baos They have been relentlessly pursued
| by the constabuIary and scouts, who are
| natives usually commanded by American
| officers. AS a result of this policy, ladron-
| ism is no longer popular or profitable. There
| il at this time not single band of ladrones
operating in the great island of Luzon and
| i'm Visayan Islands. There are only four or
| five ladrone leaders with a few followers,
who occasionally give evidence of life by
stealing carabaos or plun1erng remote set
t,ements They pass most of their time en-
| deavoring to dodge the constabulary.
| There is no disorder or disposition to vio-
| lence among the great mass of-the people,
WHO are attending to their usual vocations
Americans can and do go everywhere with
ont danger or thought of it. In 1903 there
were about eighteen thousand American
| troors in the islands. This year there are
only about twelve thousand.
eft may be stated generally that life
and property are as safe here as in the
| United States. These general statements
| as to peace and order are intended to apply
/ to all of the islands inhabited by civilized
| Filipinos, except Island of Samar 1t has
| a population in the mountains of the in
terror, many of whom have never seen a
white man, are semi-savage, and have a
weakness for raiding towns along the coast
| They are also religious fanatics. generally