The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-08-02
America in the Philippines
I-UPLIFTING THE FILIPINO.
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

: garded, country filled with cholera, bu-
bonic plague, smallpox, beri-beri and
other diseases Of like character. The
plague has been eliminated, the endemic
cholera is now quickly stamped out when
ever it appears, and beri-beri is almost
thing Of the past The bureau of health
works constantly 20 prevent epidemic dis
eases and is educating the people to
take precautions. The bureau OF science
is studying tropical diseases, and has not
/ only worked wonders in improving the
animal and vegetable health OF the Is
/ lands. but has brought the medical prob
/ fession Of the world 10 d better under
standing Of the problems of tropical dis
! eases.
America found the prisons conducted
/ Ike the prisons of the middle ages, heart
| less cruelties being inflicted upon the un-
fOrtunates who were cast into jail. re
| CARELESS Of the nature of their crime or
/ the hope Of reformation, The prisons
have been converted into refOrmatofy IN
stitutions, and every prisoner is given the
opportunity to fit himself for rejoining
society as an honest man. a penal col
! ony on an island paradise is governed by
the prisoners themselves under republic
an forms. go
America found the mountains inhabited
I by wild tribes who knew nothing OF civil
/ cation and who were constantly at dead
I ly war with each other, seeking heaqs OF
( the enemy as trophies. The Americans
/ have reached out among these people,
| have persuaded them TO cease their war
/ like habits, have stopped the practice OF
/ head-hunting and are bringing the world
tribes into touch with the civilization or
/ their Christian brothers of the loWiands.
America found a civil service system
which was entirely controlled By IaVoflt-
I ism, and IN which offices were almost
openly bought and sold. Officers of the
civil government were expected to add 10
their mCagre salaries by graft. ana the
expectation was always realized. GIdtt
was universal and uncondemned Inc
! of
CeptiOn OF the possibility of honest adj
ministration. The Americans put graft
ers and defaulters INTO jail. and, wonder
! of wonders 10 the FilipinOs, the American
CRATER vert to prison just as quickly as
/ the native defaulter.
America found judiciary system sadly
l i'm need or reform. I1ugu ton was pro-
tTaCted. expensive and uncertain. A man
accused of crime need not be confronted
/ by the witness against him, and he had
no compulsory right to subpoena wit
nesses in his own behalf He was rail
rOaded to prison without anything dD-
/ preaching the American understanding Of
fair trial The Americans have estab-
! lished a new judicial system, from the
/ justice of the peace to the supreme court,
although they have maintained i'm force
the Spanish or Roman system Of Law.
The trial courts are presided over by
American and Filipino judges, and all are
of the highest integrity. Appeals TO the
/ higher courts are a matter Of right, and
.
! the past.
America found taxation system which
laid all the burden upon the very poor.
I Persons of property or wealth were re-
quired to contribute little or nothing to
the support Of the government, and all
taxes We're Wruag from the poverty
stricken by cruel methods. The Amer
leans established a system of taxation
which secured the necessary revenues by
2 levy upon the people in proportion to
their ability 10 nay. The taxes are almost
as high as during the Spanish regime
but the burden Is more equitably distrib-
uted and the expenditures of revenue are
of vastly more benefit to the people at
! large.
America found people which naturally
divided itself into two classes-the aristo-
Gratis. who looked upon work as degrad-
ing. and the masses, who worked only
enough to supply themselves with the
most meagre necessities. The Americans
/ have been endeavoring to teach the Fill
pinOs, OF high and low degree, that hon
est labor is not disEracefuI. To some ex-
tent this effort has been successful. The
Americans have taught the people to
want more things, and they must work
more 70 have them. But ten years is too
short 4 time TO make over the habits of
a race which has run in the same groove
for ages.
America found the Philippines eleven
years ago The accomplishments of that
brief period are wOnderful-yet the march
OF progress there is considered as hardly
well under way. Nothing in the whole
history Of the United States is more sig
nificant than what it has done for the
Philippines and the Filipinos.
Tomorrow-America in the Philippines.
ilI.-Manila, an American CITY.