de Benguet, y que acaba de llegar en esta día; enterado de ello, con el solicitante nos apersonamos al presidente municipal y hemos podido conseguir sin pérdida de momentos todo auxilio, para el traslado inmediato del enfermo, desde la vía ferrea, hacia el hospital citado. Hechas las averiguaciones, resulta que se llama Antonio de Robles, natural y vecino de Aliaga, Nueva Ecija y que estaba atacado de cólera morbo asiático en estado tan grave. Se le administró los medicamentos y alimentos nesesarios y apesar de ello, murió el día siguiente 1o de agosto, habiéndose sido enterrado en el cementerio municipal de este pueblo en el mismo día. (Signature illegible.) Presidente Municipal de Sanidad de Moncada, Tarlac, I. F. EXHIBIT H. [Translation,] Office of the PROVINCIAL Governor, The EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, Manila, P. I. SIR: Pursuant to the directions of the honorable the civil governor contained in his telegram of the 1st and 3d of the present month, relative to the workmen for the Benguet road, I have the honor to annex the replies of several municipal presidents of this province in regard to this particular, inviting your attention especially to the reports made by the presidents of the pueblos traversed by the railroad in this province, of which the following is an abstract: Beginning with the 21st of July last, several groups of the aforesaid workmen have passed through Moncada, one of whom, a citizen of Santa Cruz, Laguna, by the name of Servando Ortega, remained with Mr. Silvino Lopez, a resident of Moncada. On the 31st of the same month one Antonio de Robles, from Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, arrived suffering from cholera, and died of this disease in the hospital established in that pueblo. Gerona.-Numerous workmen also arrived in Gerona imploring public charity, although fortunately no death occurred among them in that pueblo. Tarlac.-Numerous workmen passed through Tarlac imploring public charity, the following having been attacked by cholera and taken to the convent of the church here: Tomas Marcellano, 29 years of age, single, a native of Daraga, Albay, and resident of San Miguel, Manila; Damaso Valencia, 23 years old, native of Baliuag, Bulacan, and resident of San Miguel, Manila; Ignacio Bantog, 24 years old, single, native of Angot, Bulacan, and resident of San Nicolas, Manila. These men recovered from their illness. In the same convent the following-named men died of cholera: On July 27, Romualdo Santiago, single, a native of Angat, Bulacan, and on the 30th of the same month, Melecio Gabriel, single, of San Rafael, in the same province. They were buried in the cemetery for cholera dead of this municipality. The followingnamed workmen have died in the barrio of San Nicolas, Tarlac, from starvation, as it is reported: Blas Gamboa, 33 years of age, a native of and resident of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, married to Lucia Cudia on July 23 last; Manuel Legano, 30 years of age, of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, married to Maria Austria on the 24th of the same month. They were buried free of charge in the Catholic cemetery of this pueblo. Murcia.-Many of them passed through Murcia, and some of them had the fever, in consequence of the hunger which they suffered, as it is reported. None of them died, however. Capas. Many of them passed through Capas, most of them with wives and children, hungry and begging food from house to house. Those who arrived half naked were given clothes. Fortunately no death occurred here. Bamban.-Many of them were there, their number being estimated at 200. Three of them died of cholera and were buried at isolated spots in the said pueblo. Their names were: Isidoro Laidea, native of Lipa, Batangas; Hipolito Nuñez, of Angat, Bulacan, and Catalino Quilala, of Albay; they died on the 24th, 27th, and 31st of July last. It is reported that none of the workmen have come through the pueblos which are not on the railroad. I have the honor to inform you of this for your knowledge. Very respectfully, EXHIBIT I. MANILA, July 9, 1903. Mr. C. L. SCHUTT, Manila, P. I. SIR: You are hereby appointed employee of the Benguet road, at a salary of $75 per month and rations from July 10, 1903. You will proceed as soon as practicable to Dagupan and there take charge of the receiving and forwarding of laborers destined for the Benguet road. Under the terms of the agreement made, all the Filipino laborers for the road will march to Twin Peaks, but will be furnished sufficient rice for the journey, which should not be more than two days. This you will buy at the lowest rates obtainable for first-class rice, at the rate of 3 chupas of rice per day for each laborer. The Government can not pay for the rations of wives or families. Every assistance will be given natives in getting them started. They should remain in Dagupan as short a time as possible. If possible they should be started on the road to Twin Peaks the same day they arrive in Dagupan. You will engage native boats to unload native laborers arriving by steamer. Natives will invariably be accorded courteous and considerate treatment. In case of Chinese laborers no assistance except information shall be given without a special authority in each case, as their contract provides that they pay for their own maintenance. So also with American laborers. They pay their own expenses. Please see the agent of Benguet road now at Dagupan and assist him in any way you can. He will continue in charge of the shipment of supplies, but I wish you to ascertain what transportation in and around Dagupan is