The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-22
been critically referred to by Mr.. Bry,
~ recently, Nj. Taft said:
Railroad Question.

developments of the Philippines Is tn,
construction Of railways. Under til,
organic act Of 1902, congress gave i,
authority to grant railway franchises
but try as we would, we we're unabl,
to enlist capitalists in the enterprise
except In the construction Of two small
lines, branches Of the old road.
IN 1905, congress passed a law en-
abling us to guarantee the interest Of
the bonds OF any new railway to thu
extent OF four per cent for thirty years
the amounts paid to be a second lier
on the railroad payable after thirty
years. By this means, we secured the
construction Of one hundred miles O
railroad in each Of the three islands
OF Negroes, Cebu and Panay. In Luzon
We secured the construction of 400
miles OF additional railway without
any guarantee. It was secured in this
wise:
The Manila and Dagupan road had
been built under q Spanish franchise
creating q partnership in the railroad
between the government and the com
pany and having among its many
terms a guaranty Of a fixed income to
the company during the life Of the
franchise, for 8S years. Under the adj
yice>of the attorney general OF the
United States that the provisions OF
the charter and especially the guaran.
ty were not binding on the United
States, the military government before
I became governor, had declined to
pay the income when demanded and
repudiated the obligations Of the char.
ter.
This LETT the new franchise in a
most indeterminate condition. IN sub
sequent negotiations, we secured a
contract with the company to con-
struct 400 additional miles in Luzon
under a perpetual franchise, by bring
ing the old railroad under the same
All the railroad franchises
authorized by the present government
in the Philippine islands are perpet-
ual, just as they are in this country.
They all contain the provision, how
ever, that they are subject to amend
ment or repeal by congress. The ar
rangement was made greatly for the
benefit.
This is the part Of my record in
the Philippines to which I suppose Mr..
means to call my attention. He
OF the Benguel railroad fran
chise. There is no Benguel railroad.
wish there was. 1 presume he re-
fers to the Manila and Dagupan rail-
road franchise. 1t was fully described
In an elaborate report l made to con
gress in 1906. It was approved by
the president and the cabinet after
full consideration. Mr.. Bryan is the
first person, SO far as ! know, to ques-
ton its wisdom or propriety.
Next we bought the Friars land
and paid s7,OO0,O00 for them. This
was done to save a new Instruction
by the 10000 tenants on the lands
who refused to pay rent to the friars.
The Friars had good title to the
lands, but they had become unpopular
with the people and the tenants re-
fused to recognize their title, claim
ing the Aguinaldo government had
passed a law Matchmaking these
lands and that therefore they would
not recognize the Friars as their law
full owners. The purchase rid the
government of the necessity OF en-
at the instance Of the
Friars judgment in the court for the
election Of $4,000 tenants and thus
avoided a e war. And not only in.
the matter Of friars lands, but in the.
Of many charitable trusts,
have effected a compromise, by
the church takes over some
charitable trusts and we take over
others. All the church questions are
settled, we'll settled, and fairly set
tied.
meantime, the influence OF the
Catholic church in the Philippine is
lands for good has been increased by
the substitution of an American heir
.rchy for the Spanish hierarchy.
episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian
and Baptist churches have been es-
tablished there and q great improve
ment has come over the islands with
respect to religion and morality after
the decentralization Of four years war
and d%esolation.
"In an interview l said that even the
Independistas-that Is, those In favor
Of immediate independence in the is
lands-prefer Republican victory to"
Mr.. ,Bryan's promises. MI Bryan now
responds with a cable from Alberto
Barrette, denying this on behalf OF
certain authorities in the Independis-
tas party. replied myself for my
on q conversation ! had
last month with Senior Quesen, who
Is the leader Of the Independistas, in
the national assembly, in which he
told me- that although the Independts-