Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-12-14

ana maintain fr1sdom and order ak
peace IN tho Philippines. The insut1ce
ton Il sim existing, and when Il termi
I mates furfhkr information VIII be rcquire
as to tho actual condition Of Affairs befor|
establishing q permanont scheme Of clvi
government. The fun report Of the com
mission, now In preparation VIII contain
information and suggestions which VII
be Of value 90 congress and which 1 VII
transmit a. coon as II Is completed. AZ
long as the insufrection continues tn
m~flitaryarm must necessarily be supreme
But there a no reason why steps should
not be taken from time 70 time to inau
gurate governments essentially populai
IN their form IS fast ne territory 4
heid or controlled BY troops. To till
end I am considering tho ~adyisability O
the return Of the commission, or such Of
the members thereof as can be secured, q
aid tho existing authorities and facilitate
this work throughout tho islands. I have
bsfngod that reconstruction should NOT
begin By tho establishment Of o. central
government for all the islands, with IT.
scat at Manila, but rather that tho work
should BE- commenced BY building up
from the bottom, first establishing . mu'
nicipal government and then provincial
governments, q central government At
last 10 follow.
Rebellion Must Ne Crushed.
Until tho congress shall have made
known tho formal expression Of its VIII ]
shall use the authority vested in mo by
the constitution aud the statutes 20 up
hold the sovereignty OF tho United States
In those distant islands, as In all othoE
places whore our flag rightfuily floats. I
shall put a. tho disposal OF the army and
navy all thu means which the libsrality Of
congress and the people have provided to
cause this u~nprUvoked and wasteful In
surrection to cease. II any orders Of mino
were required 10 insure the proper conduct
Of military and naval operations they
would not be lacking, but every step OF
the Progressed our troops has been marked
by . humanity which has surprised even
the misguided insurgents. The truest
kindness 20 them will DO a swift defeat or
their present leader. The hour Of victory
will DO the hour Of elemenoy and recon
strucsion. No effort VIII DO spared TO
build up the waste places desolated by
war and by long years Of misgovernment.
We shall not walt for the end Of strife to
begin the beneflcent work. We shall con
tinue, as we have begun, 10 open the
schools and the churches, to set the courts
in operation, to foster industry and trade
and agriculture, and in every way in u
power to make these people whom provi-
dence has brought within our jurisdiction
feel that 1t Is their liberty and not our
power, their welfare and not our gain, we
are seeking to enhance. Our flag has
mover waved oFer any community but In
blessing. I believe the entire Filipinos
win soon recognize the fact that they
have not lost their gift Of benediction in
this worldwide journey 10 their shores-
Needs of Alaska.
A necessity for Immediate Legislative re-
Lief exists In the territory Of Alaska. The
whole vast area Of Alaska comprises but
one judicial district, with one marshal
and one district attorney, yet the civil and
criminal business has more than doubled
within the past year and is many times
greater, both In volume and importance,
than It was IN 1884. I sec no reason why
e more complete form Of territorial organ
ization should not be provided. Follow
ing the precedent established In the year
1906, when a temporary government was
provided for the recently acquired terri
tory, then known under the name OF
1t seems to me that 1t would
be advantageous to confer greater exeou-
tive power upon the governor and to es-
tabllsh, as was done in the case OF the ter
rltory Of Louisiana, a legislative council,
power to adopt ordinances which
shall extend to all the rightful subjects Of
local origin, such ordinances not to take
effect until reportef to and approved by
the congress, II In session, and II that
body IL not In session, then by the prcsi-
dent. In this manne a system OF laws
providing for tho Incorporation and gov
eminent Of towns and cities, having a GER
tain population, giving them the power
30 establish 1.ad maintain q system Of
education be locally supported, and
providing for police, sanitary
and other such purposes, could DO speed
lily provided. 1 believe a provision Of
this kind would be satisfactory 10 the poo-
pls Of the territory. II Is probable that
the area Il too vast and tho population too
scattered and transitory TO make ID wise
At tho present time TO provide for an
legislative body, but the condi-
lions calling for local self-government
Will undoubtedly very soon exist, and viii
be facilitated by the measures which /
have recommended.
Suggestions as to Porto Rico.
I recommend that legislation. to the
end DO had with reference TO the
government Of Porto Rico. The time is
ripe for the adoption Of a temporary form
Of government for this island; and many
suggestions made with reference to Alas
ka are applicable also to Porto Rico. 4
The system Of civil jurisprudence now
by the people of this island is dc.
by competent lawyers who are ia
miliAr with it, az thoroughly modern and
scientific, 80 far as 1t relates to matters Of
Internal business, trade, production and
social and private right in general.
The cities Of the island are governed
under charters which probably require
very little or no change. So that with |
to matters of local concern
and Of private right, It Is not probable
that much II any legislation Is desirable;
but with reference to public administra-
ton and the relations OF the islands to the
federal government there are many mat.
ters which arc Of pressing urgency. The
same necessity exists for legislation to es-
tablsh judicial Jurisdiction in the island
rs has been previously pointed out by me
with reference to Hawaii. Besides the
administration Of Justice there are the
subjects Of public lands, the control and
improvement OF rivers and harbors, the
control Of the waters or streams not nayi-
gable which, under the Spanish law, be- |
to the crown Of Spain, and have by
the treaty Of cession passed to the
United States; the immigration of people
from foreign countries; the importation
Of contract labor; the imposition and COL
Of internal revenue; the applica-
lion Of the navigation laws; the rogula-
ton Of the current money; the establish
ment Of postonlces and post roads; the
regulation Of tariff rates on merchandise
Imported from the island into thu United
States; the establishment Of ports Of en-
and delivery; the regulation Of patents
and copyrights; thesa, with various other
subjects, which rest entirely within the
power Of the congress, call for careful
consideration and immediate action.
II must be borne in mind that since the
session Porto Rico has been denied the
markets she had long enjoyed and our
haFids have been oentinusd against her
Is when she was under Spanish
sovereignty. The markets Of Spain are
/