| Show i B ill MANILA i h t it iti t 1 j I Ir r Y Yd r f l Jw d z C r 4 I I vei i ceU r 1 ce Pr e t J C LuKe uke iY f right l THE EST ESTABLISHMENT ENT ON OF CIVIL CAVIL GOVERNMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES with time the I birth of oC the Australian allan com eom commonwealth I south of or the equa equator ell equator I A tor comes the establishment of ot civil government In the L Philippines north ot of the equator Doth Iloth events event are of oC worldwide for they the will have an Important hearing bearing upon ti problems ro The first week In July Jul In which the Initial attempt nt at a civil government In III the Philippines t and the Installation of oC tho the new governor will 1111 occur will doubtless bt be Ii memorable to the Filipi Filipinos nos 1108 and as the tint lint American election In ht their Islands took place on the Fourth of oC July lust last year tho tiro latter data Iato will also be accentuated Little Littlemore more than three years eArS have elapsed since tho the boom of Deweys Dewes cannon In III Inthe tho the harbor of oC Manila sounded the knell Unfit of Spanish rule in the Philippines and during that period a n great reat deul dent has transpired tending toward the def definition n of ot tho status of oC the o Inhabitants Had the tho or of at people dwelling there been more homogeneous ho there might have ha VJ been Iten leen less In settling tho the vexed V questions which have hll arisen In the process of oC but hut as ns It tt Is Iscon considering con the multiplicity of oC the i problems pr l presented and the character of tho the people with within whom our soldiery and have luwe hind had to deal It must lo bo admitted a that great grent progress has been Jeen made madeTh The Tho Philippines first American mill governor governur Major General Central held l fl his bis position for tor but Inn a brief period and was succeeded In August 1893 by Major General Otis Oils who exercised ex su flU Promo premo military and civil authority until the tho advent of oC Major General MacAr MacArthur MacArthur thur In May 1900 Ills His successor Gen den General eral Chaffee who commanded our mill mili military 1 I i tary forces in China Chita will guild have no fur Cur further ther timer civil functions to perform an as his duties will with be lie strictly military for Cor the time has now arrived In time the opinion of ot ottile tile the Philippine commission appointed by President last year ear for Cor Inaugurating the long promised long defer deferred deferred red government of oC the people by ly the people so far fill as they are lire considered tit lit for self rule The first territorial governor of oC the pile Philippines R ns as already announced Is la Judge William H ii Taft TaCt who for tor more than n a year has been president of the commission sent HInt out to pave the way WRY for the new MW order of DC thin things s Judge Taft Is la R 1 w native of Ohio lie He was wag horn born In ISiT 1St and U fa n a son eon of oC Hon lion Alphonso Tuft TAU TAUa Tafta a former attorney general of oC the United States Prom From the public schools schoos ol of Cincinnati Judge Taft went to Y YAle Ie with distinction In 1819 sec lIec second p end ond In his class After two years at atthe atthe atthe the Cincinnati Law I w school he entered upon the practice of his hide profession and andIn andIn andin In 1661 11 was 18 appointed assistant al prose prole prosecuting attorney of oC Hamilton county He lie was wn a collector of Internal revenue for the First Ohio district In Judge of ot the superior lu court ourt of or Cincinnati In solicitor g gt of oC the department of ot justice In III WO t 90 and nd a Judge j ud of ot the I federal te eral bend bench In it wu WM in February February Joe ru ary nry 1900 I OO that President up tip painted Judge Jud Tuft Tart chairman or preal d dent nt of oC the nil second formed for Cor Inquiring Into the tho condition of oC the Philippine and thus thul placed him In line for elevation to the t hI high which he at present occupies I The fie original Philippine commission to fer formulate m fete a 1 report on nn the best f t scheme of ot government fur for the Islands consist consistIng fag Ing of Jf Professor J O n Admi Admiral All mi miral ral George D Dewey wey Hon Charles Denby y and Dean I nn C Worcester re reported 11 reported It ported to the president In January 1900 the ul appointment of ot an anI I American governor general to b be IN u ui t i tooled by a council comprising Filipi Filipinos nos and Americans and of ot provincial f preferably from the l mat This communion announced It Itself itself self telf as U unqualifiedly In favor of or a government gov government 0 I ernnt for few the Island analogous to that of IC a territory of the United lulled States I frith a governor lYel tor appointed p d by the I Idt dent dt The commissioners went Into the I thoroughly and as u a body came earn cameto cameto to the tbt co con lu un i n that the d States I not withdraw 11 from the Philip Philippine pine Islands Inland I Acting upon the recommendations n thial of ofF Ws Ida nt Kinky I promptly prom took look m by authority F wh eh had been ac a him by con eon I I I grass gress gr lu for Cor forwarding the tho of ot government As All three thrle of oC the tho commie commis