The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-02
WOOds-FOrbes Report Says PeO-
pie Are Not Ready.
Have Yet to Prove Ability for
Government.
MANY ARE CONTENTED NOW
Only Part of Population Really
Wants Independence.
Mismanagement Rampant in
Executive Offices.

washington. Dec 2.-Despite eX-
traordinary progress in the past
twenty-three years. the Filipino peo-
pie have long road to travel before
theys will be ready to take over their
own government, according to the re-
port made by Maj Gen. Leonard
Wood, governor general of the islands
and W. Cameron Forbes. former gov
ernOr general.
The complete report was issued to-
day by the war department as sup
plement to the recent publication OF
specific recommendations made by
the two Investigators
Need of further national improve
ment is pointed out by the report,
which declares however, that the ad-
ministrative mistakes of the Filipinos
have not been sufficient to counter
balance the steadily rising progress
barometer.
Too Much Autocracy.
Generally speaking" the report
says administrative departments Of
the government are top heavy in per-
sOnnel and enmeshed in red tape.
There is a vast amount of paper
work. The methods of the admins
tration are purely autoCratic. There
is a lack of supervision and personal
contact"
Discussing the policy pursued dur
ing the administration of Governor
General Harrison from 1914 to 1921
the report declared the orderly proc
ess of promotion on proved efficiency"
in the government service was
changed to a hurried Filipinization,"
and added:
While there has been retrogres-
sion in the efficiency of most depart
ments of the government during the
past few years, we do not feel that the
responsibility for this rests solely
upon the PHILIPPINES as the ultimate
responsibility for the selection of re-
sponsible officers and for the exercise
Of proper supervision was in the
2 hands of the American governor gen
eral whose duty it was to appoint COM
petent men at the heads or depart
ments and bureaus and above all to
exercise proper supervision over
them
Public Service Inefficient.
TT is the general opinion among
Filipinos, Americans and foreigners,
that the public services are now in
many particulars relatively inefficient,
down in the dispatch of business and
a distinct relapse toward the stan
dards and administrative habits OF
former days" the report adds. "This
is due in part to bad example, incom-
petent direction, to political infection
of competent supervision and inspec-
ton"
The report asserts that the Filipino
people as a whole do not want indie
pence while many who favor sever
ance of American ties do NOT cOmpre-
hend the responsibility of self govern
ment.
THE people as a whole" says the
report, "are appreciative of the peace
and order which prevail thruout the
islands. Many do not understand
what independence means. or its re-
sponsibilities. They are living under
the best conditions they have ever
known. 1t is not generally realized
that the American government can
not be expected to assume responsible
ity for the results of internal disor-
ders. particularly as they affect the
nationals of other powers, the treat
ment of foreign capital and external
political relations, unless the United
states retains a certain measure of
control"
Want L. S. ProtcctOratc.
The majority of the Christian Fill
plnos are reported as favoring inde-
pendence under protection of the
United States, while a smaller number
of tPem desire immediate and com
plete Independence The Moros are a
unit against independence and ask
that the portion of the islands belong
ing to them be retained as American
territory in the event independence
ever IS granted, the report saws. while
the pagans and non-Christians consti-
tuting about 10 per cent of the poDu-
Iatloh' are Tor continued American
control and the Americans in the
Islands are a practical unit in opposi-
uOn TO independence. Economic CON
ditions are favorably commented unon
and evidence is submitted nv tbe
Wood-Forbes mission indicating uI.o-
gressive developments.
Figures show the gross business of
the islands to have increased from
$500, 100000 in 1907 to SS63,OOO 600 in
1871, While the total resources of COM
merclaI banks rose from S15,0OO.0OO
in 1906 to present estimates of $I25.-
100000 Money orders sold increased
from SS,OOO,0O0 in 1913 to $4,000. 900
In 1920; postage receipts from S3SO.-
600 in 1913 to S7SQ.00O in 1920. and
the gross earnings of the Philippine
railwSy increased in the same period,
from SSS0,000 to S750OO0.
The Manila railroads gross earnings
increased from $2.400.OOO in 1914 to
$5,900,000 in 1920.
National Bank Cited.
''In view of good earnings, moderate
expenses, inherited wealth, a small
public debt, and backed by the credit
of the United States" the repora says.
"the problem of rehabilitating the
credit of the Philippines should be an
easy one"
The report recites the story of the
Philippine bank "as one of the most
unfortunate and darkest pages in
Philippine history"
Losses sustained by the bank are es-
timated at 22.50O.O00 and are said
to have been caused by mismanage-
fCOntInued on Page Severn