The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-06

and rectories arising between the Roman Catholic Church and schismatics claiming under ancient municipalities Negotiations and hearings for the settlement of the amount due the Roman Catholic Church for rent and occupation of churches and recto- ries by the army of the United States are in progress. and 1t is hoped satisfactory conclusion may be submitted to the Congress before the end of the session.
 Tranquility has existed during the past year throughout the Archipelago. except in the province of Cavite. the province Batan- gas. and the province of Samar. and in the island of Jolo among the Moros. The Jolo disturbance was put 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 la- drones from Cavite. Samar was thrown Into disturbance by the uneducated and partly savage people living in the mouwtains. who. having been given by the municipal code more power than they were able to exer- else discreetly. elected municipal officers who abused their trusts compelled the peo- pie raising hemp to sell 1t at much less price than 1t was worth. and by their abuse drove their people into resistance to consti- tuted authority. Cavite and Samar are in stances of reposing too much confidence In the self-governing power of a people. The disturbances have all now been suppressed. and 1t is hoped that with these lessons local government 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-governmcnt 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 sanity and self-restraint of this body much will depend far as the future self government or the islands is concerned
 The most encouraging feature of thefwhole situation has been the very great interest taken by the common people in education and the great increase in the number of enrolled pupils in the public schools The increase was from 300.000 to half a million pupils The average attendance is about 70 per cent. The only limit upon the mum Der of pupils seems to be the capacity Of the government to furnish teachers and school houses.
 The agricultural conditions of the islands enforce more strongly than ever the argu- ment in favor of reducing the tariff on the products of the Philippine Islands entering the United States. I earnestly recommend that the tariff now imposed by the Dingley bill upon the products of the Philippine lsl- ands be entirely removed. except the tartfI on sugar and tobacco. and that that tariff be reduced to 20 per cent. of tho present
 
 1. 1909. the tariff upon tobacco and sugar produced in the Philippine Islands be entirev ly removed. and that free trade between the islands and the United States in the prod ucts of each country be provided for py law. u,
 A statute in force. enacted April 10. 1soss suspends the operation of the coastwise laws of the United States upon the trade between the Philippine Islands and the United states until July 1. 1906. I earnestly recommend that this supension be postponed until July 1, 1909 l think it of doubtful utility to apply the eoastwise laws to the trade ne- tween the United States; but If the coastwise law must be thus applied. certainly it ought not to have effect until free trade Is enjoy ed betwe nthe people of the United states and the people of the Philippine Islands in their respective products.
 do not anticipate that free trade between the islands and the United States will pro duce a revolution in the sugar and tobacco production of the Philippine Islands. 50 primitive are the methods of agriculture Tn the Philippine Islands. so slow is capital m going to the islands. so many difficulties aurround a large agricultural enterprise In the islands. that it wll be many, many years before the products, Of those tsiands VII have any effect whatever upon the markets of the United States Tne Drooism o. Dor is also a formidable one with the sugar and tobacco producers in the tslandS Fne hest friends of the Filipino people and the people themselves are utterly opposed 70 tn admission of Chinese eooiie iapor' hence the only solution is the training of Filipino labor and thIs will take a long time. The enactment of a law by the Congress Of the United States making privsion Tor free traoe between the islands and the United 6taless however will. be of great importance from Q noIitical and sentimental standpoint: and while its actual benefit has doubtless been exaggerated by the people Of the isianos. they will accept this measure of justice as an indication that the people or the uni
 ,,.wIlr sfsa al Philippine Islands in every way, and espec- ially in the agricultural deyelopments of their archipelago. It will aio the fhpihos without injuring interests in America
 Hawai-.
 I'm rov iudrment 'ifnmed diate steps should he @ken for the fertilization of Hawai-. This is the most important point in the Pa- eific to fortify in the order to conser' tue interests of this country IL wouAa pc halu to oyerstate the importance of this need: Hawaii is too heavily taxed. Laws shouio be enacted setting aside for period oi say twenty years 75 per cent or the inter nal revenue and customs recetpts from ua- wall as a special fund to be expenoea m inc islands for educational and public build iugs and for harbor improvements ana mi itary and naval defenses. It can not De too often repeated that our aim must pc to develop the Territory of Hawai- on traoi- sionaI A merican lines That Territory has serious commercial and industrial problems to reckon with: but no measure or reneA can b. considered which looks to leRisia- lion admitting Chinese and restricting them by statute to field labor and domestic ser vice The status of servility can never again be tolerated on American soiL we can not concede that the proper soiutVn0 of its problems is special legislation eaH fling to Hawaii q class of laborers oenleu admission to the other States aHo Ie.1eo riea There are obstacles and great oDsta- cles fin the way of building up represen.A- tive American community In the Ha"San Isianas-: but 1t ia not in the American char
 -. .o s-tva m fin the face of difficulty SSar@ =. AmarIcan commonwealth has been built up against odds equal 10 those 'N~' now confront HawahL< ~. .. nrohlarnS as otner American communities have ,nst theirs can be accepted as final Hawaii shsn never become esi'.'Si M ,vhtch a governing class of rich planters srists oy means of coolie labor Even n ths Tate of growth of the territory IS there- h, rendered slower. the growth must ohly take placa by the admission of immigrants fit in the end to assume the duties ana Dur- dens of full American citizenship. our aim must be to develop the Territory on the same basis of stable eitlzshshiD HE eN ists on this continent.
 Porto Rico.
 earnestly advocate the adoption or leg isiatIon which will explicitly confer Amer ican citizenship on all citizens of Porto Hi- co There is in my judgment. no excuse 1 for failure to do this The harpor or san san .Iuan should be dredged and improved. me ,SxDenses of the federal court of Porto Klc9 l should be met from the Federal Treasury | and moi from the Porto Rican Treasury. ! The elections in Porto Rico shouio tAAe place every four years. and the legislatuIe should meet in session every TWO years tHe present form of government in Porto kieo
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