The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-25
COST OF THE PHILIPPINES.
The Islands Are, to an Exceptional
Degree, Self Supporting

The recent statement of the chief OF
staff that the cost of maintaining the
army in the Philippines, in excess OF
what the cost would have been had the
troops been maintained in this coun-
try, has amounted to 1857 .466,403 is be-
ing widely printed, but seems to be
rnisinterpreted. The figures given cover
the cost not only of the military occu-
patton but of the conquest of the Phil
ippines, which was properly a part Of
the expense of the Spanish war, and
moreover, the entire cost of construct
ing fortifcations. etc, for the protec-
ton of the military base which this
country has held it impo- tant to estab-
Ish in the archipelago.
Obviously the expense of establishing
and maintaining d military base in the
Far East should be treated as distinct
from the cost to the United States of
the Philippine islands. No one would
think of including the cost of the forth
fications, dry docks, etc, at Pearl Har-
Dor in a calculation of the cost to the
United States of administering the at
fairs of Hawaii. According to the mill
tary authorities, the base in the Phil
1ppines- is an asset rather than a LA
bility and it would have been estab-
lished had that been possible even If
the United States had not acquired the
archipelago as a result of the Spanish
war
The cost of putting down the Agui-
naldo insurrection and subduing the
hostile Filipinos, as has been said. was
a part of the expense of the Spanish
war In calling for information re
garding the cost of maintaining the
troops in the Philippines. as compared
with maintaining them in the United
States. congress probably wanted def
mite figures which would have excluded
both the sources of expense noted. But
it so framed its question as to call for
n 7er-q left n 70
ment. and unfortunately there is moth !
ing in the reply Of the chief of staff
to afford the information which would /
be of most interest to those anxious |
for the facts.
The Philippines are to an excep-
tiona1 degree, self-supporting. All the /
expenses of the island are paid from 7
their own revenues, and they do not /
even enjoy the benefits of the federal |
postal service judiciary lighthouse !
service. agricultural department, etc. I
as is the case with Hawaii. Alaska and /
Porto Rico. The only cost to the fed /
eral government of retaining the Phil /
ippines is the difference in the expense
of maintaining 1900 troops there and /
them in this country and .
the expense of transportation. Nor can
all of this properly be charged to the
for the military base there
would have to be garrisoned. as viii
the military posts on the Isthmus Of
Panama.
There are no figures available TO
show just what the comparative ex-
pense is, but it is noteworthy that the
cost of rations for the troops in the
is 241s cents a day as COM
pared with 22S4 cents in the United
States and $50 cents in Alaska Rough
~ computed. the additional cost for ra-
tons would amount to $1075S7 year
for the 1900 troops. to which some
thing would have to be added for the
fv,fe ~
and for transportation. At this rate
It would take some time to reach anv
such figure as S167. 900 O00-New York
Tribune.