Show NEWS IS PEACEFUL fROM PHILIPPINES r. ti Y Annual Report of Island Commission Commission Com Corn mission to War DeI De De- I pal f Tt INDUSTRIES ARE THRIVING l rK ta Many an Signs of Returning Prosperity 14 r. r 4 With Ull Extension J- J cn lon of Self tl eF toIs t a. a I t to o for fol l i 1 Washington Jan 1 Tho 1 Tho annual report of ot tho Philippine commission If for tor the fiscal year ended Juno 30 1 1901 Op tOg together with the separate re reports re- re ports to the commission of oC the gov- gov erUOl general of or tho Islands and of ot i h heads d of oC the four executive deI de de- I p has just been published by bythe the War ar department As to peace an and ord order r tho the report says MS that much has been accomplished I b by tho the government in subduing Internal Inter Inter- nal troubles trouble by capturing nn and restrainIng restrain restrain- InS hog the principal leaders In tho the uprisings uprisings up up- risings s some of whom have havo been sentenced sent sent- to death Governor General Ide states that undoubtedly undoubtedly un un- It if there has been error it has hns not been in tho the direction of or re restriction restriction re- re but rather in the granting of ot perhaps a a. lar larger er measure of or self gov than a people absolutely un- un t In the of or any of or the tho functions o of government t prepared for The re results ul ts ha have vc been on tho the whole cu encouraging oura and d the training that has hns hass ct come me to the people h has s been Inval- Inval s 1 liable cable In some provinces though little or no f Interest Is taken in general political subjects great Interest Is excited by local elections In the tho city of or Man Manila a agitation lation of ot political factions In view o OL of the approach of oC tho time cl elections for forthe forthe or the popular assembly has hOos been heco marked r b by increased ased Intensity and bitterness ntH and str strenuous Influences brought to hoar hear b by the several candidates and their friends upon the electors electon Industrial Conditions Condition n m The he reports of the various governors go taken as a whole Indicate that the crops ClOP are arc In a n. more prosperous condition condi condi- tion except n as to tobacco sugar and anil hemp plants of m. m thc he latter Jatter having been damaged b by a destructive typhoon to toI I tho time extent of abbot 0 in value of or the crop The reduction In the production pro- pro o of of tobacco is duo largely larely to lack of or a suitable n market arket that of or the United Slates les being being- closed by the thc absolutely absolutely absolutely ab ab- ab- ab prohibitory d duties Ues Imposed bythe by bythe bY bYthe the Dingley tariff and anil to the consequent conse conse- quent low price realized for the time IC leaf lt I In the time matter o of exports the loss was made up by the Increase e in tho production production pro pro- I and exportation o of ot cocoanuts Tine The Imports were reduced below below- the preceding year ca caby by s some same me- me a large larget t portion of which consisted In the reduced reduced re re- re- re Importations of of rice w which Is Is Isa a good sign as It Indicates that thit the Philippines Phil Phil- are arc raising their own rico and ande e extending tending their agriculture which for fora a number of years ears has haq been retarded retarded by death dealt u of cattle catlIe and dram draft animals from flom locust plagues etc eta The balance of ot trade trad in favor of the islands was about Enormous num- num of or new plants of ot Manila hemp J a most useful fiber plant andr and r V t c cocoanuts have hate been set et out and there theres hR ting s h u na 1 se In time are aret pla planted Jn to w Ice ice Ar i- i A Another other good sign of returning returning- pros pros- perIl Is the Increased purchases s of or Improved Im Int 1 and andI proved Iro agricultural Implements I I machinery ml which not merel merely denotes Improvement In power on the part of or tho the people but also also furnishes furnishes furnishes fur fur- I the material for tor constantly constant y enlarged enlarged en en- production Th The financial condition of or the the Is lands Islands Is reported to be very cry much munch better than e for several years ears At the close of or th the thelast I last fiscal year there remained an ex cx- excess X- X of I cess of receipts over O expenditures expenditures over oer a million and a a- ahalt halt hate gold gold- ohl duo due In purl part to the lIH Increased Cd collections b by the he bureau of or Internal revenue and l In h part parl to the greater economy In ax fiat and It is confidently stated that during the c coming year cal there will be he a 1 sufficient clout amount available over or and and above e the ordinary expenses of or oleo tho h govern government o ern t ment ent to tu olo two or tl three millions to needed much internal Improvements road and h building an and P permanent perma neat nent public works Z I In addition to the certificates tes of of the In Indebtedness In of on account of tho t J count gold cold ohi standard tumid fund one the only o bonded Indebtedness of the Insular government o Is In 1 per cent bonds bends Issued for the purpose e of purchasing the f friar I lands and amI 1 in public