The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-22

than that usually paid to Judges in the
United States in courts Of similar impor-
tanoe. This high range of salaries runs
through the entire list of civil officials,
and there Is no chance of lowering it.
Except in the case Of Judges. the Filipino
officials, as a rule, receive considerably
less than the Americans performing similar
work, and this is a constant source Of COM
plant. To Americans it is a sufficient
answer to say that high salaries are neces-
sary to secure able and efficient officials
from the United States, but the Filipino
Is quick to respond:
why, then. do you insist upon sending
us Americans to do what our people can
do and would do for less compensation"
THE s 2,SoO,0oO BENoUET ROAD.
Not only must the salaries Of Ameri-
cans be high but Americans must be sur
rounded with comforts to which the average
Filipino Is not accustomed. No one can
remain in the Philippines long without
bearing of the Benguet road and the enor-
nous sum expended in its construction.
There is a mountain resort in Benguet
province, In north central Luzon, which
the commission thought might be developed
into a summer capital or a place to which
the families OF the officials, if not the officials
themselves, might retreat during the heated
term. The railroad running from Manila
to Dagupan would carry the health seeker
to within thirty OF forty miles of Benguet,
and an engineer estimated that q wagon
road could be constructed the rest Of the
way for SIS 900.
1t seemed worth while to the commission
g. arnropriofa that much Tor a nitrnNaa
which promised 80 much for the health and
comfort Of those engaged in the benevolent
work Of establishing a stable government.
The commission could hardly be blamed
for relying upon the opinion Of the engineer,
and the engineer doubtless meant well.
The first appropriation scarcely made
an impression, and the second engineer
estimated that the cost would be a little
greater. Having invested SIS 900, the COM
mission did not like to abandon the plan,
and so further appropriations were made
until more than 81, 500, 900 in gold has been
drained from the insular treasury, and
the Benguet road is not yet completed.
II It ever Is completed, it will require a
constant outlay of a large sum annually
to keep 1t in repair.
AMERICAN OFFICIALS PRAISED.
Having met the members Of the COM
mission and other Americans residing
in the Philippines, / am gladt 10 testify
that they are, as a rule, men Of character,
ability and standing. The personnel Of
Philippine. official life Is not likely to be
improved, and 90 long as We occupy the
islands under a colonial policy the Benguet
experiment is liable to be repeated in
various forms, and yet the Flipinos point
to the Benguet folly to illustrate both ig-
| norance Of local conditions and partially
toward the foreign population,
FrL1pINos AND sKLr-oovERNMENT.
Tho third question, Are the Filipinos
competent to govern themselves?' Is the
one upon which the decision must finally
turn. Americans will not long deny the
fundamental principles upon which our
W Government rests, nor will they upon
mature reflection assert that foreigners
| can sympathize as fully with the Filipino
as representatives chosen by the Fihpinos
themselves.
The expensiveness Of a foreign govern
meut and its proneness to misunderstand
local needs viii be admitted by those
who give the subject any thought, but
well meaning persons may still delude
themselves with the belief that Spanish
rule has inoapaoitated the present genera
ton for wisely exercising the franchise
or that special conditions may unfit the
Filipipos for tie establishment n main