Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-07


counties the needed cattle, but the ex.
periments made We're unsuccessful. Most
of the cattle imported were unable to
withstand the change of climate and the
er diseases than rinderpest. =
Income Has Been Reduced
The income OF the Philippine govern
reason of the business and AGRICULTURAL
depression in the islands, and the gov
eminent has been obliged to exercise
great economy to cut down its expenses,
avoid a deficit. It has adopted an in ~
ternal; revenue law, imposing taxes on
cigars, lcigarettes; and distilled liquors.
and abolishing the old Spanish indus
trial taxes. The law has not operated as
smoothly as was hoped, and although
its principle is undoubtedly correct, it
may need amendments for the purpose
Of reconcing the people. to Its provi-
Sions. The income derived from It has
partly made up for the reduction in
customs revenue.
There has been marked increase In
the number , Ct Filiplnos employed in
decrease in the number Of, Americans.
The government in every one of its de-
partments has been rendered more eff
cient by elimination Of undesirable ma
terial and the promotion of deserving
public servants.
1uteIhA improvements
improvements OF harbors. roads and
down of the revenue forblds the expend.
iture of any great amount from current
income for these purposes Steps are
being taken, by advertisement for COM
petitive bids. to secure the construction
and maintenance of 1000 miles Of rail-
way by private corporations under the
recent enabling legislation OF the con-
gress. The transfer 1if.s Of the friar lands.
some two years ago, has been completely
effected, and the purchase money paid.
Provision has just been made by statute
for the speedy settlement I'm q special
troversles over the possession and title
of church buildings and rectories aris-
ing between the Roman Catholic church
and schismatics Claiming under ancient
municipalities. Negotiations and hear
ngs 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
conclusion may be submitted to the con-
gress before the end Of the session
Some Rebellious Disturbances
Tranquility has existed during the
past year throughout the archipelago
except in inc province Of Cavite, the
province Of Batangas, and the province
Of samar,-and in the island Of Jolo
was put to an end by several sharp
and short engagements, and now peace
prevails in the h1oro province. Cavite
the mother Of ladrones in the Spanish
sympathy of the people for ladronism as
to make 1t difficult to stamp out the dis
ease. Batangas was only disturbed by
reason r Of the fugitive ladrones from
turbance by the uneducated and partly
savage peoples living In the mountains,
who, having been given by the munic-
ipal code more power than they We're
ipal officers who abused their trusts
compelled the people raising hemp to
sell 1t at much less price than 1t was
worth. and by, their abuses drove their
thority. Cavite and ssamar are instances
of reposing too much confidence in the
self-governing power of people. The
disturbances have all now been sup
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 II there
self-government in the Philippines It has
been In the direction of giving 1t too
quickly. not too slowly. A year from
next April the first legislative assembly
for the islands will be held; On the SAINT
will depend SO far as the. future self
government of the Islands is concerned.
Education is Popular
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
lie schools. The increase was. from &c.,
900 to half MILLION pupils. The average
attendance is about 70 per cent. The
only limit upon the number of pupils
~ 10 ~ 1t%,y 80 &t,N
ment to furnish teachers and school
houses.
Tariff Should be Lower
The agricultural conditions Of the Is
the. argument In favor Of reducing the
ts on en 1hs RrodaS a G Gn ID epe
earnestly recommend that the tariff now
imposed by the. Dingley bill upon the
products Of the Philippine Islands be en-
tirely removed. except the tarift on n. ST. y.
reduced to q per cent of the. present
July i, ises. the the tariff a'g npon tobacco and
sugar produced in the Philippine islands
between the islands and the United
then be provided for by law.
Suspend Coast Wise Laws
A statute in force, enacted April Is, 1904
suspends the operation Of the coastwise
laws Of the United States upon the
trade between the Philippine Islands and
the United States hntil Jury j, 1905. I
earnestly recommend that this suspen-
sion be postponed until July ], 1909. I
think 1t Of doubtful utility to apply the
coastwise laws to the trade between the
United States and the Philippines under
any circumstances, because am con-
WINGED that 1t will do no good. whatever
to American bottoms and Will only In
terfere and be an obstacle to the trade
between the Philippines and the United
States; but If the coastwise. law must be
thus applied, certainly It ought not to
have effect until free trade Is. enjoyed
between the people of the United States
and the people Of the Philippine Islands
in their respective products.
Free Trade With the Islands
I do not anticipate that free trade be-
tween the islands and the United States
will produce a revolution IN the sugar
and tobacco production of the Philippine
Islands, so primitive are the methods
Of agriculture in the Philippine
Islands. 80 slow Is capital in going to
the Islands, SO many difficulties, sur
round a large agricultural enterprise in
years before the products Of those is
on the markets Of the United States.
The problem Of labor is also q formida-
BILE one with the sugar and tobacco pro
ducers in the islands. The pest trlenqs
Of the, Filipino people and the people