davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

a great deal of money to the support OF
other prisons on the islands.
Gen. Edwards tells me OF a visit he paid
asst year to Iwahig. He was rowcd from
Mis- ship to the shore by murderer, ard
he found couple of murderers acting
az the family servants of the governor.
Mrs. Lamb is the only American woman
on the island and she has two little chu-
dren. Her cook is convict.
A great deal Of Uncle Sans work has
had to do with the health OF the Philip
pines. The islands are being cleaned IN
and the cities worked over. Manila has
new sewers, which cost about two million
dollars and it has a water supply
brought in from the head waters OF the
Mariguina river, which are held back by
a dam sixty feet high. The reservoir
there contains hundreds of millions or
gallons, and 1t is fed by wild mountain
Gus region where the water is pure.
The mosquitoes are being cleaned out
of Manila and otherwhere. The canals
have been dredged and the moats hiiea
up, and parks have taken their places
is SO in most of the cities. not
only for the Christians, but for the wild
men as well. We have doctors connected
with the leading tribes. and the savases,
instead OF making sacrl..ces TO pacify TIC
spirits of disease. are now coming I'm LOT
castor OIL liver pills and surgical treat
ment.
A campaign OF health instruction has
been undertaken. and doctors are going
about with lantern slide lectures showing
the dangers Of disease and how to pre-
vent IL. Hygiene is taught In the pubic
schools. There are training schools Tor
nurses. and hospital for the insane
which now has 800 inmates.
There has been a great fight against
cholera, and the rats have been slaugii-
A. Irxsf1 .ia
The bone piles of the cemeteries have
been taken away and the dead are now
buried according to law.
The islands have an anti-tuber-
culosis society, which Is waging war
against consumption. This institution has
the aid of the government and II VIII
establish tuberculosis camps ana VIII
teach the people how to take care OF sucn
patients. The bureau of agriculture on
the Islands proposes to kill all animals
which have tuberculosis, and quaran-
tine has been instituted against the I'M
portation of. diseased cattle from Aus
tralia.
A great deal has been said about the
health OF Americans in the Philippines.
Uncle, Sam II keeping track OF that mat
ter and the death rate is now less than
six to the thousand, which Is not one
In connection with health / must tell
YOU what they are doing with the lepers
There are now two or three thousands
Of them In the islands. and the most
OF these have been gathered into colony
situated at Culion. This il little island.
which is beautiful, healthy and fertile
The colony governs itself. electing ITS
own officers and making its own munic-
ipaI laws. 1t has a president. a council.
and q police-all of whom are lepers.
1t has a leper band and leper schools
filled with leper scholars. Some of these
lepers are now being treated by the "
ray, and not a few have been cured.
FRANK G. CARPENTER
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

bureau of plant industry working to-
gether Hugh H. Bennett and william A.
Taylor. two Of the scientific explorers In
the department. were the men detailed to
make the investigation. In speaking OF
the farming on the canal and its posi-
biiities in the future, Mr.. Taylor said:
Though the Isthmus Of Panama has
been for four centuries the most import
ant portage Of the western hemisphere
the lands through which successive routes
OF travel have passed across It show lit
tie agricultural development. Mans i'm
press on the country. except in the
immediate vicinity Of the Panama rail-
road--compieted' in Iceland the canal
route. which lies close to the rail-
road through most of its length u
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

distributed by supply trains across the
isthmus as required.
Supplies for the cities of Colon and
Panama. though within the Canal Zone.
are not subject to the jurisdiction Of the
United States. come largely from the
outlying portions of the republic Of Pam
anna, where certain phases Of agricul-
ture have reached higher development
and are on a larger scale than in the
zone. This is especially true of the capt.
tai city, Panama, with a population of
about 1000 people. where the food sup
ply-except that portion brought over the
Panama railroad from Colon-is mostly
received by boats. Much Of this comes
from points on the Pacific coast Of the
republic. which embraces a sea frontage
of about TO miles. a considerable pro-
portion of the supply OF cocoanuts is
produced in scattered plantations along
the Caribbean beach on each side oS
Colon. 4 sufficient production Of ~
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28
Rich, But.

