650, which also provides for apprentices, their compensation, and terms of service. The act reads as follows:

[No. 650.]

AN ACT providing for the employment of apprentices in the bureau of public printing, fixing their term of service and compensation, providing for the payment of extra compensation to native craftsmen in said bureau, and repealing all acts or parts of acts in conflict with this act.

By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that: SECTION 1. There may be employed in the bureau of public printing as many apprentices as in the judgment of the secretary of public instruction the interests of the public service will permit, such apprentices to be selected by the public printer subject to such requirements as to age, physique, health, character, and education as may be prescribed by the Philippine civil service board. Apprentices shall be designated as first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth class apprentices, and shall be paid and serve in each class as hereinafter prescribed. All original appointments shall be to the sixth class, and apprentices shall be required to serve at least three months in this class at twenty cents per day before promotion to the fifth class, at least six months in the fifth class at thirty cents per day before promotion to the fourth class, at least nine months in the fourth class at forty cents per day before promotion to the third class, at least six months in the third class at sixty cents per day before promotion to the second class, at least six months in the second class at eighty cents per day before promotion to the first class, and at least six months in the first class at one dollar and ten cents per day, when they may be rated in the bureau of public printing as craftsmen. The promotion or reduction of an apprentice from one class to another shall be made by the public printer, and shall be based on the civil service efficiency rating of the apprentice.

SEC. 2. Each native craftsman employed in the bureau of public printing at the end of three years of honest, faithful, satisfactory, and continuous service in such bureau from the date this act becomes effective shall be entitled to receive extra compensation as follows: Ten cents per diem for each full day of actual service rendered at a daily wage of sixty cents or more but less than one dollar and twenty cents; twenty cents per diem for each full day of actual service rendered at a daily wage of one dollar and twenty cents or more but less than one dollar and sixty cents; and thirty cents per diem for each full day of actual service rendered at a daily wage of one dollar and sixty cents or more: Provided, That on the recommendation of the public printer, approved by the secretary of public instruction, one year's accumulated extra compensation may be paid at the conclusion of two years' continuous service; And provided further, That in case of the separation of any native craftsman from the bureau of public printing before completing the three years' service herein prescribed on account of permanent disability or death, such native craftsman or his estate, as the case may be, may, on the recommendation of the public printer, approved by the secretary of public instruction, receive the extra compensation herein provided which may have accumulated up to the time of his separation from service in the bureau. The time served by native craftsmen as second-class and firstclass apprentices shall be counted as a part of the three years' honest, faithful, satisfactory, and continuous service for which extra compensation is allowed by the provisions of this section. For the purposes of this act the services of native craftsmen shall be deemed continuous until such craftsmen are definitely separated from service in the bureau of public printing.

SEC. 3. There shall be kept in the bureau of public printing an accurate account of the extra compensation accruing under the provisions of section two of this act and the disbursing officer for the bureau shall pay the same to the persons entitled thereto, as the same becomes due under and by virtue of this enactment, on the presentation of proper vouchers signed by the public printer and approved by the secretary of public instruction.

SEC. 4. The compensation mentioned in this act is stated in money of the United States, but may be paid either in money of the United States or its equivalent in local currency at the authorized rate, as may be provided by law or order.

SEC. 5. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.

SEC. 6. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SEC. 7. This act shall take effect on March first, nineteen hundred and three.
Enacted, March 3, 1903.

WAR 1903-VOL 7-60

Blank used as a voucher for extra compensation under this act is attached as Exhibit 9 in Appendix A. This blank is filled in from the daily record of the native employees kept in the office.

The difficulties encountered in securing capable craftsmen-instructors for this bureau is presumably caused by the reported conditions existing in these islands. If some provision could be made whereby the employees could secure wholesome food at more reasonable prices than prevail, and suitable houses at lower rentals, it would no doubt tend to reduce the difficulty, and result in the employees being more satisfied with conditions and salaries. If some provision could be made whereby the employees could secure property upon which houses could be erected, available to them at a rent based on the cost of construction and maintenance, granting a reasonable time wherein the tenants may elect to become purchasers on easy payments and credit allowed for payments made as rent, it would no doubt help to ameliorate conditions.

INSTRUCTION OF FILIPINOS.

The chief of this bureau has used his best endeavors to carry out the wishes of the Commission relative to the instruction of the Filipinos in the printing trades, and the results are already gratifying. Whenever an American instructor has shown an indisposition to fulfill this part of his contract summary action has been taken in which your loyal support has been received. Details of the method of instruction and other general information in regard to the capabilities, etc., of the native employees are given in the following report of the superintendent of instruction:

SEPTEMBER 1, 1903.

