Manila, Oct 92.
On Friday afternoon, with befitting ceremony, Governor-General Harrison opened the third Philip pine Legislature and read his message to the members of the Upper and Lower Houses. The message was somewhat lengthy and charged with figures, but it was remarkably informing. ' Among the new measures urged by the Governor-General were the following: Pensions for officers and men of the Philippine Constabulary; regulation of insurance companies; the new bridge across the Pasig river; effcient regulation and supervision of public charities; special assessment law for the city of Manila; proper provision for the insane; agricultural development; and, endastral survey of the islands.
Eight important measures like the above are a goodly crop for our legislators to harvest during the present session and it is rather doubtful if all of them will suocsd in getting on to the statute books through.
The majority, however, will Programme Generally Approved, The general opinion of the people here is in full accordance with the Governor-General in the sdvia contained in his message concerning agricultural development. The Gor. sta ment can do something for thu people, but it cannot do everything It is for the Philippine people devote themselves to the land. Mr. Harrison speaks of the high rateot interest charged by private duals and companies engaged in lending money to farmers and ur ges that stringent laws should be passed against usury. At prewar the rates charged small farmers by the majority of the _money-london are little short of an outrage ai should be summarily dealt wit The cadastral survey of the islands should be hastened so as to as soon as possible, to all the farm ers, sound legal titles to their land The Question of Revenue, It is on the question of revenue however, that Governor-Generl Harrison may have his hardest fight. The war has robbed the cour try of very considerable sums ant is certain to take still more. amy has been pushed to its limi,—in the opinion of many, it bs been pushed too far—consequent's nothing can be hoped for from tht quarter, Therefore, only one coure is left;—increased taxation. Wil) the peop's stand it? The ansetr is that they should be forced The present taxation per capi for the Philippines is the very lor figure of P2.83, Compare this with Japan, where the lower classes less wages then the Filipin an's taxation per capita is Pid Admitting that Japan is still sh fering from the Russo-Japance war by being taxed higher thi otherwise would be the case, thet remains such a great difference it the figures that—to quote Mr. Har rison—"'the Philippine Gow ment could fairly impose some ditional taxation without justice to any of the inh and with assurance of benefits the whole population."
Mr. J. J, Rafferty, the of Interna! Revem nccceded in amazing us all in Ingthy recommendation to the Com mission urging a five per cent, the gross output of all mines these islands. It is a strange wonderful document and it cant ho said that it has added to I Collector's reputation, unless it as a master of invective and 8 prob er into ancient history.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.