new territory an adequate safeguard against incurring excessive indebtedness would be to require due investigation and report by the executive secretary, favorable recommendation of each project by the insular auditor, and approval by the Governor General before investment loans be made. (h) That extraordinary financial aid from the insular treasury be provided for the construction of roads, bridges, trails, and small wharves, and the removal of obstructions in navigable rivers in amount equal to that otherwise provided by provincial governments from all sources. (i) That existing law be amended so as to permit passengers traveling between the ports of Jolo, Zamboanga, and Manila to take passage between these coastwise points on foreign steamers making direct voyages. The law at present practically prohibits this. As a consequence a person in Zamboanga having business in Manila may not take a foreign steamer making the voyage from Zamboanga directly to Manila in 36 to 48 hours, but is required to wait for a coastwise vessel, none of which run directly between Zamboanga and Manila, but, stopping at various intermediate points, consume as much as 5 or 7 days. Furthermore, the coastwise vessels plying between Jolo, Zamboanga, and Manila are small, most of them of very old type, not designed for service in the Tropics, and passenger accommodations are not only inadequate, but almost unendurable to persons accustomed to modern ships. While the traffic between Manila and Cebu and Manila and Iloilo is apparently well provided with modern coastwise vessels, this is not true so far as concerns Zamboanga and Jolo. The volume of passenger and freight traffic between Jolo, Zamboanga, and Manila does not now and probably will not for some time to come warrant the maintenance of direct ship service. It is a serious disadvantage imposed upon business here, especially the passenger traffic, to prohibit the use of the large modern foreign ships which include the ports of Manila, Zamboanga, and Jolo on their regular schedules. While the protection of our coastwise shipping interests may warrant this prohibition in the case of traffic between Manila and Cebu and Manila and Iloilo, it operates as to Manila, Zamboanga, and Jolo seriously to restrict freedom and economy in trade and seriously to discourage the diversion of the commercial relations of this region from Singapore to Manila. (j) That the registration of Chinese be again authorized to afford opportunity for legalization of residence in the Philippine Islands of those worthy Chinese individuals who, through lack of information or otherwise, without fault of their own, failed to take advantage of the opportunity to register which terminated April 29, 1904. Well-deserved relief would thus be afforded to a number of Chinese merchants and property owners who for many years have resided in Mindanao-Sulu, married, and reared children here. These men have in every way definitely identified themselves with the country. Inasmuch as this matter has been the subject of a separate report, reference is respectfully made to it for further discussion of the subject. () Finally, and venturing perhaps beyond the limitations of recommendations which may properly be expected from the department governor, but basing the action upon a firm conviction as to the best interests not only of the seven provinces here involved but also of all the provinces comprised in the Archipelago, that when the authority of the Philippine Legislature shall be extended to the department of Mindanao and Sulu representation be accorded these seven provinces upon the same basis as in the cases of the regularly organized provinces. Representation in the lower house would therefore be one for each province, or seven delegates. Viewed from every standpoint except that of population, this certainly could not be deemed excessive for due representation of approximately one-third of the entire Archipelago, and even from the point of view of population this representation would be the minimum under the rule of apportionment in force in the regularly organized provinces. Very respectfully, FRANK W. CARPENTER, Governor. INDEX. ABACA, crop conditions: 295. AGRICULTURE: Aids to: 107. College, report of: 311. Demonstration and extension division, work of: 271, 301. Loans for: 59. Mindanao and Sulu: 360-364. Publication division, work of: 301, 302. AGRICULTURAL BANK: Collections: 56. Deposits in: 56. Statement of: 221. AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF: Appropriation for: 59. Personnel: 267, 296. Work of: 267, 277, 278. AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS, COOPERATIVE, establishment of: 42. AGRICULTURAL COLONIES: Administration of: 373–380. American, organization of: 296. Appropriations: 379. Establishment of: 42. Mindanao and Sulu, organization of: 373-381. AGRICULTURAL REVIEW, publication of: 302. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES, organization of: 296. AGRONOMY, Work of division of: 269, 299. AHERN, GEORGE P.: Resignation: 20, 110. Work of: 110. ALAMADA (DATU), surrender of: 338. ALMACIGA (GUM COPAL), production of: 364. AMERICANS: Number in service: 29. Separations from service: 29. Transfers to United States: 29, 30. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, work of division of: 267, 297. APAYAO, SUBPROVINCE OF: Conditions in: 73. Peace conditions in: 124 APPROPRIATIONS: Acts passed: 6. Reductions in: 54. AQUARIUM, opening of: 110. ARAULLO, MANUEL, promotion of: 23, 26. ARCHITECT, CONSULTING: Work of: 172, 173. Personnel of office: 173. ARELLANO, ARCADIO, appointment: 26. ARMY, U. S.: Withdrawal of: 178. Work of: 62. 409 |