available for him. Consult the agent in this matter. Use your best judgment in forwarding the interest of the Government in the matter intrusted to you. Respectfully, L. W. V. KENNON, Major, in charge. EXHIBIT J. [Translation.] The undersigned, Alfonso Acosta, reached Tarlac on the 9th instant on official business, and while on the railway station I noticed that a foreman and two members of Poblete's gang were getting on the train. I approached said foreman to ask him what had happened, and he replied to me that he was taking his two men over to Manila, as they had no money to pay their fare; and he went for money, so as to send them off, and upon reaching the railway station he was told they had free passage; and I asked him, "Is it true that Poblete's men have died of starvation on the way?" Said foreman replied to me: "No, sir; it is true that two have died, but it has been through drunkenness and cholera." On the afternoon of the 5th I landed from the train and took toward my home. From a long way I saw my children all dressed in mourning, and from downstairs I asked them why were they weeping. At this my wife also came out, embracing me and saying, "Alfonso, Alfonso, we were told that you died of starvation, with ten other hombres more;" and once being there, and they were convinced I was not dead, I told them to take their mourning clothes off. ALFONSO Acosta. REPORT OF R. H. NOBLE, CAPTAIN, U. S. INFANTRY, AID-DE-CAMP TO CIVIL GOVERNOR, CONCERNING THE DISPOSITION MADE BY HIM OF THE POBLETE LABORERS WHO RETURNED FROM BENGUET ROAD. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, EXECUTIVE Bureau, Hon. WILLIAM H. TAFT, Civil Governor of the Philippine Islands, Manila. SIR: I have the honor to report as follows concerning the disposition made by me, in accordance with your instructions of yesterday, of the returned laborers from the Dagupan-Benguet Road which Pascual H. Poblete claimed were at his house, No. 18 Calle Gunao, desiring to return to their homes in the provinces. Transportation to Calamba and Santa Cruz was arranged for with Yangco & Co. at the rate of 35 and 45 cents Mexican, respectively, a slight reduction on the regular fare; and 8 sacks of rice were placed at the office of the steamers for distribution to the workmen upon their departure this morning for their homes. As Mr. Poblete had arranged with you to furnish correct lists of the 250 men desiring to return to their homes, I went to his house last night at the hour agreed upon. He stated that the lists were not yet ready. Seeing probably about seventyfive or eighty men standing about, I asked if these were the men who had returned from Dagupan, and he said, "Yes." Being asked where the remainder of the 250 men were, he stated that they had not as yet come in from looking for work about the city, which was the reason why the list of 250 had not yet been made out. I told him that it was absolutely essential to have the lists as agreed upon, and a correct list should be made, even if it took all night; and that up till midnight he could send the lists to me at Malacañan. He also stated to me that 19 men were so sick in his house as to be unable to travel, and that he was incurring great expense in paying for their physician and for medicines for them. I told him that I would speak to you concerning this matter and see if a medical officer of the civil government could not attend to their cases. At midnight one of Poblete's men, who is in charge of the party from Calamba, came to Malacañan and presented me with a list of exactly 250 men, whom he stated were the workmen from the provinces of Laguna and Batangas desiring to return to their homes this morning. Upon glancing at these lists I perceived that they were arranged in twenties, which was not the arrangement agreed upon between Mr. Poblete and myself when I called at his house, he having agreed to make parties of thirty-five, to whom should be given 1 picul of rice, or sufficient for two days' rations of rice for that number of men returning to their homes; and as the arrangement of twenties was precisely the one made in sending these men to Dagupan, and there being just 250 men, neither more nor less, I asked the man if he was sure that this was the list that Mr. Poblete had given him to be given to Governor Taft in accordance with the agreement of yesterday morning. He said that it was; but upon further cross-examination, and my intimation that if he made misstatements to me I would call the police officer, he stated that it was a fact that this list which he had presented to me was not the list of the men who were returning to their homes, but was a copy of a list which had been made out, on the 16th day of July, of those men who went north to Dagupan. I told him he should inform Mr. Poblete for me that deceit of this kind would not go with me; that a correct list would be furnished, and that I would be present at the steamers and call the list of names of the men who were to go. This morning, at a quarter past 6, I called at Mr. Poblete's house and inquired for him or for some member of his family, when I was informed that they were not yet awakened. I told the servant that it would be necessary for Mr. Poblete, or his representative, to go down to the wharf, as I had previously arranged the night before, in order to assist in the return to their homes of these men whom he had asked the Government to provide transportation for. In a few moments his son came down and stated that it was a misunderstanding. I told him that as we were doing his father's work we expected that he would manifest sufficient interest to be present