The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-08-02

AIanila-It is only a little more than
eleven years since Admiral Dewey fought
the Battle of Manila Bay II is not quite
eleven years since the occupation or Ma
Mia by the American troops, ana IL IS only
eight years since the American civil gov
eminent was established in the islands.
The achievements Of American rule III
/ that short time have reVOlutlOnized the
/ life of the islands from the topmost cir
Giles of society i'm Manila to the every
day life of the dog-eating, head-hunting
saVages of the mountains. More has been
done in d decade than Spain accomplished
in over three centuries.
America found a subject people which
had absolutely no part in the govern
ment. and which for years had been in
a constant state of instruction against
| the authorities. America brought about
peace, by making war effective, and put
down the bandits and thieves as well as
the political insurgents. Today the Phil
lppines enjoy a tranquility never before
dreamed of In the islands. The kiipinOs
have been granted almost complete su-
tonomy in municipal affairs and have
| been granted a large share In the legis-
latiEe, executive and judicial government
OF the islands.
America found a people which had never
enjoyed free speech or free press. Men
who spoke for the liberty of their coun-
trymen were executed without trial Per
sons who complained of the corruption of
the government were cast in nOisOme
T
press is free. the right of free speech
is guaranteed, the right Of petition is
assured, and men may talk Of iudepend-
ence as much as they please unless they
advocate riot and rebellion.
America found the church and state SO
combined that there was great difficulty
| in demarking the province of one from
the other in government. Complete sep
aratiOn has been accomplished, the right
Of every man to worship as he sees fit
is guaranteed, the lands of the religious
orders were purchased and held for set
| Element by free holders. And all OF this
has been accomplished peacefully.
America found a fiuCtuatinE money IN
use. and replaced il with a fixed and
staple currency upon the gold standard
so that in every part of the island the
money is the same and its value known,
America found the highways of the
country in bad repair and few DT1dses
worthy Of the name Many farmers had
no roads whatever over which TO feach
/ the market Wide rivers were unford-
able I'm the raiIS season. and there was
no method of crossing them. The Amer
leans have constructed hundreds of miles
Of highways and are increasingly push
ing the work of new construction. They
have built bridges and Culverts Of steel
and concrete, and have connected wide
/ ly separated communities by easy trans
pOrtatiOn.
America found one short railway, anti
quated in equipment and management,
reaching a very small number OF people.
IrD To this time more than 800 miles of
good railway has been built and as much
more is in course of construction. so that
within a few years the principal Islands
viii be adequately provided with good
rail transportation.
America found 90 per cent Of the peo-
pie in absolute ignorance and a school
system which offered no hope of better
ing their condition. An American pub
lie school system now reaches half mill
lion pupils out of the total population or
seven million. The percentage of Hit
ton viii see it greatly reduced. The
English language has already become
common in many parts of the ISLANDS ana
il is spoken by a greater NUMBER OF ma
tives than is Spanish.
America found a pitifuliy inadequate
postal system. This has been extended
and improved until now every town and
delivery is established in the larger cities
and in some sections even rural delivery
has been inaugurated. The telegraph
system is a part of the postal service
one feature inherited from the Spanish,
and il has been extended widely The
inter-island cable service under American
rule reaches every important CONNIE Tcidl
point i'm the archipelago.
America found Manila unpaVed, nlthy
and reeking with disease, a condition
worthy Of the fifteenth century. Today
it is the finest city in the Orient. The
streets are paved, the sWamps have been
turned into beautiful parks, sewers nave
been constructed, an ample supply OF good
water has been provided, harbOr ana river
improvements have been made, sanitary
laws and regulations have been enforced
and now Manila is modern and clean:
America found a country IN when the
simplest sanitary precautions were olsIe-