Tae Forene Prosreriny of rae From the Manila papers just to band we take two extracts bearing on the above subject, the one from the Manila "Times" under the caption of "A Rift in the Clouds," and the other from the Manila "American" on "How to have Prosperity." The "Times" says Within the past few years few cities have been called upon to pass through more trying ordeals or to evince so much patience under adverse conditions as has the city of Manila. Piled on top of a harassing legacy of four hundred years of Spanish misrule and a quadrennium of war and its attendant evils, we have also had to struggle along with a most irritate lack of modern conveniences, with an al. most prohibitive tariff on all the luxuries and even the necessities of life, with a ten-thousand-mile-distant Congress to make our laws, with a miserable service of street transportation, and at times a 129, less irritating: and inadequate electric ight and telephone system, But Spanish rule is now ended, fighting is practically over, the tariff manages to cko out our revenue, Congress may reform, an electric railroad is looming up in the near future—and, still further, we now learn there is a possibility of a new telephone company entering the field. It was somewhat over a year ago, as we remember, that Manila was visited by a representative of one of the largest telephone companies in the United States. His mission was to purchase the present so-called telephone system. His investigations disclosed but little to purchase, and for that little, much was asked; even after offering double the actual value of the telephone plant, this representative was unable to secure a purchase. The Philippine Commission was then powerless to grant such concessions, and realising the. futility of further stay in this city, the company's agent returned to the United States, there to await developments. These developments have now come; Congress has Aelegated to the Philippine Commission authority to grant franchises. As a result, of this, we understand another effort will be made by the same telephone company to secure a foothold in this city, and relieve the present situation. In view of such a possibility and the appearance of someone who is backed by capital sufficient to achieve such a consummation, we feel inclined to urge that his path be made smooth and that no unnecessary difficulties be thrown in his way; we hope he will not be kept waiting many weary months for the opportunity of investing his money in an enterprise which has for its object furnishing the city with a most needed convenience. If there is one thing that this city and the Philippines in general need more than any other to-day, it the activity and stir which come trove the infusion of capital, bringing in their train the benefits which result from a spirit of enterprise and from a. country's development. We trust, therefore, when this or any other project is presented, promising improvement in the existing
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.