The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-15
COMMITTEES ON ISsuLAn AFFAIRS.
Senator Lodges Views ms to tho Work
Which VIII BE Entrusted TO Thorn.

WASHINGTON. Dec. IA Senator Lodge. chair
man OF tho new and highly important Com
mittee on the Philippines. was asked to-day
| for his views as to the work OF his committee
and OF the other new committees. In response
to questions he made the following authorized
| statement:
1T will ultimately become the duty OF tho
Philippine Committee, I suppose, to deal with
all questions connected with the Islands. and
to consider for submission to the Senate the
policy which the United States should pursue
In regard to them. But these are. OF course.
questions Of the future. The paramount
necessity OF the present moment Ia the restora-
tlon OF order In the islands the ending OF the
war and the extinction OF the last embers OF
insurrectlon which has now degenerated into
mere briRandaee. This is all work for the
Army, and is an executive function.
The only immediate duty OF the committee
that can see now Ia to gather together and
put into com pact form all possible information
In regard to the islands. so that when the time
comes for Congress TO act 1t may have all tho
knowledge obtainable which will enable II to
act intelligently.
AS TO the general purpose OF tho island
committees. I can say to you what the intention
OF the committee which made them up was in
regard to them. because / had tho honor to
serve on that committee. and these new COM
mittees were the subject OF much discussion
and were sole cted with the utmost care. Tho
Committee on Committees. after tho most
careful consideration. came unanimously to
the opinion that the only way to deal with
either our general policy or with the details
OF legislation In regard TO our new possess
ions was TO constitute new committees.
to which everything relating to the islands
should be referred. IL seemed very clear to
them, that to attempt to deal with the
Senate would only result in confusion and in
an utter lack Of conference In our policy, be-
cause the necessary measures would have to
be framed by eight or ten different committees.
sidered together and dealt with as whole,
are entirely different from those which
we hold toward any Of the territory
have acquired must ,sam have rsn smea
entrusted with that subject alone. Apprsci-
ating fully the gravity and the dclicacy
OF exceptional strength and ability was
formed TO take charge q this subject aud
snt from that Of Cuba, and they. also.
different from that Of the other islands
Matters connected with them. moreover. are
sur" TO Increase w number and Importance:
the questions which are certain to arise,
ONilcI W
Guam. Tutuila (which on the ratification OF the
Samoan treaty will pass under our CONTROL.
and Porto Rico. and the bill organizing the
government OF Hawaii. which was drawn by
Senators Morgan and Culom and by Mr. Hit
OF the House, has been reported once from tho
Foreign Relations Committee and will
remain with that committee. but all
questions connected with Hawaii and arising
after the adoption OF the instrument OF goy-
eminent viii go to the Committee on Pacific
Islands. and certainly ought to do so. for In the
nature OF things Hawaiian questions and In
terests are totally unlike those OF other terri
tories and ought to be entrusted TO special
"Tha Committee on the Pacific Islands will
have the immediate duty Of preparing bill for
the government ~ Porto Rico, q most impor-
tant and laborious work. This bill involves
questions relating 70 the currency, the tariff;
internal revenue. the navigation laws. and
the courts. as well as the political ar
rangsments OF the island. Each one OF
these questions might OF Itself come within
the province OF an already existing committee
Of the Senate. but the Com nlittee on Commit
tees felt after the fullest deiiberatiou that the
only saie and wise way was to entrust all these
questions TO the committee. which could
the Senate. and In this way give us harmo-
NOUS aud coherent Legislation OF the best sort.
l feel quite sure that when the benate has ex-
amined these matters as thoroughly az the
Committee on Committees was obliged to
do. IL will reach the same conclusion,
and see that the only way, TO deal
in the best manner with these new
the islands TO the pm TT ocular committees which
have been constituted with tho utmost care
for the performance OF these new and impor-
tant duties"