Improvement Improve ment bonds Internal Ilc I Law mr It is stated that practical experience under tho the Internal revenue law Jaw has hos completely demonstrated the wl wisdom of or orIts Its enactment as It Is Indispensable p for forth or orthO th time thO J purpose p of ot revenue le It and nd red redl redistributes tr mites utes the burden of ot taxation placing It cr very largely on articles of or consumption consumption con con- and relieves many small In Industries Industries In- In I annoying and burdensome burdensome burden burden- froth an nn some tax that had before rested upon them Time The total toL collections during the year eal amounted to nearly the bulk of or which Is obtained from flom taxes en Con alcoholic products manufacturers of I cigars and cl cigarettes opium smoking by Chinese and from liquor licenses three Sixty-three per cent of f th the total t l 1 Mathe tand andl amount n was as collected In fn Manila nila and nud 37 31 per cent In the provinces at a lL co post cost l lor of or s 41 1 per cent of or the receipts Th The I agitation n against the law continued to some SOmO extent i until October 19 1903 1945 3 when becoming convinced that it would not be bo modified in nn any vital or essential feature tho distillers and manufacturers ers erg of or tobacco products adjusted themselves themselves themselves them them- selves to tho new conditions of Land TAX to to- the continued agricultural depression the loss of or locust plagues typhoons etc and the improved im- im Im Improved proved condition of or tho the insular treasury treasury treas trens- ury It was deemed expedient to furnish furnish furnish fur fur- nish the lan landowners owners outside of Manila MantIa a 1 temporary try and welcome much rest from the burden of land taxes for or one year ear nn and inasmuch h as ns tho proceeds of this land tax were devoted solely to local leeal purposes and In order that the municipalities might not ho bo embarrassed embarrassed embar embar- ra set by not having sufficient funds to meet the thi expenses necessary to the maintenance nl o of schools roads bridges es I public buildings and police police forces the the I Philippine commission passed an n ac act appropriating to Ute tile provinces and municipalities from insular funds a sum equal to the total amount o of llio land taxes collected b by them respectively during 1903 91 In the tine ag aggregate rel te the Philippine commission com com- commission mission reports report to have expended about In the improvement of the harbor harbor har har- bor bOT of Manila and state that It Is II now 10 safe sate against typhoons and probably the best In the Orient Savings do hank ook During the tho year rear an act has been pass passel passed b by the tho Philippine commission establishing establishing- a n postal savings bank to tobe tobe be administered nn or the time bureau of posts with authority to establish branches branches in every throughout the archipelago Many my of the people of the tilt islands arc are thrifty thrift but Inability to lo properly Invest or secure their earnings s' s sin In a manner t to make e them yield an nn In Income income in- in come discourages es thrift and practically In-I In tho the only means of s saving heretofore In Inthe Inthe inthe the provinces pro has been b by burying money In the time ground round which practice made a s serious loss Joss to tho the community i as tho time use of oC the money Is urgently needed In fn circulation for tor the prosperity of or the Islands Island In the tho new postal savings banks do- do posits rna may bo ho made of or any amount however however small by tho purchase of or stumps on which Interest will t be paid of at not less than 2 n per cent p per r an an- num As the tho funds are aio to be Judicious Judiciously INISI INIS- INIS l ly I- hI Invested b by an nn official of or tho time government government gov gov- o under tinder strict regulations prescribed pre lire prescribed scribed by tho the law la time tho security bf t tho the funds l h s assured and It Is la stated that the tho Interest payable on same h shortly It If not not- at one will exceed the tho m minimum mini mum fixed b by b. law Jaw This system will moot meet a n. much needed requirement and It Is believed to be b one of or the most Im Important Important Im- Im pieces of or le legislation which hn has lieen enacted It will tend gradually to win the Filipino I from his love of ot gambling gam gam- am- am hung bling and putting g r fils his money on on tho time hazard of ot the cockpit Induce him to tosno save sn his little littie funds and thus enable him to tel purchase a n homestead or agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural 1 machinery or to enlarge his existing possessions nto Dingier le Tariff It Tt i is stated staled that the principal l ray of hope n which came to the of or tho the Philippines In the midst of their losses from locusts tl and anel low prices s for their products was that they might be furnished relief reller from I the excessive e duties now no Imposed upon Imports of or sugar and tobacco into tho the United States and that time disappoint disappoint- disappointment ment throughout the tho Islands great and bitter at nt the failure o of congress to do so RO at the tho last session