The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-24
COLONIAL
BUREAU IS
FAVORED
Congress Likely to Adopt
Any Plan Mckinley
Suggests.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

CALL HEADQUARTERS YELLING
TON HOTEL. WASHINGTON. June 81
Congress viii probably consider faVorauly
any suggestion the President may make
that a department Of colonies be tstah-
Hshed. with a Cabinet officer at its head:
There is general disposition among
members Of both houses who are i'll
Washington to advocate the establish
ment OF civil governments in all the isl
audS as soon as possible and the relief Of
military authorities from all except pure
~ military duties.
Hawaii and Porto Rico. it is believed,
would offer simple problems. but the Gu
han and Philippine situations are more
complex. Cuba. it is generally conceded,
viii not be annexed 10 the United States
without an expression of the wish by the
people of the island TO be SO treated.
In the Philippines, il is believed, the
military government must be continued
until every vesuge of instruction is
stamped out, although even now the lis
cal affairs of the islands might very We'll
bt put under civilian control. The " hole
problem Of future control and disposition
of the former possessions of Spain Is one
which viii have to receive the closest at
teuilOn of Congress. Said Senator Mall
lory of Florida:
The Hawaiians are pretty well assim-
Hated with American methods. 1t is dit
ferent with the inhabitants Of Porto Rico
and the Philippines. One of the first
things TO be done in those islands. in my
opinion. is to establish schools in which
the English language shall be spoken. |
think it would be- desirable. TOO. at the
earliest possible moment to relieve tue
military authorities In all the islands Of
the purely civil functions which they are
at present discharging.'
IF We are 10 have a colonial system, of
course must have a colonial depart
ment. said Representative Gardner of
New Jersey. None of our present eXecu-
tive departments is so organized as TO
n mi i-f al nf NOS
sessions. l suppose the State Department
is probably the best fitted to look after
their interests if they are-to be admins
tered by one Of the present departments,
as many Of the questions that will arise
concerning them viii be questions in
which foreign nations. will have more or
less interest. 1t might be advisable to
organize a bureau of colonial affairs in
the State Department and put it in charge
of a special Secretary of State for Colo
NAL Affairs.
Some man thoroughly informed as to
international relations should be placed
at the head OF such bureau. The name
of Representative Hit of Illinois would
doubtless occur to many in public life in
connection with such position.
The problems presented are difficult.
and we will have TO proceed with eau
ton" said Representative Livingstone Of
Georgia. - am inclined to think that We
cannot afford to treat Porto Rico and the
Philippines any less literally than We
have pledged ourselves 10 treat Cuba and
that We ought TO offer to allow them to
establish governments of their own. if
they are capable of it, OF course such
governments would have to be under our
general supervision and control for many
years 10 come, If not permanently. If tie
people of the islands are capable of it.
should favor giving them territorial gov
ernmentS, the same a s Arizona has.
1t may be found that these people,
and especially the FilipinOs, are not cap
able Of any great degree Of self-govern-
ment. and if this is found to be the case
we must give them form Of government
best suited to their needs. We cannot
shirk our responsibility for the future
good government of the islands and for
the protection Of the rights of all other
powers that may come into contact with