The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-22

country, although identical in race and
| language. And they would resent just
as much the attempt Of any group of
men, however wise, to direct their
! government during a temporary resi-
| dence. How, then, can congress -eX-
pect to legislate wisely for people who
are not only separated from America
| by the widest of the oceans, but diff
| ferent from the people of the United
States in color, race history and ira
ditions? How can body of men, how
| ever benevolent and intelligent, hope
| by a few months residence to so iden-
| tify themselves with the Filipinos as
to make rules and regulations suited
to their needs?
American Government Costly.
The Filipinos also present an argu-
ment against the eXpenSiveneSS of
American rule, and this argument is
rot only unansWerable, but it is
! directed against an evil which is with
| out remedy. If Americans are to hold
office in the Philippines they must be
/ well paid. They must not only receive
as much as they would receive in the
/ United States for the same work, but
they must receive more in order to
! compensate them for services so far
! from home. This is not only theoreti-
cally true, but the theory is exempli-
! fed in the pay roll The governor gen.
! eral receives $4,000 a year, two-fifths
/ OI Iue salary OF the president OF the
| United States, and yet, what a con-
| traSt between the duties and RESPONSE
| bilities of the two positions! And
! what a difference, too, in the wealth
of the two countries and in the ability
/ of the taxpayers of the two countries
to pay the salaries
/ The three American members of the
commission Excluding the governor
generaD receive $4,000 per year al
| most twice the salary of cabinet Off
. | nd three times al Of
atOrS and members of congress. 1t is
| true that these salaries do not appear
as salaries paid for work on the COM
mission, but as each American mem
Der of the commission receives $4,000
as head OF department and So 900 as
a member of the commission his total
income IS $4,000 while the Filipino
members of the commission receive but
s., ZOO.
The members of the Philippine ST.
preme court receive $4,000 each Ohe
! Filipino members of the court re-
! ceiving the same as the Americans, a
sum much larger than that usually
! paid to judges in the United States in
! courts of similar importance This high
| range of salaries runs through the en-
tire list of civil officials, and there is
no chance of lowering it. Except in
the case of judges, the Filipino Off
| Gals, as rule, receive considerably
! less than the Americans performing
| similar work. and this is a constant
| source of complaint. To Americans it
| is sufficient answer to say that high
| salaries are necessary to secure able
| and efficient officials from the United
States. but the Filipino is quick to re-
! spond: why, then, do you insist up
| on sending US Americans to do what
our people can do. and would do for less
compensation"
Sample American Foolishness.
Not only must the salaries of Ameri-
! cans be high, bat Americans must be
| surrounded with comfort to which the
| average Filipino is not accustomed No
one can remain in the Philippines long
! without hearing of the Benguet road
| and the enormous amount expended in
| its construction. There is a mountain
resort in Benguet province. in north
! central LuzOn, which the commission
thought might be developed into sum-
mer capital or a place TO which the
families of the officials il not the Off
Gals themselves, might retreat during
the heated term. The railroad running
from Manila to Dagupan would carry
| the hedlth-seeker to within thirty or
! forty miles of Benguet, and an engi-
neer estimated that a wagon road could
be constructed the rest of the way for
$4,000 1t seemed worth while TO the
commission 70 appropriate that much
for purpose which promised so much
Tor the health and comfort of those en-
gagged in the benevolent work of es-
| tablishing a stable government The
commission could hardly be blamed for
relying upon the opinion of the engi-
neer, and the engineer doubtless meant
Wen. But the first appropriation scarce
ly made an impression, and the second
engineer estimated that the cost would
De little greater. Having invested S75.-
coo, the commission cid not Ike to
abandon the plan, and so further ap-
preparations were made until more than
$25OO,OOO in gold have been drained
from the 1nsular treasury, and the Ben
guet road is not yet completed. If il
Is ever completed, it will require a
constant outlay of a large sum an
nually to keep it in repair
| Having met the members of the COM
mission and other Americans residing