and lend assistance at the wharf. Arriving at the wharf, there were found to be present 22 men and 4 women from Santa Cruz, 10 men who were marked to go to Los Baños, and 14 marked to go to Calamba; 50 in all. Mr. Sulueta, interpreter for the firm of Waite & Early, was there to assist me, and Mr. Amidon, agent for Yangco & Co., also assisted me, inquiring individually of each one whether he was a bona fide returned Poblete laborer en route to his home, and, being assured that they were, they were divided into two parties. Subsequently 3 more men came and joined the party for Calamba, making 53 in all. Four of the number were from Lipa and 2 from San José, province of Batangas; all the rest were from the province of Laguna. One sack of rice was given to each of these detachments to be distributed among them on the steamer en route. Each man would thus receive by equitable distribution between 5 and 6 "chupas" (or about 5 pounds) of rice, which the men stated to me would be sufficient for their necessities, as none of them lived at more than two days' distance from Manila, and the greater part would arrive home this afternoon. About the time these arrangements were completed, and a few minutes only before the departure of the steamers, Mr. Poblete's son Vicente arrived on the scene. With reference to the sick, Doctor Stafford, to whom I delivered your instructions, informed me this morning that when he went to Mr. Poblete's house, early this morning, he had some difficulty in getting in, and finally found 1 sick man behind a screen. He was not very sick, but as the doctor preferred to treat him in the hospital, he had him sent there. Upon asking Mr. Poblete where the other 18 sick men were, he stated that they had gone to Batangas. I invite attention to the fact that but 6 men of those who went on the steamer stated that they were from Batangas, and none of them claimed to be sick, and none appeared sick. As Mr. Sulueta speaks Tagalog fluently, he kindly informed the members of these detachments of the arrangements that were made for the division of the rice, and charged them to see that the men to whom it was delivered made the proper distribution. Mr. Sulueta also inquired diligently among the men as to the cause of their returning to Manila. They stated that Mr. Poblete had promised them that none of them would receive less than 50 cents, and to some of them he had promised $1 gold; also that the provision for housing them at Twin Peaks was as yet inadequate. Having seen it reported in the newspapers that a large number of these men had died en route, I asked the one in charge from Calamba how many there were who had died, and he stated to me that there were 7. I did not have time to verify this statement with the remainder of his party; but as he was the same man that had attempted to deceive me with the list the night before, and, as only 50 workmen, instead of 250, presented themselves, it would seem that a discount of about 80 per cent might be taken as reasonable. Very respectfully, R. H. NOBLE, EXHIBIT O. REPORT OF CAPT. A. R. COUDEN, COMMANDANT, U. S. NAVAL STATION, CAVITE, ON FILIPINO LABOR EMPLOYED AT THE NAVY-YARD. UNITED STATES ASIATIC FLEET, PHILIPPINE SQUADRON, FLAGSHIP RAINBOW, Cavite, P. I., November 13, 1903. SIR: I inclose herewith a copy of a communication from the civil governor of the Philippines, with the request that you submit the report therein mentioned for transmission at your earliest convenience. Respectfully, YATES STIRLING, Commander of the Philippine Squadron, United States Asiatic Fleet. The COMMANDANT, OFFICE OF THE CIVIL GOVERNOR OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, Manila, November 12, 1903. ADMIRAL: I am informed that Captain Couden, U. S. Navy, as the commandant of the navy-yard at Cavite, has had a large experience in dealing with Filipino labor, and as in my annual report I feel obliged to make some reference to the subject it would give me great pleasure if I could have the views of Captain Couden in this matter. I have spoken to him informally in regard to it, but I take this more formal method of securing the report. With the hope that my request may be granted, believe me, Sincerely, yours, Rear-Admiral YATES STIRLING, U. S. Navy, Commanding Philippine Squadron, Cavite, P. I. WM. H. TAFT, Civil Governor. U. S. NAVAL STATION, Cavite, P. I., December 12, 1903. SIR: Referring to your letter of November 13, 1903, transmitting a letter from the Hon. W. H. Taft, civil governor of the Philippine Islands. 2. There are large numbers of Filipinos employed at this station in all capacities, from common laborers, writers, copyists, minor clerks, to mechanics, including boat builders, machinists, boiler makers, leather workers, sailmakers, flag makers, ship fitters, riveters, blacksmiths, and all the various trades and callings of a naval repair yard. 3. As to common labor, when a gang of men is employed on one sort of labor continuously they become after a time very satisfactory; for instance, we have a gang handling coal, and no better men for the work could be asked. It is possible to observe this labor and to readily determine its character, and the cheerfulness and activity displayed is surprising and commendable. These men are employed by the day and not by the ton handled. 4. Common labor where it is of a changing character, for instance, piling lumber one day, loading cascos another, digging trenches, cleaning up a piece of ground, seems unsatisfactory; they are not quick to work in unison and with efficiency. Desultory work, such as keeping the roads and walks cleared of all rubbish, leaves, |