Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-01-28

secretary Tart In mis- exhaustive
report on actual conditions in the
Philippines has disclosed many facts
of general interest and the anthem
ITCHY given them will have effect
in giving direction to more con-
sentative views. Among the most
pertinent is the one concerning the
cost of maintenance of the present
government, where he says:
The most astonishing and unfair
statements have appeared in the
press from time to time and have
been uttered by men of political
prominence who should know better,
in respect to the cost to the United
States of the Philippine Islands. The
question of the cost of the islands to
the United States as affecting its
future policy cannot of course In
clude the cost of war into which
the United States was forced
against its will, and which, wheth-
er it ought to have been carried on
or not was carried on to finish
more than FIVE years ago.
The only question of cost that is
relevant to the present discussion of
the cost to the United States Of the
maintenance of the present Philip
pine government including in that
the cost of the maintenance OF that
part of the United States army
which is in the Philippine Islands.
Nor is it fair to include the entire
cost of the United States army In
the Philippine Islands for the reason
that even If we did not have the
PHILIPPINES, we should certainly re-
tain the present size of our standing
army which hardly exceeds $4,000
effective men, a very small army for
80, 100000 people. Moreover. 1t is
worthy of note that the GREATEST
increase in the army of recent years
has, been in that branch of the SER
vice-to-wit, the coast artillery
which has not been used in the
Philippines for some years.
/ The only additional cost therefore
that the maintenance of the army
can be said to entail upon the
United States is the additional cost
Of maintaining $4,000 soldiers in
the islands over what it would be to
maintain the same number of sol
diers in the United States. This has
been figured out and roughly stated
aomunts to about $3.50 man or
SO, 900, 900, together with the main
tenance of. 1000 Philippine scouts
at cost of $500 a man. or In an
100000, which makes total an
nual expenditure of 100000.
The United States at present con-
tributes something. perhaps $780,
900, to the expense Of the coast sur.
yey of the islands. With this excep-
ton there is not one cent expended
from the treasury Of the United
States for the maintenance Of the
government In the islands. The adj
ditional cost of 10000 men in the is.
lands, figured above at $3.50 man
includes the cost of transportation
and the additional cost Of food sup
pies and other matters.
There is item of cost, which pei
haps may be charged to the Philip
pine islands. | refer to the expen
Sc of fortifying the bay at Manila
the port of Ilo'io and the port o.
Cebu, so that in holding the islands
the United States shall not be sub
ject to sudden and capricious attach
by any ambitious power. Thu
may reach total of ten millions
But it is hardly fair to charge thi
to the Philippine policy; for almos
everyone comedies the necessit 20
terrifying and maintaining coalini
stations In the Orient whether W
|. have the Philippines or not.
The question is, therefore, wheth
err in order to avoid the expenditur
of $5,000,000 year, the Unite'
States should pursue the humiliat
ing policy of scuttle, should ruI
away from an obligation which
has assumed to nC1e the Philip
pines a permanently self-governin
community, and should miss an op
portunity at the same time of build
ing up profitable trade and secur
ing a position in the Orient that ca
not but be of the utmost advantag
in obtaining and maintaining 1t
proper proportion of the Asiatic an
Pacific trade.