Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-02
A CHEERING OUTLOOK.
Report of Affairs in the Philip
pines.
MORE LAND CULTIVATED
Suppression of the Ladrones and Pula-
hanes.
CROPS WERE GENERALLY GOOD
People Ardently Hoping to Find .
Larger Market for Their Prod
ucts In This Country.
CROPS WERE GENERALLY G0oI

The annual report Of the Philippine COM
mission for the last fiscal year together
with the separate reports to the commits
sion OF the governor general Of the islands
and Of the heads of the four executive de-
partments, has just been published by the
War Department
1t is stated that the remnant of the
bands Of ladrones which have infested the
provinces Of Cavite and Batangas in the
neighborhood of Manila since the Spanish
regime have been finally broken up. With
the surrender of the constituted leaders
the lawless and disaffected had no one
around whom to gather and were quick to
follow the example Of the former by sur
rendering their arms and entering peace
full pursuits.
More Land Under Cultivation.
These two provinces have always been
the storm center Of ladronism, but now
that peace once more reigns and life and
property are safe, the people, no longer
fearing robbery or molestation while in
the pursuit of their employments, or the
devastation of their homes, the carrying
away Of their wives and daughters, and the
destruction of their property and all of the
fruits of their industry at the hands of the
outlaws, their relief is unbounded. and
their confidence in the permanency of these
conditions is attested by the fact that they
have placed under cultivation q larger
acreage of land than ever before. Aguinal-
do states that he believes there will be
very little further trouble from outlaws in
this section, and further proof of his
sincerity in this belief 1t Is cited that since
these surrenders he has leased from the
bureau of lands nearly 1,5OO acres of land
iStr Cln fn he
tains, hitherto infested by outlaws.
The only disturbance in northern Luzon
was caused by one Salvador. who has posed
as a prophet, wears long hair for effect
and has selected religious fanaticism as
the guise under which to work his depre-
dations.
Occasional Acts of Violence.
In the mountainous regions Of northern
central Luzon, inhabited mainly by Igorots
and other non-Christian or uncivilized
tribes there have been peace and good Or
der. except for the inclination for Occa-
siona1 reprisals on the part OF the peo-
pie Of one municipality on another. The
maintenance Of good order depends funda-
mentally and in the end upon the co-opera-
ton OF the people. and that cooperation
has been very largely secured. With the
exceptions noted the entire island Of Luzon
has enjoyed q condition of general ira nuuiI-
lily and is free from disorder and iawless
bands. 1t Is thought that the worst is over
in Samar. as many Of the pulahanes Chill
Tribes have surrendered and come In with
their guns, and that q just and humane
policy will bring its proper results
1t will probably require only a short time
to restore the province OF Leyte to its for
mer conditions of tranquility. The prov
ince Is very rich one and the recent dis
turbance Is especially unfortunate.
In all the remaining Visayan Islands
provinces ordinary conditions of industry
and uniform peace prevail
Since the killing Of Dato All the most
desperate outlaw on the island of Mfnanao,
the situation Is very much improved, and
the problem now is one Of maintenance.
rather than establishment Of order.
Regarding the recent elections, Governor
General Ide states that undoubtedly If there
has been error it has not been In the direc-
ton Of restriction, but rather in the grant
ing of perhaps larger measure Of self
government than people absolutely un-
trained In the exercise of any of the func-
tons OF government were prepared for. The
results have been on the whole encouraging
and the training that has come to the peo-
pie has been invaluable.
Crops Generally Good.
The reports of the various governors,
taken as a whole, indicate that the crops
are in more prosperous condition. except
as to tobacco. sugar and hemp, plants of
the latter having been damaged by a de-
structive typhoon to the extent Of about
$4,000 1900 in value of the crop. The reduc-
ton In the production Of tobacco Is due
largely to lack Of a suitable market, that. of
the United States being closed by the abso-
lutely prOhibitory duties imposed by the
Dingley tariff and to the consequent low
price realized for the leaf The balance OF
trade In favor Of the islands was about
$6.OO0,0O0. Enormous numbers of new
plants of Manila hemp, maguey "a most
useful fiber planD and cocoanuts have
been set out. and there has been a large in
crease in the area planted to rice
Another good sign of returning prosperity
is the increased purchases Of improved ag-
ricultural implements and machinery, which |
not merely denotes improvement in pur-
chasing power on the part of the people, |
but also furnishes the material for con-
stantly enlarged production.
Surplus in Fiscal Affairs.
The financial condition of the islands is |
reported to be very much better than for |
several years. At the close of the last
fiscal year there remained an excess of re-
ceipts over expenditures of over a million
and half gold due In part to the in.
creased collections by the bureau Of inter-
nal revenue and In part to the greater
economy In expenditures and 1t is conf |
IDENTIFY stated that during the coming year
there will be sufficient amount available |
over and above the ordinary expenses of |
the government to devote two or three mil |
lions to much-needed internal improve.
ments. road and bridge building and Der.
manent public works.
With the final payment on account Of |
friar-land purchases in October, 1905 there
passed Into the possession of the insular |
government approximately 400 600 acres Of |
agricultural land formerly belonging to the |
religious orders. and nearly one-fifth of the |
same has been leased largely to former |
tenants), from which a sufficient income Is |
derived to pay nearly half the interest on
the purchase bonds There is every reason
to believe that the present occupants will |
end their leases by becoming purchasers and |
contented landowners instead of discon-
tented and repudiating tenants, with con-
slant danger of disaffection and insurrec-
ton, which would have followed any at
tempt on the part Of the friars' orders to |
again assert their titles to these lands and |
collect rentals therefrom.
American Market Hoped For.
It Is stated that the principal ray OF hope
which came to the people of the Philippines |
in the midst Of their losses from rinder-
pest. locusts. droughts and low prices for
their products was that they might be
furnished relief from the excessive duties /
now imposed upon imports of sugar and
tobacco into the United States. and that
the disappointment throughout the islands