Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-21
THE PROBLEM OF THE PHILIPPINES
ny FREDERIC }. HAsKIN-Irr.

WASHINGTON. February 2O.--One OF
the biggest Philippine problems is the
agricultural situation. One OF the
biggest tasks confronting whoever is
going to administer the islands is that
or putting them where they belong as
a productive world unit. A fresh i'm
petus to agriculture is essential to real
progress in the archipelago.
In almost every particular. the pres
cnt regime in the Philippines has so
far outdistanced that OF the Spaniards
that we make comparisons half apollo
Eetically. as though realizing IL would
be unsportsmanlike 10 measure our
progress by the yardstick OF Spain.
But the rice and sugar produGiion OF
the islands since 1895 has never cx-
cecded the record made in the best
years OF the Spanish rule Certain
provinces have never been as produce
tive since the instruction as they were
before. This is "A question OF first i'm
portance. because the Philippines viii
always depend primarily on agriculture
as a source OF wealth.
The hitch in agricultural progress is
due to the lack OF labor and to the
quality OF what labor there is avail
able. Labor conditions on farms and
plantations before 1895 were bad The
workn gman did not want TO spend his
days at hard toll from which he him
self received practically no return. but
he had not much choice in the matter
Then came the United States, and said:
we would like you to work, but un-
less YOU want to. you don't have to-"
: TO which the laborer somewhat dis
concertingly made reply: Then
won't"
Natives Are Good Workmrn.
The Filipino is good workman. In
the big sugar and tobacco mills he is
employed almost exclusively, not only
in the lowest ranks. but in positions
of subordinate authority, and Ameri-
cans are agreed that he does his work
we'll. On the railways Of the archi-
pclago. the Filipino fills practically the
whole pay roll. few OF the highest
technical and administrative men are
Americans, but laborerS, conductors
engineers and clerks are natives The
same thing is true OF the Manila cleo
trio line. On the steamers that ply
between the various isirnds, most OF
the crews and some of the principal
officers arc Filipinos. According to all
concerned. their work is satisfactory
In fact. Filipino labor seems to be at
it's worst in agriculture. where the need
for II il greatest. That there is no
fundamental deficiency in the native as
workingman is shown by his record
In other lines. 1t is simply a case
whore certain wrinkles in the situation
must be ironcd out, certain decp-rootcd
customs and prcjudiccS gradually OBJ
liberated by steady and patient effort
The relations of employers and land
owners TO their tenants will have to
be rcadjusted, until the workingman
can see what he is working for. and
that he is getting direct benefit from
any extra effort he puts forth
The change must come SLOWLY with
out blare or SenSationaliSm. Old GUS
toms must be superseded, and unless
the directing hand proceeds cautiously.
there Will be retrogrcssion and con-
fusion. 1t would seem "A task for the
insular administration, for the bureaus
OF Agriculture and Labor. The u,les-
ton is, how to get the workingman
TO work more; and that involves see
ing that he gets Il larger share OF the
profits.
American Methods Won't Do.
A good Illustration of the way prog
rcSS must be adap,ed to local condi-
lions is furnished by the experience Of
Dig American contracting firms with
native labor. These contractors are
the men who built the railroads, piers
ana breakwaterS OF LuZon and the
Nlsayans. who are working many of
inc mines and plantations to-day.
when they first arrived in the islands.
they tried To handle Filipino labor by
american methods, and they got no.
where. They found that worliingmen
were not hired direct, that the unit
was the gang instead of the individual
tach gang had n chicr, who directed
It's operations, and arranged with the
employer for wages. When the chief
was hired. the gang was hired. When
the chief quit. the gang quit
The Americans tried TO do away with
this system and deal with the men
directly. They found that This method
caused needless confusion, and n low
crnE of efficiency. Direct SUPERVISION
by American foremen was contrary TO
the customs of the country and was re-
scented by the workmen. Now the panr
chief bosses his subordinatcs, and su,
pervising Americans give their orders
through the chiefs. If they want to
discharge n man, they do not throw a
lump of coal at his head and profancly
order him to get his time; they
quietly suggest to the chief that it
might be wise to replace Jose with
somebody who takes n little more in
terest in life. Next day there is n
new man in .Tosc's place.
Losing job Meant Nothing.
Another novel and disturbing GUS
tom that the American contractors en-
countered was the cheerful native
habit of working only ten days or two