Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-12-06
THE MESSAGE.
(Continued from Page Seven.)
tcrial and the promotion of deserving
public servants.

tcrial and the promotion of deserving
public servants.
improvements of harbors, roads. and
bridges continue, although the cutting
down of the revenue fOrbidS the ex-
penditure of any great amount from
current income for these purposes.
Steps are being taken, by advertise
r1ent for competitive bids, to secure the
construction and maintenance Of 1000
miles of railway by private corp0r-
ations under the recent enabling legis-
lation of the Congress. The transfer of
the friar lands, in accordance with the
contract made some two years ago, has
been completely effected, and the pur-
chase money paid. Provision has just
been made by statute for the speedy
settlement in a special proceeding III
the Supreme Court OF controversies
over :he possession and title or church
buildings and rectories arising between
the Roman Catholic Church ana
schisrnatics claiming under ancient
Municipalities. Negotiations and hear
ings for the settlement OF the amount
due to the Roman Catholic church for
rent and occupation of churches and
rectories by the Army of the United
States are in progress. and 1t Is hoped
4 satisfactory conclusion may be SUBJ
,ritted to the Congress before the end
OF the session.
Tranquility has existed during the
past year throughout the Archipelago,
province of Batangas, and the province
OF Samar, and in the island of Jolo
among the MOros. The Jolo disturb
ance was put an end to by several
sharp and short engagements, and now
peace prevails in the Moro province
Cavite, the mother of ladrones in the
Spanish times. is SO permeated with the
traditional sympathy of the people for
ladronism as to make it difficult to
stamp out the disease. Batangas was
only disturbed by reason of the fugitive
ladrones from Cavite. Samar was
thrown into disturbance by the unedu-
Gated and partly savage peoples living
in the mountains, who, having been
given by the municipal code more
roWer than they were able to exercise
discreetly, elected municipal officers
who abused their trusts, compelled the
people raising hemp to sell it at a much
less price than it was worth. and by
their abuses drove their people into re-
sistance to constituted authority.
Cavite ard Samar are instances of re-
posing too rluch confidence in the self
governing power of a people. The dis
turbances have all now been sup
pressed. and it is hoped that with these
lessons local governments can be
formed which will secure quiet and
peace to the deserving inhabitants.
The incident is another proof of the
fact that if there has been any error as
regards giving self-government in the
Philippines it has been in the direction
of giving it too quickly. not too slowly.
year from next April the first legis-
lative assembly for the islands will be
held. On the sanity and self-restraint
of this body much will depend so far as
the future self-gOvernment of the
islands is concerned.
The most encouraging feature of the
whole situation has been the very great
interest taken by the common people IN
education and the great increase In the
number of enrolled students i'll the pubic
schools. The increase WAS from 3tO,tOO to
haif million pupils. The average at
tendance is about 30 per cent. The only
limit upon the number of pupils seems TO
be the capacity of the government to fur
niSh teachers and SchoolhouseS
The agricultural conditions of the is
lands enforce more strongly than ever the
argument in favor of reducing the tariff
on the products OF the Philippine Islands
recommend that the tariff now imposed
by the Dingley bill upon the products OF
the Philippine Islands be entirely re-
moved, except the tariff on sugar and to-
h.tr hat riff ha ,aI
per cent OF the present rates under the
Dingley Act; that after July /. 1903, the
tarif upon tobacco and sugar produced in
the Philippine Islands be entirely re-
moved, and that free trade between tn.
Islands and the United States in the pro-
ducts of each country then be provided
for by law.
A statute in force, enacted April H. 1904
laws of the United States upon the
trade between the Philippine Islands
and the United States until July /.
1906. l earnestly recommend that this
suspension be postponed until July /, 1909
] think it Of doubtful utility to apply the
coastwise laws to the trade between the
United States and the Philippines under
any circumstances, because 1 am con-
Vlnced that it will do no good whatever to
American bottoms, and will only inter
fere ana be an obstacle to the trade be-
tween the Philippines and the United
States. but if the coastwise law must be
tiluS dppHtup CcTtdlnly ought not TO
have effect until free trade is enjoyed be-
tween the people of the United States and
the people of the Philippine Islands in
their respective products.
l do not anticipate that free trade be-
tween the islands and the United States
will produce revolution in the sugar
and tobacco production of the Philippine
| Islands. So primitive are the methods of
agriculture in the Philippine Islands. so
slow Is capital in going to the islands, so
many difficulties surround Il large agri-
cultural enterprise in the islands, that it
will be many, many years before the pro-
ducts of those islands will have any effect
whatever upon the markets of the United
| States. The problem of labor is also Il
| formidable one with the sugar and tobac-
| co producers in the islands The best
| friends OF the Filipino people and the peo-
pie themselves are utterly opposed to the
| admission of Chinese coolie labor. Hence
| the only solution is the training of Fill
| pino labor. and this will take long time
| The enactment of n law by the Congress
| of the United States making provision for
| free trade between the islands and the
| United States, however. will be of great
| Importance from a political and santi-
| mental standpoint; and while its actuIl
| benefit has doubtless been exaggerated by
| the people of the islands. they will accept
1 this measure of justice rs an indication
i that the people of the United States arn