The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-02

Maniia--It II only q little more than
eleven years since Admiral Dewey
fought the Battle Of Manila Bay. II Is
not quite eleven years since the ocou-
patton of Manila by the American
troops, and II Is only eight years since
American civil government was estab-
lished in the Islands. The achieve-
ments OF American rule in that short
time have revolutionized the, life OF the
Islands from the topmost circles of So
ciety In Manila to the everyday life OF
the dog-eating, head-hunttng savages
of the mountains. More has been done
In a decade than Spain accomplished In
bover three centuries. :
l America found subject people
which had absolutely no part in the
government. and which for years had
been in a constant state of insurrec-
tion against the authorities. America
brought about peace. by making war
effective, and put down the bandits and
thieves as well as the political insur-
gents. Today the Philippines enjoy a
tranquility never before dreamed of In
the islands. The Fiiipinos have been
granted almost complete autonomy in
municipal affairs and have been grant
ed a large share In the legislative, ex-
ecutive 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 countrymen were executed
without trial. Persons who complained
of the corruption OF the government
were cast In noisome prisons. All that
has been changed. The press Is Tree,
the right OF free speech Is guaranteed,
the right OF petition is assured, and
men may talk of independence as much
as they please unless they advocate
riot or rebellion.
America found the church and state
so combined that there was great difh-
Guilty In demarking the province Of one
from the other in, government. Com
plete separation has been accomplish
ed. the right OF every man to worship
as he sees fit Is guaranteed, the lands
of the religious orders were purchased
and held for settlement by free hold
ers. And all of this has been accom-
piished peacefully.
America found a fuctuating money
in use, and replaced IL with fixed and
staple currency upon the gold standard
SO that Ia every part Of the islands
the money is the same and its value
known.
America found the highways OF the
country In bad repair and few bridges
worthy of the name. Many farmers
had no roads whatever over which to
reach the market. Wide rivers were
unfordable In the rainy season, and
there was no method of crossing them.
The Americans have constructed hun
dreds Of miles of highways and are
increasingly pushing the work of new
construction. They have built bridges
and culverts OF steel and concrete, and
have connected widely separated COM
munities by easy transportation.
America found one short railway, an
tiquated In equipment and manage
ment, reaching a very small number of
the people. Up to this time more than
500 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 will be adequate
ly provided with good rail transporta-
ton.
America found 80 per cent Of the
people in absolute ignorance and q
school system which offered no hope
of lettering their condition. An Amer
lean public school system now reaches
a half million pupils out of the total
centage of illiteracy Is still large, but
the next generation will see 1t greatly
reduced. The English language has al
ready become common In many parts
Of the islands and II is spoken by q
greater number of natives than lis
Spanish.
America found a pitifuIly inadequate
postal system. This has been extend
ed and improved until now every town
and village Is suppfred by. regular
mail, city delivery Is established in the
larger cities. and In some sections even
rural delivery has been inaugurated.
The telegraph system Is pert of the
postal service, one feature inherited
from the Spanish. and 1t has been ex-
tended widely The inter-island cable
service under American rule reaches
every important commercial point in
the archipelago.
America found Manila unpaved. filthy
and reeking with disease, a condition
worthy of the fifteenth century. To-
day it Is the finest city in the Orient.
The streets are paved, the swamps
have been turned into beautiful parks,
sewers have been constructed, an am
pie supply of good water has been pro-
vided, harbor and river improvements
have been made, sanitary laws and
regulations have been enforced and
now Manila is modern and clean.
America found a country in which
the simplest sanitary precautions were