New-York tribune., 1909-11-06
rrRLIc IMPRoNEMENTs

or the ruling race IN these ISLANDS Tor more
than two hundred and fifty years"
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
II is now generally Acknowledged that
there is no city i'm the world better gov
crned than Manila The streets are well
cleaned and well policed. there is most
excellent fire department. the parks are
b,ing enlarged and improved. tho street
car system IS as GOOD that of any city,
and with the improvements in the water
supply. the sewerage system and esteros.
or canals. which are rapidly nearing COM
pletion. the face which the Filipinos turn
toward the world in the city cf Manila will
he q most pleasing one. The port of Manila
has been made into a harbor which is now
as secure as any in the orient. and which.
with the docking facilities now being rap
idly constructed will 10 as convenient and
free from charEe and burden any
along tho Atlantic coast.
Through Tho hearty cooperation 81 the
central government and the provinces road
building las become one Of the important
Items 81 public Improvement Last wear
- kilometres ~ roads were constructed
or reconstructed. under the supervision Of
the hoard ~ public works declared FIRST
class roads and put under system Of
maintenance. and four steel bridges and
ca concrete bridges and culverts were COM
pletod
The government now maintains and op-
crates a more complete system of posts.
telephones and tclegraphs than over before
I'm the history of tho islands Seventy-fve
per cent of the $50 municipalities now cstah-
lishNd in Tho Philippines have postofices.
in 225 ~ which postal savings hanks are now
open for business. The telegraph or tcle-
phone uoW connects an the provincial cap
itals with Manila. and more than ninety
offices are open for business
RAILROADS AND BANKS
Under American rule tho islands have
Witnessed the construction Of almost 4-N
miles of railroad. as compared with i2a
miles a. the close of spanish sovereignty.
'r more Than threa and 2 half times as
uuch. Last year 275 Per cent more track
was laid than was In existence I'm the ISL
ands when the Americans landed; and
including SdingS and second track. there
were 80 miles ~ 'hA close ~ the wear. In
the course of Eve Years. when contracts
alresdy let viii he completed. the islands
Viii have 7.aD0 miles of railroad. represent
ing an investment - between s1oOAo "Do an6
S20.ooo osn The construction of these mod
ern methods of transportation means =
nov impetus 90 agriculture. increared ex-
rort possibilities and substantial elevation
of the material and social condition ~ he
people.
Postal savings hanks Havo made note
worthy erovth in the islands. Two Years
after the first hank oyoned tho Islands pos
s"ssed le FIRST class ioS second class and
T. thi~d class hanks. with -2Sp individual
"o"'unt~ Tho amount 81 deposits on June
n 2anS vas l02l o9s's pesos. hich repre-
scented su increase of l02 - per cent over
1s07 The fact that I'm 1e1S there vero Sea4
Filipino JePositors - regarded ss encoursg
iuE. "a shows that the institution is
gaining the confidence of tho Filipino peo-
70. for whose heucft primarily it was
esta hlisled
MAN OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
4 judicial 3, stem has been established
IN the islands which has taught the FIT
pinos the possibility Of the independence
Of q iulicisr, This must he Of enduring
good TO tho people Of tho islands Tue
personnel - the Judges is divided between
Americans ard T1lipinos. both for tho pur-
pose ~ aiding Americans 10 learn and
administer civil Law aud of usbluE th"
IilpinoS 10 learn and sdminister justice
according =" 2 system pre'ailnC I'm coun
try where the judiciary IS absolutely inde-
pendent q the executive and legislative
branches of tine government
: civil Service Law. which has been
adopted fo- tho selection Of civil servants
on tre merit system. has on tho voole.
worked well Filipinos viii he appointed
rs far ~ feasible hy tho government not
only FOR rro reason that government of
tho Iilipiuo-" is desired. but 'hoir employ
uent IS = matter "f economy for tho gov
ornmeut because they arc able 80 live
more chesplv and ccouomicalIv than
Americans. and 50 can afford 80 accept
loss SALARY There has. therefore. been \
constant reduction of tmcricau employees
and propor'iouatn increase of T'iIipinos.
Tn" land system. tb" provision for
homestead employment. for free patents
and for rorfccting titles hy land registrs-
tiou constitute ether steps in Philippine
progress Tho homestead settlements.
which Wei" very few for several vears
reached four thousand iu 1897 and tho
free patents applied for that year were
l0.sea
Ta" financial condition Of ,he Philip
pine government is entirely satisfactory.
and 90. toe. is tho state of tho money aud
currency II tbc islands There is a
bonded indebtedness for Tho purchase nf
. the friare' lands amounting to s. GnOu
for tho v-atcrwoIES ana sewerage of Ma
ui's of S"o"o and for M. public works
amounting ." s2.5oo.oo0 sinking funds
lav" hesu established for all of these
President Taft. everywhere recognized
a. tine best authority ou any subject per
tanning O." 1h" Philippines. in speaking Of
Tho present state uf the islands has said
Peace pre'ails throughout the islands to-
CAY iu greater degree than ever in the
history of th" islands. either under span
ieH az American rule. and agriculture is
nowhere How impeded by the fear on the
part "f tho farmer II tho incur~iou of
predatory bands. Under TIE policy al
Ieady stated. inaugurated by the iustrtlc-
. t,"us 20 FresiJ'ut Mckinley ro Secretary
Root. lu T'lercu,o to the establishment Of
a. t"mIorarT government in the PHilip-
pines. % '"DImunity ,on~ istiug OF :. 900 o0a
p'oPl", iulabitiuG three hundred different
islands. many of whom Wen. iu opeu re-
fclltr against tI" government Of tBe
United state for -four wears. with all tue
dI'turhan'.s following from robber and
predatory lands which broke out from