Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-09-05

army Officers IN command This plan
worka admirably, There In In general OK
oeilbnt order IN nil tho Islands except
where some religious fanatics have made
trouble with their own people but these
are now nearly all suppressed. I havo
been all over the islands without arms
or guards, and felt as safe as here In
Vermont, There are fewer crimes of
personal violence In Manila than In any
city Of It's size In the United States.
Filipino policemen in Manila are by far
the most successful In detecting their
own countrymen who have committed
crimes, but It needs American police
men to handle American offenders"
What Is the financial condition of the
government"
"It has from the beginning paid its
own way, including tho support of courts
schools. constabulary, ROAD building and
public improvements; also the expense
Of constructing md maintaining light
houses. qua rantine service and tho geo
det'c survey Is met mainly by the Is
lands and not ny the United States gov
eminent. At the end OF the fiscal year
ending with June. 1906. the insular gov
eminent had paid all its bills and had
81, 800 no as n gold balance inappropriate
cd; and the year iust closing will show
nm equal amount added to the reserve.
II is not intended to maintain a larger
surplus than this. all further sums TO be
expended for public works. The new
coinage system. whereby over thirty mil
lion pesos are being recoined. on account
OF tho appreciation In the value Of silver
add a profit Of about six millions TO tho
govern ment, n portion of which will be
used for maintaining the gold standard.
and the remainder will he used for need
cd public improvements. The seven mil
lions of bonds which the government has
put ont TO meet the purchase Of the
frars' lands are secured by the proceeds
from the gradual sale, on long terms o.
pavinent, OF these lands three and n
| half million Of per cent. thirty-vear
bonds. redccmable in ten years, have
been issued to promote public improve
ments; the credit OF the government Is
OF the Highest and its bonds have beer
sold nearly on a three per cent. basis
no provinces or municipalities have any
doub. aside from small advances made
by the insular government. Manila has
Il small bonded debt, for which ar
adequate sinking fund mas been nrovid-
ed
Closely related to the finances are
| the Industrial conditions. As is wei
known. the rlnderpest destroyed neat,
| three-fourths Of the caribao. the native
cattle on which the farmers rely, dur.
| ing 1870 and the years following; but W.
| now have serum which arrests tn,
progress OF this disease, and We send In.
| o. ,h.y- No
people have suffered from plaques OF
| locusts; the losses incident to war; ant
cholera has prevailed quite largely a
! times. The unjust Determinations Of oul
| tariff laws have been a great burden ant
hardship; all Spanish markets have beer
lost to the islands; on tho suppositor
! that the Philippines are aliens heav!
duties for the benefit of the sugar anc
tobacco trusts Of the United States hav'
been Imposing on exports to this
country; while shipping laws regard thu
| Island as a part Of this country. and re
| quiro, after July l. 1900. all imports anC
| exports anu all passengers to be ca rr!eC
IN American ships; there are no Ameri
can lines used from our Atlantic coas
| to the Philippines, and this puts the i'm
| potes and exporters Of the Philippines
at the mercy of our transcoEtinenta
| railways and the two steamship line
which have a monopoly OF the Pacif,
! trade.I cannot but believe. however, tina
our next Congress will afford some relic
! from this gross injustice which has 81
burdened the islands. In spite of al
| these trials, however conditions hav
| improved during the last two or thre
years. Since wars have ended. fields car
be securely cultivated: the processes o
| nautre are replenishing the herds o
| carIbao the locusts have been combatc'
by effective agencies, and more people
are laborinE than ever before"
| Some Of the Gratifyin- surprises hay
| been met in regard to native labor
When the electric road was built ii
| Manila the item of labor in constructio
fell 40 per cent. below the estimate. !
well handled more work can probahl
be obtained for the money paid than +
| the United States; the natives are b.
some employers preferred to eithe
Chinese or japanese II only they are
properly treated and supervised; bu
they must not be separate from thc'
| families. or denied their Crstomar
sports and recreations or abused an
cursed. As regards agriculture, there ha
been great progress. The importation q
rice, which is the great staple of food
has fallen from sll5oo,Oo0 in 1909 TO onl
1900 900 last year; this means that 500
the islands will be self-supporting as RI
CARDS this food product; s220rD,OOO re
presents the present value of hemp on
ported and with the extension of til
railroads this will be largely incrcas ed.
What is your judgement Of the wor
of American educators In the islands an
of the present status OF that work."
From 500 to 1000 American teacher
have been teaching English and teach
ing Filipinos how to teach; there hay
been some poor one but most OF thee
have done very fine work Nearly so
native teachers are now employed by II
municipalities and provinces. while Il
American teachers ere paid by the II
sular government. The present enro
ment OF pupils Is about half a million
but there are double that number In II
= islands not yet In school. who are denis
the greatly desired privilege because
lack of funds. The system needs lars
| pcIo at be