WILBUR WRIGHT. at tea I'm Day.
w ton. was talking about daredevil
French airman.
rs he very successful?" a bankers
daughter asked.
Mr.. Wright smiled his faint. sardonic
smile. 10 he replied:
Very successful? Indeed he Is very
successful! why. his false arm is cristed
with diamonds, his artificial skull is
made OF piatinun-platinum Is fourteen
times dearer than gold. you know-ai,d
both his wooden legs are gold mounted
and. full jeweled." IA
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

nanas to permit Of some expectation Tor
merly came from the bottom lands along
the Chagres river near Bohio ana Cam
boa. These will be submerged upon the
construction operations have already ma
terially reduced the area OF land suit
able for the commercial production OF
this crop, which at this time does not
exceed the needs Of the present popuia-
ton.
aside from these lines OF production
the only agricultural enterprises OF suf-
ficient size to be significant are single
sugar plantation near Gorgona, which
will be submerged and destroyed by the
canal, and two hill plantations near EN-
pire, in which paintings Of caca0 coffee
and rubber are the chief features.
The native method Of migratory farm
ing, which is practically universal IN the
Canal Zone, had held erosion injury down
to q minimum. While the clearing Is fire.
ouently done with fire, SO that the sur
face is burned clean and bare. the stumps
of trees and the roots of injurious weeds
are rarely killed or removed. Among
these roots and stumps the crop-usualiy
of corn, cassava or yams OF two OF
more of these together-is planted with
out blowing or grubbing OF any kind.
Both tho crop and native vegetation
quickly sprout under the tropical
warmth and humidity, so that the
growth and development of the corn are
in close competition with the growth or
the weeds. :.
Practically no cultivation Of the soil
Is practiced either before or after plant
ing. the activity Of the planter being
limited to an occasional slashing down
OF the wild growth with the universally
used machete: This growth remains as
a mulch for the growing crop and quick
ly decays. but II is rapidly succeeded by
a new growth from the old roots ana
seed from the surrounding uncleared
lands. This general method appears 70
be universally practiced with field crops
like corn. cassava and yams, and with
such tree crops as -cacao. coffee and
rubber. After few years OF cropping
the field Is abandoned and allowed To
revert to it's original condition. new
area being cleared to take its place
K
s"rhe present demand for agricultural
products in the Canal Zone is peculiar.
The large temporary population includes
some 5000 Americans and Europeans,
mostly unused to fresh tropical products.
Palates accustomed to Irish potatoes.
lettuce. cabbage and garden peas do not
take kindly to yams, taniers. chayotes
and similar tropical vegetables. which
satisfy the tropical appetite.
There are at the present time approx
mately 5000 West Indians and others OF
tropical origin in the Canal Zone, most
~ of the negro race. They are hearty
and easily satisfied consumers OF tropical
products. Most Of the able-bodied men
are employed in the canal construction.
A few of these grow much of their sus
tenance In small patches about their
shacks. which fringe the white settle
rnents along the line of the canal. Inc
total products of these small mixed
paintings, in which. unlike those OF the
native Panamans, some cultivation with
mattock and grub hoe is practiced. Is
considerable. Their tastes apd needs are
Simple. and while at present a large pro-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

Low Uncle Sam, Patri-
! ! arch, Has Established a
Government = The Filipino
Assembly and the Native
C1erks-Justice and the
Courts-Uncle Sans Police
Force-Reforming the Pris-
ons-A Colony Of Murderers
Who Govern Themselves.
Improving the Health of a
Nation-Among the Lepers
on Culion Island.
Copyright, 1912. by Frank G. Carpenter.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

TwITH STAND
ING the thousand
ana one problems
connected with the
digging of the big
ditch at Panama.
Uncle Sam has
found time to look
into the agricul-
taral possibilities OF
the Canal Zone.
The experts sent TO
investigate ha " G
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

WANT to tell you
OF Uncle Same
work in the Phil
ippine Islands. We
have had posses
sion of them for
over twelve years.
and 1t is high time
we were taking ac-
count Of stock and
knowing what has
been done. They
are. as you know,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28


