The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-07-02

ana third member who act as a
board of commissioners The provin-
ces are divided into municipalities, as
state is into counties. There are over
100 municipalities in the Islands.
Each municipality elects (the number
OF electors is small, in one of my
towns, with an estimated population of
$4,000, there being only 200 electors)
it's own Presidente, or mayor, and a
Council, corresponding to our own
city councils. Elections occur every
two years there being a property and
educational qualification for electors.
The municipal treasurer is appointed
by the Governor General The munich
stabulary, or native soldiers with
American officers, are in every pro-
vince for protection, or to enforce
quarantine.
The Americans have gone after san
itation and / doubt if there will ever
be another epidemic of cholera. Dys-
EMERY is disappearing, fevers too (the
the islands being all mountains there
is not much danger from fever, owing
to the absence of swamps). Smallpox
has ceased to ravage the islands, the
lepers are almost all in the colony of
Culion, and all such diseases are be-
ing rapidly wiped out. The American
forces them to dig artesian wells, and
thus does away with one Of the worst
sources of infection.
As to improvements.
AS to substantial improvements, no
one could have outdone the Ameri-
cans. Roads are being built every
where. The use of concrete is univer-
sal, even the new schools being built
of this material Gov General Forbes
was the prime mover in building the
spectacular Berguet automobile road
up to Bagnio, the summer capital, pro-
badly the most expensive bit of road
work in the world. 1t does very we'll to
show to visitors and is a neat play
particularly useful though it cost mil
lions. But why knock? Forti-
fications (rather unnecessary, since
Manila could be taken in day from
behind) are being built, harbors dred
ged, wonderful buildings put up, for
years the telegraph has bound the en-
tire archipelago together.
Investors are only recently begin
ming to develop the land. There was
the gold rush, but it isn't anything Sc
rious. The great hemp plantations are
losing money because substitute has
proved the death of hemp. and rubber
is as yet but a dream. But tobacco,
sugar, and cocoanuts can be raised to
an unlimited degree. and there is a
wonderful chance for man with some
cash who can wait six years (he
doesn't need as much time for sugar
or tobacco) If the natives would work,
would take up the free land, the is
lands could export rice, etc, instead
Of import it. The richest soil in the
world. even with the crudest Of imple-
ments, raises two crops of corn every
year, and a wealth of other products
With modern machinery there would
be no limit to it's possibilities. Forests
of priceless hard wood are waiting to
be cut when transportation ceases to
be problem.
A. to Education.
am of course best informed con.
corning the work of education. A
brief description of the system is all
l can give here, however. All teaching
is in English with texts adapted to the
islands, and issued free to every grade
pupil. In the early days all teaching
was done by the Americans. These
taught natives till they could do pr-
mary work under American supervi-
sion, and that system is the one in
use at present. High school and tech
meal work is done mostly by Ameri-
cans. in the cities in splendid schools.
The grade work is done almost enti-
rely by native teachers, more or less
qualified for the work. Each year the
class of work grows better, and the
poorer teachers are eliminated. Each
municipality has corps of such teach
ers in all the barrios, or villages, with
an American to supervise the work
Each village built bamboo school,