commissioners resigned after presenting their report repent Mr Ir Met inley created another lady body with more extended scope con conn of oC Judge Taft faCt Professor Dean DeanC D an anC C Worcester lion Ion Luke E L Wright ht lIeu Hon Henry floury C Ille Ide and Professor sor Her Ier hArd Moses They Thoy were to serve for tor torto two to years year or for ouch uch n a period an as might b he be necessary for Cor the accomplishment ot of the purpose In view and they the were three to go 10 to the Philippines and establish themselves with headquarters at lit Ma Manila nila lilla All were ware prominent men omen of or nf nt t I It 1 ve tare WM v aa B t I Y t v u appointed fur for their known or assumed ability without reference to potpies politics Of ot the live five Professor Worcester of oC Michigan was the best Informed re respecting respecting Ipe the Philippines Phil having made mado several visits sits to the Islands and written of oC them extensively Mr tr Is from Tennessee Mr 11 Ide Ids from Vermont and ami Mr tr Moses front from California so no the Union was wu well represented geographically geographIcally In his hla Instructions to tho the commis commissioners In a letter addressed In April A 1900 to tho the secretary of ot war President o the scope j II of ot their mission which waa Woe to tel con C II I I Untie and i perfect the lh work w of organizing I ing and establishing civil government gi I already commenced by bJ b the military au nu authorities subject In all nil respects to any OilY laws which congress may hereafter en enact enact act oct As All It was surmised ell that the transfer of authority from military mill tal commanders to civil would con can consume consume sume much time and necessitate per pH perfect feet cooperation for Its ac fir accomplishment both services B R were to be he directed during the transition period by the secretary of ot war tear to whom who the tho commission lon was instructed to report These Instructions have been followed to the tho letter and the th authorities from Military y Governor down have afforded every entry facility to the time corn com commissioners missioners for Cor HB the th successful prosecution prosecution tion of oC their work On their arrival at Manila they the were comfortably es el established at nt a n central centre residence whence after familiarising themselves with the natives studying the situa situation tion they paid visits to the various islands Is Islands lands In the vast ast archipelago being provided tl for the purpose with a 0 special transport and escorts by b the military Special stress str s was laid by nl McF u ti on the desire of or the admin administration that the time Filipinos should have nave ave accorded them the largest measure of or autonomy consistent with safety and commensurate with their capacity The commissioners were to devote their ef eC efforts efforts I forts In tn the tho first prat instance to the time establishment I of ot municipal I lJ governments In I which the natives of or the Islands both bothIn I In time the cities mind In Iii tr the rural communities ties tlell should be 1 afforded opportunities to manage manase their own In local to the fullest extent of ot which they the were cola ble unit and subject to tho the least If degree of oC supervision u and amI control consistent C n with the maintenance of oC law In and RUt order Next to be considered con l dered In order of oC Im Importance Importance was the tho of or gov nov I I I I I In the larger er divisions corre corresponding to counties or provinces In which the time common Interests of or many mall mallor or nr several municipalities falling railing within the sums fume tribal lines or the same natural natu natural ral geographical limits linos might b best t be bt by b a n common administration lion Whenever the th should arrive at It the conclusion that the condi condl condition lion tion of ot affairs In the time Islands was ns such curls that the time central administration might safely be Je transferred from military to civil control they were to report that conclusion to the secretary of ot war at Washington together with wilts rc as 18 to the time best beet form Corm to be adopt adopted ed ell i edAt At the same Mme time It was cautioned that the people lf of ot the Islands should l be e matte made plainly to understand that there thero are IU certain great principles which h have l been e n made the basis basin of oC our gov governmental system which we deem es ea essential to tip of oC the maintenance maintenance nance of ot freedom and which they y unfortunately had been lie n cl d 1 during the tn Ion on centuries of or Spanish misrule The Filipinos In fact were re to 10 tobe tobe be treated In a spirit of at justice and generosity and while being Instruct tel telas a II as larger measure of liberty than they had hart ever ner enjoyed I Dy Uy the articles of oC capitulation of tho the city of oC Manila in August 1898 tho the I II I United States Slates guaranteed protection to I HH its It II religious and educational Institutions und and to private property which worn placed under unter the special safe safeguard guard of ut the faith and honor of ot tho the American army I Believing that this lists pledge has hns been kept the president reminded the com