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report covering the instruction of the native employees in the bureau of public printing:

Appreciable progress has been made in the instruction of native craftsmen. Almost wholly unacquainted with modern machinery and ignorant of the bulk of the work executed in this office, they have shown themselves apt and willing. By far the greater number have been boys who had served but a few months in the smaller offices of the city, and many had no experience. Yet, after a few months of experience and instruction in this office, they have been enabled to take the civil-service examination as junior craftsmen and pass successfully.

Though there were but few apprentices appointed as such until the passage of Act 650 (March 3, 1903), it must be borne in mind that a majority of the native employees are still in their apprenticeship and in constant need of instruction.

Since my detail as superintendent of instruction, the system of educating appren tices and junior craftsmen, previously instituted by you, has been elaborated and perfected so that it is now possible to report daily the particular subdivision of the trade upon which each apprentice has been instructed.

In the composing room more attention has been given to this branch of the work of late, owing to the willing efforts of the present foreman. Several of the apprentices have shown remarkable aptitude in the elementary specialties. These boys are permitted to set "live" copy just as soon as they have learned how to handle a stick, learn the case, and space a line, and in a very short time some of them have become as proficient as junior craftsmen certified with a year or two years' experience. Such boys have a better knowledge of the English language, which possibly accounts for their more rapid advancement. Improvement in the English language will result in better proofs and require less preparation of copy. Your personal appeal to these employees to perfect themselves in school studies has borne good fruit where most needed, because nearly all the employees of the composing room now attend night school. The installation of the new linotype machines permitted the assignment of native craftsmen as learners, and while it is too early to expect great results, there can be no doubt that success will follow. Of course the output of the machine should not be expected to be as high as that of an American, no more than the product of hand composition.

All the work in the bindery seems to be specially attractive to the native employees. They have taken readily to improved machinery. In this department their work compares very favorably with the product of American workmen except as to quantity. Nearly all those classed as junior craftsmen have received their instruction in this office. The regular apprentices are advanced systematically. Already apprentices have been instructed in feeding ruling machines, in folding, operating wirestitching machines, executing quarter-bound work, and one has charge of a ruling machine. The native craftsmen have charge of the Dexter automatic folder and the Smythe book-sewing machines. There are only four American craftsmen instructors in the bindery at present.

Apprentices in the press room are first taught the mechanism and care of the press and then placed to feed. They put the form on press, fix the tympan, adjust the impression, and are being educated in marking out and filling in overlays.

The first two apprentices assigned to the electrotype and stereotype room have already demonstrated their fitness for this class of work, one as a molder and builder and the other as a finisher. Samples of complete plates made by these boys under instruction have been forwarded to the St. Louis Exposition. Other apprentices are assigned to the battery and the finishing machines.

Progress in the photo-engraving room has not been as rapid and appreciable as in other departments owing to the extensive knowledge of chemicals required. Notwithstanding this the apprentices are able to execute line work, from photographing to routing.

On this date there are 44 apprentices employed under Act 650, assigned as follows: Composing room, 8; bindery, 11; press room, 14; foundry, 6; photo-engraving room, 4; power plant, 1. Two have been advanced to class 4 and 14 to class 5. Not one has failed to receive the recommendation of his foreman to advance in grade after serving the required period in a lower class.

Attendance has been good on the whole. Those who showed dislike for the work after assignment left the service of their own accord. Sixteen appointments have thus been canceled.

As a general rule, the American instructors have taken kindly to imparting their experience and methods, and many take pride in the results already obtained.

Following your personal appeal to the employees to take up the study of the English language, the letter inclosed (Appendix A, Exhibit 1) was forwarded to the principals of the several city night schools. As a consequence, a large majority are now regular attendants.

Attached hereto are the blanks used for daily reports from each division, showing specialties reported on August 31, 1903; also the grade blanks for reporting changes in classes. (Appendix A, Exhibits 2 to 8.) Respectfully submitted.

Mr. JOHN S. LEECH, Public Printer.

EDWIN C. JONES, Superintendent of Instruction.

PRODUCT OF THE PLANT.

There were 6,670 requisitions for printing, binding, and engraving executed by the bureau during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1903. These orders embraced every class of work known to the art of modern printing, and invite comparison with the product of the greatest of American printing houses.

The product of the composing room, in addition to a large and varied assortment of job work, included the printing of publications in English, Spanish, French, and native languages-Tagalog, Visayan, Ilocano, Pampangan, Tinguian, Pangasinan, and Vicol. Chinese circulars were also printed.

During the year the equipment of the press room comprised 4 Miehle cylinder, 6 platen, 1 Harris automatic, and 1 Carver and Swift stamping presses. On many occasions it was found necessary to keep these presses in operation two to five hours overtime each day. Particularly was this the case in making delivery before a given date of the millions of census schedules printed. Recently the facilities of this division