The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-23
MEN WHO MADE GOOD.
How Shuster, the New Member of the
Philippine Commission. Won
His SnBrs.

His Spurs.
The selection of w. Morgan Shuster.
collector Of customs of the Philippine
Islands. to fill the latest vacancy on
the Philippine commission was no sur
prise to those who have watched Mr..
Shuster's career in the island possess
stems Of the United States.
When Mr.. Shuster, after winning his
fist laurels in Cuba, arrived in Ma
Mia. In September, 1901, to relieve Col.
Cotton, who had acted as collector un-
der the military regime, he was
handicapped by his seeming youth and
ineXperience. The American mer-
chants could not understand why he
stood SO rigtdly for the enforcement of
the letter OF the law, rather than for
its spirit. The foreign tradesmen
could not believe that there was no
way to cross the palm" of the new
collector. especially as he was not
bound BY military service: and was, in
their opinion. less likely TO be pun
ishe! for graft than were the mill
tary men Who had filled the Office be-
fore him.
In time the business community be-
came better acquainted with Mr.. Shus-
ter. The Americans learned that his
policy was to carry out the laws to
the letter and let the powers above
him change them ii they were Ill adj
vised. The foreigners learned rather
suddenly, and In some cases forcibly,
that the new collectors palms wer.
not outstretched behind his back. and,
what was more to their surprise, that
he kept watchful eye on those be-
meath him.
There were many battles between
Mr.. Shuster and the business men be-
fore an understanding was reached.
Appeals we're made to the commission
that Mr.. Shuster be relieved. The
business interests. using their adver-
Using patronage with certain part
OF the smaller press, caused bitter at
tacks to be made upon the young COL
lector. but he. seemingly oblivious to
all outside influences, pounded away
at his own billet and soon hammered
from clumsy survival of an obsolete
Spanish system a modern American
machine.
The principal revenue of the Philip
pine islands had been derived, since
American occupancy. from the GUS
toms. The few were heavily taxed
Tor the many, and, as is inevitable in
such cases. there was always deficit.
The Philippine government, anxious to
bring the Philippines up to modern
standards. did not care to make the
burden upon the United States too
heavy. and 1t was up to the collector
OF customs to supply the demand.
Taking up his work along business
lines, Mr.. Shuster figured profit and
loss as closely as any merchant. He
was always on the outlook for some
thing to increase the import trade
and. incidentally, the custom receipts.
No point was too small to be worthy
of careful attention. and many of his
suggestions were of sufficient import
ance to merit the approval of the COM
mission
In addition to the regular work OF
the customs service, Mr.. Shuster's de-
partment included the bureau Of navi-
cation. the steamboat inspection ser
vice. the division of special agents,
the revenue cutter service, the
bureau of immigration, the harbor
commission. the supervision OF fish
cries. the United States shipping COM
mission. the registration of Chinese
and the supervision of pilots and their
associations. or all these things Mr..
Shuster was the active head. the man
responsible to the Philippine COM
mission. 1t was a good-sized task for
an older and more experienced man,
and yet 1t has not been of record, or
Of rumor. that Mr.. Shuster failed in
any of the tasks set before him.
In 1903. when the first big changes
in the commission we're rumored, Mr..
Shuster began, like a receptive candi-
date, to place his ear to the grouno.
There may have been rumblings to
show that the lightning was likely to
strike near him. When the holt fell
In the United States and w. Cameron
Forbes was named member of the
commission Mr. Shuster did not ex-
press any idle regrets. as did others
with similar aspirations. but buckled
down to his work of seeking more
ways to increase the island revenues
Soon after Mr.. Forbes arrived Mr.