coin lonoN that an 1111 equally high and sa en sacred creel cred obligation rested upon the govern goern government government ment of oC the thi United States to give pro protection protection for property mud and life civil and religious freedom and wise wi Me firm and un tin unselfish In selfish guidance oC prosperity to all nil the tho people of oC tho time Phil Philippine Islands And Anil nd he charged them earnestly to tn labor for tor the full Cull perform per Corm Race ance of oC that th t obligation an us vitally con can concerning concerning the time honor and conscience of or their country countr HO ao that eventually the tho I Filipinos should look upon ulon the Amen Ameri American can occupation of oC the time archipelago as the happiest event In III their murals annals is us a people In pursuance of oC their Instructions the commissioners have havo made their Inel Into municipal and Insular nf af affairs I fairs with great thoroughness and lat Int latterly terly have been on a II grand tour of ot In 11 and rehabilitation during I which they the visited the principal islands lying to the tile southward of oC Manila In Inmost Inmost 11 most of ot them thorn they set lIet up local and pro governing bodies bodleR composed mainly maln of oC natives of oC tho the peoples own choosing subject only ani to the time veto eto pow power er et of oC the tho central junta or territorial governor No educational qualification la Is demanded d for tor voters and the ballots of ot Illiterates will be cast by I the election officials The requisites 1 for tho the trail fran franchise chise are that time the voter must bo be at al I least 23 3 years eats of oC age rind a resident for tor six months In the municipality Those e disqualified are arc delinquents In hr taxes all nil who have hao been disfranchised by b n 1 court all who have hae taken tallen anti and an violated the time oath oaths of ot allegiance to the United States Stales those thos In arms against American sovereignty sovereignty lInt and nit nil Insane or feeble minded persons A small property qualification Is III n a requisite In municipal voting and pc legislation Is III recommended for Cor tho limo city of oC Manila and the time tribes such as the time of oC the tho mountains and ani the pagan During a n tour lour of oC organization oll from fromn which the commissioners recently rec re returned returned turned after an nn absence a of oC eight weeks and during which they traveled tm more than miles they expressed d them themselves themselves themselves selves OH ns with the tho conditions generally prevailing except In time the Sulu archipelago Nearly carl nil all the other Flit Fill Filipinos pinos Including even some souse of oC time the semi send savage tribes of oC the interior were ea eager eager ger for tor a n chance chanco for autonomous government gov goy eminent und timid above nil all desirous for Cor education Hut But the sultan of oC Sulu Bulu with whom some sOllie time ago ngo n II special treaty treat waa negotiated still Insisted that slav slavery ery erp t ly odd polygamy should fea features features tures of oC his government mad and was tens jeal jealous owe ous of oC any an prospective encroachments lie He und and his hla and subjects gen generally generally living as ns they are In Ignorance and fell feU back upon the treaty negotiated by General Bates Jutes when lime tho subject nf of self government I was broached shielding themselves be behind behind behind hind time In clause which provides that said Hult treaty treat cannot bo IJo abrogated except by consent nf of both high u contracting parties So the commissioners are arc still In III doubt douht as ns to what should ho be done with the tho Mohammedan Sulus In the Im hn Immediate mediate future and o Ill even een regard the savages of ot the hills an all In some flame respects more mora amenable to argument Once a 1 Mohammedan always a n Mohammedan Mo 1110 Mohammedan applies In III the tho Philippines ns as well as 1111 In Turkey lurke Egypt I or Morocco and although there Is the tho strongest guarantee on the part of ot the American government as ns to religious freedom yet ot the time fiercely fanatical Sirius Sui us know well L u that inai practices or UI slavery stavey and polygamy po IU polygamy 1 amy cannot continue to be bo winked at nt by b American civilization It In the twentieth twentieth century Not less than 20 0 provinces have been officered and provided with government on advanced lines lineR and following allowing the suggestions In the presidents Instructions the tho commissioners have hae In alt all cases s when compatible with tho the public Interest placed natives nt at the head heat of oC affairs But Dut while the Filipinos are re generous Intelligent and apt political students they arc are naturally In sympathy sympathy thy with the Insurgents with whom they have racial affinity a Ity It Is hoped however that when they are perfectly convinced of oC the tho Integrity of oC American purposes R regarding thorn them and Letter tetter In Informed informed formed as IS to the character of at tur luau Institutions tu they will serve ere loyally Until that happy lime arrives It will Ili bo be ab absolutely absolutely absolutely necessary to support the tho dull civil administration with the |
