Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-12-25
Tells OF UPL|FT
IN DEPENDENCIES
REPORT OF BROADER GENERAL
CLARENCE r. EDWARDS is
OPTIMISTIC.
PEACE AND ORDER
ATTAINED IN CUBA
Bill to Amend the Philippine Tariff
Act Is Observation-Disclosures Of
Catholic Church Claims Attained
Cuban Expenditures.

Washington, Dec. 21.-The annual
report of Brig. Gen. Clarence r. Ed
wards, chief of the bureau of InsulaI
affairs of the war department, has been
made public. The following is an alb
stract of the document:
The Philippine scouts are highly
commended, the bill to amend the
Philippine tariff act now pending in
the senate is Endorsed, encouraging
progress in the Philippines and the
maintenance of peace and order In
Cuba throughout the year are an
nounced. Gen. Edwards says the Phil.
ippine scouts are an important factor
in the education of the Filipino people
and in the creation of higher stand.
ard of living in the islands as well as
IN the extension of American .nflu'
ence The report recounts the settle
ment of the Catholic church claims,
and refers to the bill which passed the
house at the last session but was still
pending in the senate before commit
tee when congress adjourned, to pro-
vide free entry into the United States
of Philippine products, with certain
exceptions, and free entry of United
States products into the Philippine
islands and free trade between the
United States and the Philippines
without exceptions after April II,
1909. The report says the friends OF
the measure are entirely agreeable to
the inclusion of a clause limiting Phil
ippine sugar to be admitted under its
provision to 100000 tons annually.
This the sugar people admit would be
sufficient to restore some OF the for
mer prosperity to the sugar interests
in the islands. A reduction of the
present duties on tobacco, the report
suggests, would afford the moral en-
couragement of which producers in the
Islands now stand so seriously in
need.
Good Outlook for Railroads.
The passenger outlook is especially
bright on the railroads of these is
lands. The average density of popula-
ton in the different provinces COM
pares very favorably with some of the
countries of Europe. In Cebu it Is
greater than the density of population
of Japan, Germany or France. The
Visayan lines, according to the report.
should pay fair interest on the invest
ment above the four per cent. guaran-
teed by the Philippine government, for
they should develop an increasing
freight traffic from the fertile coun-
try The postal savings bank, part OF
the bureau of posts. shows steady In
crease of business, and the institution
has been we'll received by all classes
OF the depositors So per cent. are
Americans and 40 Filipinos. The sepa
rate deposits range from a few centa
vos to over 5000 pesos
The excess of insular expenditures
over revenues during the past fiscal
year was S570,524, and the excess OF
receipts over expenditures in the city
of Manila was $32S,367 The work Of
the Philippine students in this coun
try has been on an average very good
and in one or two cases Of an excep
tionally high order The value Of the
movement as whole to the Philippine
government and people. says Gen. Ed
wards, must still be left to the future
to disclose. but every sign points to 1t:
immense Importance.
Cuban Expenditures.
The expenditures of the Republic O.
Cuba on account Of American interven
ton from October 1, 1906, to June 80
last. were $757,343, these expenditure
being made from funds allotted by thu
provisional government from time t
time for army expenditures due direct
ly to the army service in Cuba. Thu
statement of extraordinary expendi
lures on account of the army of paci
tication in Cuba, which, under congress
sional legislation are to be reimburse
from the Cuban treasury, shows tc
tai OF $5.311,S22, of which $3,376,73
was from October L. 1906. to June 81
| 1907, and the balance from then unit
, June 30 last.
Wreck Newspaper Plant.