Attention Is called to the time laws passed by congress congress conr's con con- gress rs r's affecting commerce between the tho 1 States and the Philippine Philippines by b- which great benefits and a advantages advantage anta have ha been given Iv to the time American owners oWner manufacturers of cotton goods t otc etc over foreigners which enables them to con control pi prices Ices and cost of transportation transportation trans trans- as well as 8 to monopolize the trade while the American markets which the tho Filipinos are arc asked to consider consider con con- sider their own remain closed to them thern by tho the failure of congress to act The arguments In detail have ha been so often made mado for this reduction of or dut duty on sugar and tobacco that the time commission lias Imes thought It fruitless to repeat repent them a again aln this y year ar In detail but with tho time utmost earnestness it It re it-re- re repeats rc- rc peats peah Its former recommendation that congress at al least reduce tho the duties on two products to 3 per cent of or the tho present ent rates The rime Philippine commission recommend recon recon- mend mends in general that In view of or tho present n agricultural and financial crisis in the Islands all possible measures calculated to Increase their commercial commer commer- cial 1 prosperity without Interfering with that of the United States should certainly certainly be adopted by congress The rift United States Is so teeming with enterprises and Industries which are arc highly that It has been difficult cult to American capital to enter enter en en- enter ter the Islands and aid In the lon long long- sou sought ht development of their latent and resources American an lawyers lawers physicians dentists dentists den lIen and merchants are aIe found In him every direction an nn aggregation atlon o of American capital has hns given Iven a tremendous Impetus to tho the most important product of the time Islands abaca islands abaca or manila hemp which has haR no rival In tho time markets markels of or tho world world world-by by absorbing sev several ral of the older and lar larger el companies and the tho use Uso of new appliances which American skill II and cap capital tal are arc bringing to bear whatever whatever what what- ever development has been made mado In Inthe inthe the thC ruining mining Industry Indu has hns been by rugged rug and hardy Americans backed by American American American Ameri Ameri- can capital the American newspaper newspapermen men are aie al also o found In considerable numbers enterprising there as at home as nl an important factor In shaping public public public pub pub- lic sentiment in ht the islands American enterprise e has not taken Its proper pIa place co In water transportation between the Islands Island yet et such capital Is not wanting and one company compan Is Isnow Isnow Isnow now meeting meeting- a n. s success Many varieties of useful and amI valuable machinery for or saving labor and antI increasing production have havo already been Intro Introduced by Americans Americans Amer Amer- and this is a rowing growing business The unoccupied field Is still large and will furnish for or many years oars to 10 c come mc an un outlet for surplus energy and mon money y yot ot of citizens of the tho United States to the benefit both bout of themselves es and of or tho time lr If inhabitants habitants ts of the Islands The Tho commission renews its recommendation recommendation for a repeal of or the act of oC congress pr providing for tho the refund of or duties paid on articles exported from rom the islands to the time United Slates States and consumed therein and states sLats that t the thc reasons which led It Jl heretofore to recommend rec rec- omm tho the repeal of that provision are arc still operative and antl that the tho people feel teel that tho they are are- being being- exploited forthe tor for the benefit of Ir certain interests in the Unite Slat ls It Is 19 pointed action out that th sinCo tho the p passage of oC tho the act on March 8 8 IW 1 r. down to June fin 1 G there has 18 been ben taken faken from flom rein tho comparative poverty poverty pov pov- I Iben erty of the insular treasury to b bo be delivered do- do livered directly Into In to tho the hands of oC tho limo manufacturers of ot cordage and other users of oC Philippine hemp In tho United I States for Ot their enrichment AS th cordage Interests interest are arc prosperous prosper prosper- ous and tho the Philippine Islands arc are struggling struggling- It Is stated that legislation which takes money directly from tho Limn one an and passes asses It over o to the flip other I is not nol founded on oft sound principles s of or po- po economy or of of or simple justice to tho the Filipinos Land Ion l Under n cr the tho present law Jaw of congress not lot more than Cort forty acres of oc lan land may bo ho sold soil from front any portion of the public domain to ono Individual and not more mOle than titan acres to nil any association or corporation The These e ar are aro s stated to Lo have been heen undoubtedly to lo secure se- se se secure e- e cure to the Filipinos solely time the right to occupancy of public lan lands s but bet It Is IJ pointed out that however howe beneficent cn cent tho tIm I |