948 PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



were the French East Indies ($9,575,741-) There was an increase in imported foodstuffs 

 and in iron and steel, but a marked decrease in cotton textiles. Larger imports of raw cotton 

 and yarn show that the textile industry is developing. 



Government. A summer capital has been established at Baguio, capital of Benguet 

 province, in the mountains 120 m. N. of Manila. There the governor-general and 

 other officials reside from the ist of March until the ist of July. A new city is building. 

 The mayor and city council are appointees of the governor-general with the consent 

 of the Philippine Commission. By the act of Congress of February 15, 1911 the term 

 of delegates to the Philippine assembly was made four years, and in accordance with 

 this act the first Tuesday of June was chosen as election day. 



In December 1910 a parcels post system was established between the Philippines~and 

 Hong Kong, and in October 1912 an inter-island parcels post system. 



In January 1911 capital punishment was abolished. The regular session and a special 

 session in 191 1 refused to pass appropriation bills and other administration measures. There 

 was a second regular session in November, December and January 1912 and a special session 

 in February 1912. The legislature limited the power of the Governor-General to deport 

 and expel foreigners by requiring previous investigation with a hearing at which the suspect 

 must be represented by counsel and witnesses. An Act of January 20, 1912 makes liable to 

 fine of 200 pesos, imprisonment for 6 months, or both, any one receiving an advance for per- 

 sonal service under contract and failing to perform the service. Provincial boards were 

 authorised to pay regular wages to unclassified employees disabled for 90 days or less. Dur- 

 ing the rice famine the Governor-General was authorised to arrange for the sale of foodstuffs 

 at reasonable prices through provincial and municipal governments and for this purpose to 

 buy 15,000 tons of rice. The legislature appropriated 12,000 pesos for the purchase of food 

 plant seeds for distribution. It voted 5,000 pesos to purchase and preserve the birthplace 

 of Jose Rizal in Calamba, La Laguna; and 25,000 pesos to provide the public schools with 

 copies of a biography of Rizal. It passed an elaborate warehouse receipt law, and revised a 

 part of the corporation law providing for fees for filing articles of corporation. For the in- 

 vention of a durable, fireproof, waterproof roofing material, a substitute for nipa, a prize of 

 15,000 pesos was offered; a technical board is to deal with it. 



Finance. During the fiscal year ending Tune 30, 1912 the revenues were 120,754,016 

 pesos, and the disbursements 124,257,387 pesos; and the balance at the end of the year was 

 28,414,214 pesos, at the beginning of the year 3 1 -,935,586. In May 1912 Governor W. Cam- 

 eron Forbes announced that the income was sufficient to meet all expenditures including 

 public improvements; and in July President Taft informed Congress that the islands had 

 not been a charge against the United States Treasury and that on all items there was a balance 

 in their favour except for increased expenditures for army and navy. A system of rural 

 credits was introduced in 1911, the government making loans at 6% on agricultural property 

 and guaranteeing 4% to a French syndicate's agricultural bank with a capital of 10,000,000. 

 In December 1911 the application of several banking laws was extended to Moro and other 

 non-Christian territory by the Commission. During the fiscal year 1912 deposits in postal 

 savings banks increased from 2,099,474 pesos to 2,388,986. On December 8, 1911, the legis- 

 lature authorised the release from the gold standard fund of 1,698,514 pesos, which was thus 

 available for public works. The chief of the bureau of insular affairs in his report for 1912 

 recommends legislation to increase the limit of the bonded debt for improvements and to 

 permit the investment or deposit on proper security of 60 % of the silver certificate reserve. 

 The Territorial bonded debt in 1912 (including 4,000,000 municipal bonds of Manila and 

 $125,000 of Cebu) was $16,125,000. The last legislature failed to pass an appropriation 

 measure; in such circumstances current appropriations are extended. 



Charitable and Penal Institutions. The total number of prisoners on the islands in 1912 

 was 6,910, of which one-half were in the Bilibid prison and at the Iwahig Penal Colony. The 

 latter has been a remarkable success as an example of advanced penology. The reservation 

 is 468,710,673 sq. metres in extent of which 448 hectares are under cultivation, growing up- 

 land rice. A saw-mill and brick-kiln are in full operation. The Culion leper colony in 1912 

 had 2,615 inmates, largely from Cebu. The sanitary work of the government has been ex- 

 cellent. For the fiscal year 1912 the death rate of government employees was only 5.65 

 per thousand (8.46 for Americans; 4.44 for Filipinos). Deaths from beri-beri stopped wher- 

 ever and whenever unpolished rice was used, and it is proposed to. use undermilled rice in 

 government institutions. In spite of constant war on rats, the bubonic plague reappeared 

 in Manila in 1912. In the Manila district where the annual deaths from small pox were 

 formerly 6,000, no death from this cause was reported in 1911 and there were few cases in 

 1912. A sewage system 1 and a good water supply were installed in 1911, but there was a 

 serious shortage in 1912. Experiments have been made at Manila in sterilising drinking 

 water with ultra-violet rays. The improvement of health conditions elsewhere is scarcely 



1 The courts have enjoined the bureau of health from compelling private owners to con- 

 nect with the sewer system. 