President Taft says that the supreme
court of the Philippine Islands is equal
to the courts of any state Of our
Union. This is in ability and honesty.
1 doubt whether the same could be
said Of the provincial courts. It is
difficult to get good judges. The old
Spanish judiciary was corrupt and the
American judges did not understand
the languages or dialects. They were
not familiar with the local laws. On
the other hand, the Filipino judges
were not familiar with our ideas OF
equity. There was a distrust on the
part Of the people and the government.
I am told that this has passed away.
and that the Filipinos are attaining
high rank as judges Out of twenty
nine judgeships fifteen are held by
Americans and fourteen by Filipinos
The laws are enforced by the police,
and the papers Of the justices and the
courts are served by them. There is
now q police force In every town and
this 10 80 even Of the colony OF lep-
ers which has its own government.
For some years after we took hold Of
the islands the policing was done by
our army. There were brigands every
where, and almost every bamboo clump
hid bandit. The towns had to be
protected from invasion, and every
public road was guarded by soldiers
AS 1t il now. the provinces and mu-
inequalities protect themselves with
their own police and the afd Of the
constabulary.
But want to tell you something about
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28
PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS
or ltocoS Sur, In
.NORTHWES1ERNIUZON

this consfaBulary, as the government po-
lice force is called. 1t is the development
and Improvement OF the old guardia civile
of the Spanish. It now consists Of about
5000 men who are scattered all over the
islands acting as advisers and aids to the
roads and as tho guards of the wild men.
There is q detachment Of this police in
or near every tribe, and Its officer is a
part Of the community where it Is sta
toned. He guards 1t from thieves. He
is ever on the lookout for disease, and
he hunts UP the stolen animals and quar-
antines the sick one.
4
The constabulary has completely wiped
out brigandage. The records show 1t
has captured 1900 bandits. and killed
more than 400. It has retaken about
10000 stolen animals and returned them
to their owners
This government force consists largely
of natives. being made up OF fighting
men from all parts Of the Philippine
Islands. Some Of tho men are Moros,
some Igorrotes, some visayans and some
Maccabeebes and others All have been
trained by the soldiers, and we have q
are Instructed. They make excellent
fighters and are proud Of their positions.
Since. we took possession Of the Philip
pines we have brought about some Of the
greatest prison reforms Of the world.
Take Bilibid, which was once about the
most horrible penitentiary Of the far east.
It's prisoners were fogged, and the only
mode of execution was by the garrote. a
machine which broke the neck OF the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28
The FILIPINO A SSEr1DLY. IT CONTAINS IIGNTyc
AEr1eER-S ELEcTED FRon WRIoUs PRoYNcESSNN

islands can be absolutely free. and their
future seems to be bound up with ours
Nevertheless the whole country has been
politically reorganized.. The archipelago
has been divided into thirty-eight prov
inces. Seven of these are inhabited by the
Moros and the non-Christian tribes, and In
these there are governors appointed by the
governor general at Manila, who is at the
head of the Philippine commission. The
other thirty-one provinces practically
govern themselves. Each province chooses
1t own officials. 1t has a governor, Sec
rotary, a prosecuting attorney and other
quently natives. Each has also treas
urer appointed by the governor general,
and this last an American of known hon.
esty and skilled in accounts.
Every municipality has its presidente.
vice presidente and city council. There
are 700 towns which have that kind of
government. The council is an honorary
position, and its members serve for the
prominence which 1t gives them and for
the love of the town. The taxes collected
in the towns are spent by the towns and
the insular government gets its support
from indirect taxes. Every town has Its
body of police, which keeps order In 1t,
and this in addition to the Filipino con-
stabulary, which maintains order in the
rural districts throughout the islands.
The Philippines, in short, are rapidly
coming to have a government like ours.
They have this town government. where
the officers and police are elected by the
people. They have the provincial govern
ment, which is like that Of our states.
and they have what might be called q
semi-national government, the president
of which is the governor general. ap-
pointed by the President Of the United
States. He must be an American, and In
addition there are seven commissioners
to advise him. OF these three are Ameri-
cans and four are Filipinos. This Is the
executive branch Of the government.
The laws are now made by a congress
consisting Of this commission and the
Filipino assembly. The assembly is elect
ed by the people. 1t first met In 1907.
and it has held a number Of sessions since
then. It contains eighty members, all
Fflipinos, and all elected from the vari-
Gus provinces, including the Christian
parts u the islands. The Mohammedan
Moros and the wild men have no part
in 1t.
This assembly makes the laws and
passes upon the appropriations. There
is only one reservation. and that Is II 1t
should not make appropriations. the ap-
propriationss Of the preceding session are
re-enacted until another assembly should
meet. Were it not for this the assembly
could hold up the government and stop
all the salaries.
There are two political parties, and
each stumps the country In behalf
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

