The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-10
PEACE PREVAILS
IN PHILIPPINE
Commission Says Outbreak ks
Are Brigandage.
M0Ros TAUGHT A LESSON
Since General Wood Reduced Several of
Their Cottas They Have not
Been OVERLY Hostile.


Commission. of which Luke E Wright
is president, was sent to Congress te-aay
by the Secretary of War.
1t is dated November l. 1904.
Reviewing present conditions in the
islands the report says that there is no
reason to suppose that the general order
and peace now prevailing VIII be other
wise than permanent.
The sporadic outbreaks in the interior
portions of some Of the islands are at
tributed entirely to briganeage- The re-
lations between the Americans and the
natives are generally cordial. and there
continues steady growth Of confidence
and good feeling. AS an instance of the
futility Of agitators attempting to stir
up a general insurrection. the report
cites secret trip made by Artemic Ri
carte, from the Hongkong junta
through Luzon. where he found to his
establishment that the people We're deaf
to his appeals
The report gives separate considera-
ton to conditions in the Moro country.
The people of that province, at first,
did not take kindly to the efforts of the
| commission to organize a local govern
| ment. resenting any interference with
their customs. and regarding the APP
pearance of the white man as an inuru-
| sion Our soldiers We're attacked
! when they went on trips into
| the interior, and it became nee
essary for Cen Leonard Wood, gov
| ernor of the province, to take stern
measures meas sa,.. to repress them. He re-
| report, and gave them a salutary and
| Inuch-needed lesson. Since then there
have been no overt acts of hostility
Reduction of Troops
The report says that there has been a
reduction of American troops In the
] islands during the year by about one
third, there being now only about Y, 900.
I They occupy now only SO posts as
against 70 a year ago. The report high
| ly compliments the work of the native
constabulary and scouts IN breaking up
bands OF Carabao thieves and ladrones,
wherever they appeared
| The report points with pride to the
successful Introduction OF the new CON
ant currency, saying that the none
| tary depression incident TO the change
| is passing away and there are already
revival of business in all directions.
Tariff Reduction Urged.
| The report urgently recommends the
abolition. or reduction to not more than
% per cent, OF the DingIey tariff on
sugar and tobacco sent.from the islands
to the Unite;t States, saying: Inside
\ from being measure of simple JUS
/ tice, nothing which Congress could do
| would have such a tremendous moral
effect upon the people Of the islands.
TT is difficult for them to appreciate
the soundness of the reasons which give
this benefaction to Hawaii and Porto
Rico and refuse it to them"
nf a
the followfag.
l Authorization for the commission &c
issue bonds not to exceed s., coo. DOC for
improvements.
exemption of all Philippine bonds
from taxation
Control of interisland shipping TO be
left entirely to the commission.
Guarantee by the Philippine govern
rnent of i per cent income on railroad
investments.
Limit of z, coo acres as amount OF
land to be acquired by any individual
or corporation for agricultural purposes
The commission TO make reductions
of import tariff schedules whenever
deemed advisable.
Provision for extradition Of Philip
pine criminals from foreign countries
Appended to the report of the com
! mission are reports OF the individual
| members thereof, as heads OF the Vari
Gus executive branches of the Philip
| pine government.
In the report OF Gen. Luke Wright, a:
j, | civil governor, It is stated that there
has been marked progress in agriculture
| over the preceding year. and that th'
lands are gradually recovering from
the bnghting effects Of the rinderpes
which attacked the Carabaos with suci
violence a few years ago. The city o.
Manila is being improved and beauti
, | fed: the electric street railway is being
l rapidly built. and the authorities ar
: preparing to begin soon the construction
| Of new sewer and waNer systems.
, The report of Dean 9. Worcester, a!
secretary OF the interior, states tina
health conditions are generally goo(
throughout the islands; that cholera la
t completely disappeared; that local cpl
t denies Of smallpox have been prompt,
: checked, and that bubonic plague n.
decreased TO the extent that there ~er
only eighty-seven cases in Manila Z
against 200 for the previous year.
! James F. Smith, in his report as sec
5 rotary of public instruction, says tina
SO provincial high schools are now II
operati in 35 of the provinces. and
. technical. II intermediate and 2,233 pri
mary schools have been permanently es
) tablished IN 629 Of the $50 municipalities
The total number of Filipino teacher
is 5.134: Americans S1z