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and the Hawaiian Islands were, however, incidental, the general plan adopted for their respective governments contemplating the collection in those islands of sufficient funds to meet their current expenses.

The taxes collected in the islands are applied to the conduct of the respective local governments and to local expenditures, and none are reserved for the Government of the United States, except that in Hawaii and Alaska, which are considered as Territories of the United States, the collections from customs and internal revenues are turned into the Treasury of the United States.

The salaries of governors, judges, and other officials in Porto Rico are paid from funds collected in that island. In Hawaii those of the governor, secretary, and other officials appointed by the President are paid by the United States. The expenses of the military located in those islands are considered a part of the general military expenditure of the home Government, and are therefore not paid from the funds collected in the islands. Representation abroad is solely through the diplomatic and consular representatives of the United States, whose expenditures are borne entirely by the United States Government. The expenses of the judiciary in Porto Rico are paid from the taxes collected in that island. In Hawaii and Alaska, which are Territories of the United States, the salaries of the justices of the supreme and circuit courts are paid by the United States.

The postal system in Porto Rico, Alaska, and the Hawaiian Islands is a part of that of the United States, the officers thereof being appointed under and controlled by the Post-Office Department of the United States, which thus becomes responsible for the postal expenditures in those islands, though the receipts from the sales of stamps in the islands cover a large share of the current expenses of the postal service. In the Philippine Islands the postal system is not at present under the control of the Post-Office Department, though the rates of postage in those islands are identical with those in the United States, and the rates from any point in either the Philippine Islands or any other island controlled by the United States are uniform either to other points in that island or to points in the United States or any other island under its control, a single (2-cent) postage stamp carrying a letter from the most distant part of the Philippine Islands to any place in Hawaii, Alaska, the United States, or Porto Rico. The United States does not make the telegraph system a part of its postal system either in its own territory or that of the colonies.

ALASKA.

The Territory of Alaska, at the extreme northwest of North America, was purchased from Russia by the United States in 1867 for $7,200,000. It includes, besides the mainland, a large number of islands, most prominent among them being the Aleutian chain. The population in 1880 was 33,426, of whom 17,617 were Esquimaux, 11,478 Indians, 2,145 Aleuts, 1,756 half-breeds, and 430 whites. In 1890 the population was 30,276, of whom 4,416 were whites. During the year 1899–1900 a large influx of population from the United States and Canada occurred, owing to the gold discoveries in that section, and the census of 1900 gave a total population of 63,592, of whom 30,507 were whites, 21,709 being natives of the United States. The government had been for many years administered by a governor and other officers appointed by the President, but in 1900 a more complete form of Territorial government was established by act of Congress. There are no statistics of the commerce between Alaska and the ports of the United States, it having been from the first considered a customs district of the United States.

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The Hawaiian Islands were annexed to the United States in 1898 in accordance with the expressed request of the people of those islands, and they were made a customs district of the United States. In 1900 an act establishing a form of government for the islands made them a Territory of the United States. The governor and other executive officers and the judges of the United States supreme and district courts in the Territory are appointed by the President. Local legislation is enacted by a legislature of which both branches are elected by the citizens of Hawaii. Hawaii is represented in Congress, as are other Territories of the United States, by a Delegate, who has a seat in the House of Representatives but not a vote. The population in 1900 was 154,001, of whom 66,890 were whites, 54,141 being native whites.

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The Philippine Islands were ceded by Spain to the United States in 1899 at the termination of the war between the United States and Spain on payment by the United States of $20,000,000. Their area is estimated at 119,542 square miles, or slightly less than that of New Mexico. Population estimated at 8,000,000. Government in the islands was conducted by the military during the period of hostilities on the part of the natives following the cession by Spain, but a commission was appointed by the President, under authority of Congress, which has established a civil government in those parts of the islands, in which order and peace have been restored, and the purpose is to substitute civil for military government as rapidly as circumstances will permit. The laws are created by the Philippine No. 9-39

commission, which is composed in part of natives of the islands. Municipal and other local legislation is in the hands of municipal bodies, wherever practicable, and the general forms of government existing prior to American occupation are retained wherever practicable.

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Guam is an island in the Pacific, ceded to the United States by the peace treaty with Spain in 1899. Area, 150 square miles; population estimated at 9,000, of whom about 6,500 are Aganas, 1,000 Sumai, and the remainder belonging to other native tribes. Only about 1 per cent of the land is under cultivation, but it is estimated that about one-half of the island, all of which is tropical, is susceptible of cultivation. The government is administered by a governor appointed by the President. The commerce of the island at present is of little importance, the chief value of the island being as a naval and coaling station and landing for a submarine cable.

Area....

Population (estimated)..

TUTUILA, MANUA, ETC.

.square miles..

150 9,000

Islands in the Samoan group in the Southern Pacific Ocean, annexed by the United States in 1899 at the request of their inhabitants and under an agreement with Great Britain and Germany, with which a joint protectorate had formerly been maintained over the Samoan group. The area of Tutuila is 54 square miles and of Manua 25 square miles, and the population is estimated at 4,000 for Tuituila and 1,800 for Manua and adjoining islets. Their chief value is as a naval, coaling, and cable station, the harbor of Pago Pago being pronounced the finest in the Southern Pacific. The government is administered by a naval officer designated by the President, and the construction of coaling docks and other requisites for a coaling station is in progress.

Area...
Population..

WAKE ISLAND.

...-square miles..

79 5,800

A small island in the Pacific between the Hawaiian and Philippine groups, of which the United States took undisputed possession in 1899. It has no population. Its chief value is as a landing place for a cable.

PORTO RICO.

An island in the West Indies, ceded to the United States by Spain by the peace treaty of 1899. Its area is 3,600 square miles, and the population, according to the census of 1899, 953,243, an increase of 16 per cent since the census of 1887. The people are chiefly engaged in agriculture, the principal productions being sugar, tobacco, coffee, and tropical fruits. The government is administered by a governor and executive council appointed by the President, and a legislative body, of which the house of delegates is elected by the residents of the island, the other body being the executive council named by the President and consisting of governor, secretary, treasurer, auditor, commissioner of the interior, commissioner of education, and five other persons, at least five of this number being, under requirements of law, native inhabitants of Porto Rico. The island is officially represented at Washington by a Resident Commissioner elected by the voters of Porto Rico. All local legislation is enacted and laws are established by the legislative body thus created, and municipal legislation is in the hands of municipal bodies of the cities and towns. The tariff of the United States applies in Porto Rico with reference to articles imported from foreign countries, but all articles from the United States are admitted free of any duty, and all articles from Porto Rico are admitted to ports of the United States free of any duty.

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COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES WITH PORTO RICO, HAWAII, AND THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, FROM 1897 TO 1902.

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IMPORTS INTO, AND EXPORTS FROM, THE UNITED STATES IN ITS COMMERCE WITH PORTO RICO, HAWAII, AND THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND TOTAL IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES, FROM 1897 TO 1902.

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STATISTICAL STATEMENTS

OF THE

WORLD'S COLONIES.

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