portion Of their food supply is imported,
a considerable part Of the population OF
this character could maintain itself on
the products Of the soil II either en-
couraged or permitted to remain when
the completion of the canal ends the
need for their labor on construction work.
Under competent supervision these la
borers might be expected to furnish Q
SUFFICIENT and reliable source of agricul-
tural labor
In conclusion Mr.. Taylor said that large
farming operations are inpracticable In
the Canal Zone on account of the broken
the proprietors or under central drec-
tive management. through which crop ro-
tations and handling could be systema-
tized and controlled. constitute the proba-
BILE course Of best agricultural develop
ment, especially where valuable perish
able products destined for shipment out
side the zone. are concerned, such as
choice mangos, avocadoes. pineapples.
mangosteens. chayotes and other tropical
fruits and vegetables which are appar-
emily well adapted to conditions in the
zone
Hugh III. Bennett said the most prom
Using line of attack upon agricultural
problems of the Canal Zone will be to de-
velop q permanent mixed tropical agri-
culture with q distinct horticultural trend,
in which hand labor of tropical origin will
be the main dependence for. tillage. In
this way existing and prospective condi-
lions would favor the production Of high
priced products requiring regular and fire.
quent transportation service, such as will
doubtless be available promptly after the
opening of the canal for use.
"One important feature" continued Mr..
Bennett. will be the early working out Of
a method OF mixed cropping In which soil
maintaining and improving legumnous IN
tercrops can be continuously used to re-
place the wild and intractable native veg
citation OF the present shack farm 0Grtcul-
ture.
a method Will doubtless require some m
diligently directed experiments! worx, g
il involves careful study OF the whole
Question OF plant relationships ana antaI-
onisms. one OF the most important and
far-reaching problems in tropical agr-
culture, as well as the control OF inJu-
rious insects and pian .;o aasea q .h. cana,
Zone are now confined mainly 70 the
mea9er efforts Of the native and West
Indian population and are restricted to
patch farming Tine psHsHu tropicsi veSe.
tables and fruits, rice and corn. ID little
in excess Of actual food requirements OF
the operators The greater NUMBER OF
these farms. althougn occupy y 1ns
never distant more than FIVE miles in a
direct line from the canal. are isolated
and inaccessible, owing to the broken
tnno~ranhv and absence of good high
WAYS. They. are reached only by mar
row, winding trails. at no time passaDte
for vehicles and often well nigh or quite
impossible for horses.
X r
Few streams have been bridged out
side the immediate vicinity Of the canal,
and such little effort has been made to
keep open the trails that rider is forced
to dismount frequently in order to pass
under the low overhang!ng growth or to
lead his horse across streams with dim
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

