Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-16
MAKING PROGRESS
Report OF Philippine Commission
Deals Hopefully With
Work in Islands.
KILLING OFF THE BELLIC0SE
Recommendations For Legislation by
Congress Reducing Tariff
Are Made.

| Washington, Jan. 1G.- The annual
report of the Philippine commission
TO the secretary of war says that as
soon as the people come to understand
that the government has both the abil-
:ty and the will to- protect them they
begin Tn cooperate cordially with the
lconstabulary and other peace officers
by giving information agains the law
less so that IL becomes possible to Kill
Tor capture them. AS result there
port says. not a single organized band
OF ladrones is now to- be found in the
island of Luzon; that nearly all the
leaders save five or six have been
killed or captured and that the same
may may be said of the Visayan ISL
ands. with the exception of Samar. The
commission adds that there is no rea-
son to suppose that orderly conditions
will be otherwise than permanent The
relations between American and Fill
pinos are said IN be generally cordial.
with a steady growth of confidence and
good feeling between them "All those
who are justly entitled to- be called
leaders of public opinion among the
Filipinos." the report continues. have
definitely cast their lot with the Ameri-
cans
| Moro. Are Wohnmm edans.
Regarding the Moros. the report says
the great area of the Moro province
which includes practically all of the
islands of Mindanao and the Zulu archi-
pelago except for G6.o0O Filipinos.
spoken of "a descendants of convicts
sent from the north by Spaniards. is in
habited by Moros processing Moham-
mechanism and by other non-christian
tribes The authority of the sultan of
Sulu was found upon investigation TO
be rcpudiated 10y dattos in the Sulu
archipelago who possessed as much au-
thority as he although he was the titu-
lar head of the Moros.
Makes Recommendations.
The commission makes the following
recommendations:
Reduction of tariff on sugar and to-
bacco TO not more than % per cent of
the Dingley rate.
That authority be given the COM
mission. with the approval of the presi-
dent and secretary of war to- issue
bonds from time to time for future I'M
provements. not TO exceed $5,000.000 in
the aggregate.
Legislation exempting all bonds is
sued by the Philippine government or
any of the provincial or municipal gov
ernments not only from federal or
Philippine taxation. but from state,
county and municipal taxation in the
United States
That control of the shipping in trade
between the islands be left wholly in
the discretion of the Philippine COM
missions subject to the approval of the
president and the secretary Of war.
ueIensr From CoastsSise LAWS.
That the application of the United
States coastwisc navigation laws 10
the trade between the Philippine ISL
ands and the mainland of the United
States be postponed by congressional
action until July /. 1909. or in the al
Tentative. that the coastwise laws of
the United States be not made applica-
BILE To the trade between the islands
and the mainland OF the United States
except with a proviso or condition that
the rates upon imports from the Philip
pines into the United States shall not
pay any duty in excess of % per cent of
the Dingley tariff.
Congressional action authorizing the
Philippine commission with the APP
proval of the president and secretary OF
war TO encourage railroad construction
in the islands by accompanying the
grants and franchises. when deemed ne
cessary. with a guaranty by the Philip
nina Of fpr ha
investment TO be fixed in advance in the
the act Of guaranty the amount of in
come guaranteed not To exceed annual
| ~ 4 per cent of the fixed principal.
That the amount of Land which may
be acquired by any individual orr cor
poration be extended 10 $4,000 Acres.
and that the Law which forbids the III
ing Of more than one mining claim by
the same individual upon lode or de
post be be- repealed.
Legislation authorizing the commits
sion 10 make reductions on present and
future tariff schedules when in its opin-
ion To do so will be in the public inter
ests: also TO provide proper machinery
for the extradition of fugitives to and
from the islands.
Agriculture Makes tsnius-
In his annual report as civil governor
Mr.. Wright says that with the excep-
ton Of very few provinces marked
progress has been made in the cultiva-
ton of fields and production of crops
Is compared with the preceding year.
and as a consequence there has been no
suffering among the poor for the ne
cessities of life. Mr.. Wright says that
life and property are now safe TO a de-
gree never before experienced by the
people of the islands. and that the out
look Is more favorable than for years
past.
Gov. Wright recommends greater