The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-06


 islatiOn of the Congress. The transfer of the friar lands. in accordance with the contract made some two years ago, has just been completely effected, and the purchase money paid. Provision has just been made by statute for the speedy settlement in a special proceed ing in the Supreme Court of controver- sies over the possession and title of church buildings and rectories arising between the Roman Catholic Church and schismatics claiming under an- cient municipalities. Negotiations and hearings 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 it is hoped satisfactory conclusion may be submitted to the Congress be- fore the end of the session.
 Tranquility has existed during the past year throughout the Archipelago, except in the province of Cavite, the 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 fugi- tive ladrones from Cavite. Samar was | int ucated and partly savage peoples liv- ing in the mountains, who, having been given by the municipal code more pow CT than they were able to exsrcise dis creetly elected municipal officers who abused their trusts, compelled the peo- pie raising hemp to sell it at a much } less price than it was worth, and by their abuses drove their people into re- slstance to constituted authority. Ca- Vlte and Samar are instances of repos- ing too much 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 l 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 di- rectton of giving it too quickly, not too slowly. A year from next April the first legislative assembly for the is- will be held. On the sanity and self restraint of this body much will de- . pend so far as the future self-govern- ment 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 in the pub lie schools. The increase was from 300,- 900 to half million pupils. The aver age attendance is about 70 per cent. The only limit upon the number of pupils seems to be the capacity of the government to furnish teachers and school houses.
 The agricultural conditions of the is- lands enforced more strongly than ever the argument 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 islands be entirely removed, except tn etariff on sugar and tobacco, and that that tariff be reduced to 25 per cent. of the present rates under the Dingley act, that after July 1, 1909, the tariff upon tobacco and sugar produced in the Philippine islands be entirely removed, and that free trade between the islands and the United States in the products of each country then be provided for by law.
 statute in force, enacted April 15, 1904, suspends the operation of the coastwise laws of the United States up- on the trade between the Philippine is- lands and the United States until July l, 19O6 I earnestly recommend that this suspension be postponed until July l. 1909. I think it of doubtful utility to apply the coastwise laws to the trade between tho United States and the Philippines under any circumstances, because am convinced that it will do no good whatever to American bottoms, and will only interfere and be an ob- stacle to the trade between the Philip PAhASS cNAiu IIO OISlSu OIdlSSy DuI IL IHS coastwiselaw must be thus applied, cer- tainly it ought not to have effect until free trade is enjoyed between the peo- pie of the United States and the people of the Philippine islands in their re- spective products.
 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 Philip pine islands So primitive are the meth ods of agriculture in the Philippine is- lands, so slow is capital in going to the islands, so many difficulties surround a large. agricultural enterprise in the is- lands, that it vii be many, many years before the products of those islands will have any effect whatever upo nthe markets of the United States. The problem of labor is also a formidable one with the sugar and tobacco produc. CTS in the islands, The best friends of the Filipino people and the people themselves are utterly opposed to the admission of Chinese coolie labor. 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 mak- ing provision for free trade between the islands and the United States, however