The islands altogether have as much
land as New England. Luzon is bigger
than Ohio: 'Mindoro and Negroes are each
as large as Delaware; Mindanao would
more than cover Pennsylvania. and Samar
is the size of Connecticut
The islands contain. according to our
own last census. something like SOOO,OOo
people. or these 100000 are savage
or semi-civilized, believing in spirits and
and the other 1000, 600 are Christians with
the same God as our own. That was
what We got for the $20.O0O,O0O we paid
for the archipelago at the close of our
war with Spain.
Yes, we got that and more! We got one
of the biggest civilizing jobs of all times.
The people had been misgoverned for GEN.
turtles, justice was bought and sold and
bribery and graft reigned supreme
Eighty. per cent of the people were igno-
Taxation was heavy, extortion was COM
mon. and none had any rights which the
rulers were bound to respect. There were
practically no public improvements. The
roads were impossible for q greater part
Of the year. schools were almost unknown
and every locality had its brigands and
bandits. In addition was the chaos
caused by the war, and out Of the whole
eminent Of the people and for the people.
but to start the wheels OF our modern
civilization.
It is this work he is doing. 1 travelled
about the islands In 1899, when we were
about taking charge. The army was
then re-establishing the governments OF
the towns AS soon as a municipality
was conquered the officers called the peq-
pie together and had them elect town
council and mayor. They organised
municipalities OF that kind throughout
the archipelago, allowing each town to
govern itself, and from that they have
gone on until the Philippines are now
practically self-governed, not only o to
the municipalities but as to the provinces
and as one great island whole.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

This has been done with our national
government at the back as adviser and
director. Uncle Sam still controls the
machinery. and he will continue to do
so notwithstanding the cry Of the Filipino
agitators for independence. President
Taft. Gen. Edwards and our other Off
Gals who know the Philippines best
realize that to allow a free hand In the
present condition would result in anarchy
and chaos. 1t will be long before the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

victim, or rather screwed the head back
until the neck cracked.
That institution is now one Of the finest
prisons under the American flag. and one
Of the largest Of the world. The buildings
have been remade, and the institution is
now laid out like the spokes of wheel.
with tower in the center. There Is a
great wall around it, and upon this are
twelve guard towers, In six Of which
stand American soldiers armed with
Calling guns, shotguns and revolvers. In
the other six are native guards, also
armed, but not with Gatlings. In the
center tower stands an American guard
with q loaded revolver and three rifles.
This man has control OF the lighting OF
the prison, and he can, in an instant,
turn or the electricity In any or all the
buildings. He has telephone connection,
and can call out the force on short notice
When visited Bilibid it was dirty and
filthy Tho prisoners are now made to
keep clean. and everything is spotless
There is no waste nor litter. The men
are on their good conduct and they may
rise from class to class as they do better.
At present 80 per cent Of the prisoners
are in tho first class.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

The prisoners are we'll fed and they
seem to be contented. They are taught
trades of all kinds, and they do excellent
work. There is carriage and wagon de-
partment which makes wheels which are
sent broadcast over the islands. There
are also silver-making shops. weaving
rooms and departments where they make
hats and baskets. Some of the prisoners
are carpenters, some polishers and paint
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

of it's candidate. The assembly meets
at Manila, and it's members, who are
dressed in spotless white, form q fine
looking body. The speaker stands be-
hind the desk, on a rostrum, with gavel
in hand, and over him on the wall hangs
the American flag and Uncle Sans coat
of arms.
A great majority of the government
employees are natives. This is SO not only
at Manila, but throughout the islands.
All are appointed by civil service rules,
and most OF them have to take examine
lions in English or Spanish or both.
Promotions go by merit, and a record is
kept in every Office showing the relative
efficiency of the employees. SO that
mans record determines his advance
ment. Personal habits, physical 'condi-
ton and personal morality are part Of
the tests. The laws require work to the
amount of six and one-half hours daily
from each clerk except during hot wealth
er, when the time is cut down to five hours.
Clerks are also allowed from twenty to
thirty-five days vacation, according to
salary and rank. Those who get the
most money have the longest vacation.
Most Of the clerks are honest At this
writing the loss by defaulters among
the employees has been only about 2 per
cent.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28
With GANEL In HAND
NSM @SI
SPEAKER. STANDS

to west it is greater than the distance
from Boston to Pittsburgh and from
north to south about as long as from
Philadelphia to Omaha.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

Copyright, 1912. by Frank G. Carpen,er.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

Few streams have been bridged out
side the immediate vicinity OF the canal,
and such little effort has been made to
keep open the trails that rider Is forced
to dismount frequently In order to pass
under the low overhang'ng growth or TO
lead his horse across streams with aim