Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1905-04-20
PHILIPPINE
Why Trade and Industry Lanrufsh
In Our Oriental Colony.

III Our Or1ent81
That there is deep seated discomfort
in u oriental colony there can be no
doubt, and the cause Is attributable to
the languishing condition Of Philippine
trade and industry resultant from the
American occupation, says the Atlanta
Constitution. 1t is more q reason of
bread and butter than Of politics, for
under the new regime the islanders
have q larger measure Of local self
government than they enjoyed under
Spanish rule and infinitely more ner-
sonal liberty. Nevertheless they find
their problems Of livelihood more diff
cult than ever, and it is not surprising
that b desire for political independ-
ence has grown rather than decreased
since the property transfer of the is-
lands was made by Spain to the United
States.
At this distance we hear but one side
OF the question, and that the rosy col
ored official side. Doubtless the Amer
lean officials in the Philippines are do
ing very well, as are a few American
corporations that have been given
most favorable franchise privileges in
the islands. We are given a little in
king of the other side by the Mindanao
Herald, a native publication, which ed
1torially answers President Roosevelt's
reported declaration that he could not
understand why there should be an
unsettled feeling of discomfort in the
Philippines, although we have given
them a good government, better than
they ever had, and removed the sources
Of oppression"
The Mindanao Herald SAYS that when
Taft arrived in the islands his salary
was 10000 pesos per annum, without
allowances Of any kind. When he re-
turned to the United States he was
drawing a salary of $4,000 pesos per
annum and some 10000 pesos in allow
ances. "a peso is the Spanish dollar.)
The paper goes on to state that under
the Taft administration the taxes more
than quadrupled and the cost Of living
more than doubled, while wages in
creased but slightly in the cities and
not at all in the provinces. At the
same time employment fell off until the
bulk Of the labor in the islands was liv.
ing in poverty and enforced idleness
and native tradesmen were forced tc
the wall.
This authority sees no hope in pros
pect from the late act of congress con.
ferring upon the Filipinos a large,
measure Of self government through 6
legislative assembly, for it is explained
that the Filipino lawmakers are no
permitted to reduce the appropriations
which are fixed by the Philippine com
mission. The president is told that un
less he ''puts men at the head Of tn,
government pledged to retrenchment ii
useless officials and high salaries and
greatly decreased expenditure in publi'
improvements the people Of these is
lands will continue indefinitely on tn
verge of desperation"
We trust that Secretary Taft's per
sonally conducted congressional part,
to the Philippine colony will ventur
some distance from the governor gen
erals palace in Manila and have an ey
open for other things than the pictu1
esque features Of Filipino life. Their
is reason to believe that there is NOR
that might be learned from the NOR
intelligent natives than would be i'm
parted by carpetbag oficialism, an
the native side Of the question mus
be heard if congress is to give the Fill
pinos a square deal' in government
with a view to ultimate independence.