We clip the following information from the Manila Freedom " anent the failure of those who were secking to introduce rieshas into Manil The Collector of Customs is of the opinion that the operatives of rieshas are not skilled labourers, and from a canvass of public sentiment, and especially of the status of riesha operatives in other countries, we are reluctantly compelled to accede to his opinion. In China and the English colonies, the riesha operative is looked on as a coolie pure and simple, who may become proficient in a week. In Japan, the ricsha operative seems to have about the <ame status. Tt is clear that a_ ce": entious official, no matter what his personal desires in' the matter may be, inst decide a question of th sort according to the best. authorities obtainable. If the public is aggrieved, it_ must be atthe jaw and not at the official who enforces the law. A skilled labourer, according to the law, is one who has' spent a certain amount of time in learning his trade. He cannot fulfil the duties of his work with the experience of a week, a month or six months. This is obvious. Printers, plumbers, painters, tinsmiths are all. skilled labourers. Ditch-diggers, coal handlers, miners are as unskilled labourers. It is obvious that there must be as much science in swinging a pick to good effect ina mine, as there ix in havling a vehicle about the streets. The novice in cither position world he of little value. But a very small amount of, time is necessary, however, in which to acquire <ome degree of efficiency, and for that reason neither can be classed as skilled labourers.
'A contrary decision on the part of the Collector of Customs would. very obviously be an evasion. of the law, and wi ould probably be no criticism of his action in render ing such a decision, which would be in favour of a public necessity, there can [be no criticism of his action in standing by the law and rendering a decision against the classification of ricsha men as skilled labourers.
This is the decision which the Collector of Customs has already arrived at, and it is known that he sees no reason to amend his first decision. For that reason the passibility of a relief from the present, abominable transportation conditions fades away into nothingness and the fie! is open for the nest scheme. Those have laboured to place rieshas upon the streets of Manila have had their labours for nothing. The opposition of the Chinese and Filipinos has had its due effect, the law i in their favour as far as the importation of labour is concerned, and we find ourselves hoist by our own petard. Mr. Rivers, of the ricsha com-, pans, has the entire sympathy of the public in the failure of his enterprise and the loss of his time and money, but it seems that there is nothing more to do in the matter, We well know what sometimes happens to the best laid plans of men and mice, and this seems to be an instance of it. Therefore we must say adieu to the ricshas which we have never had, and look: to the future for another remedy for the transportation question, An Interesting Comparison is drawn by the Manila im between the expenses of the military operations carried on by the United States im the Philippines and the east incurred by Great Britain in the recent South African war. Tt say While our total amounts, in rough numbers, to only one hundred and eighty {million dollars, that of Great Britain gates three hundred ant tilty dollars. In the case of Great Britain, however, these figures represent only the net outlay, or the extra expenses incurred by the Boer war, and do not include the ordinary cost of the standing army in normal peace times. When this ix added, and a liberal estimate made, the grand total is placed by some at two hundred million pounds. This tremendous figure is calculated on the same basis as our one hundred and eighty. million dollars, or thirty-six million pounds. When this comparison is made it is at once seen what a mere bagatelle our Philippine war has been when put in the balance with Great Britain's Transvaal war.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.