Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-02
THE PHILIP PINES
The President Confronted With
Delicate Problem.
AFFIRMATIVE DECLARATION NEEDED
The Matter to Be Determined by
Congress.
T r EATY PROVI ION

The President is confronted with a very
delicate problem in writing to Congress on
the Philippine question. The situation is
such as not to admit of his ignoring this
subject in his annual message to Congress,
yet the work of establishing the authority
of this government over the islands has
not progressed far enough to justify his
making definite recommendations as to the
adoption of a permanent form of govern
ment for them. Unless very great progress
is made in the military operations during
this month, we cannot report a great ad-
vance beyond the condition existing when
Congress adjourned BY reason of the re-
port of the commission and of the military
authorities, much information can, how
ever be supplied as TO the islands them
selves, and the inha bitants, and there are
liable to be developments to show the inn
portance of our retaining possession. In
combating the movement that will-be made
to compel the REIMBURSEMENT of authority
to the natives, it is thought that an af-
firmative declaration or action equivalent
to such a declaration of policy will have
to be made. Before any action is taken on
this proposition. however. the position of
the administration is likely to be strength
ened by developments in another direction
which will demonstrate the necessity of our
having firm foothold in the Philippines
in order to maintain our prestige in the
orient.
One Embarrassment.
One embarrassment the President will
probably have to contend with in making
recommendations to Congress grows out of
the uncertainty of policy at the time of
making the peace treaty with Spain. The
treaty left an open link in the chain that
binds the Philippines to the United States,
and it will be necessary for this link to be
welded by Congress. AT the time of MAX
ing the treaty it was not anticipated that
We would have any serious trouble with the
natives, and 1t was thought that we would
have plenty of time in which to determine
what course we should pursue with respect
to them. The administration was reluctant
to assume sovereignty over the islands and
provision for casting them off at will was
made. Sovereignty was left dangling in
mid-air. Since then the eXigencies of the
case have compelled a course of conduct
toward the islands based upon the assump-
ton of sovereignty, but it Is doubtful
whether that assumption can be sustained
indefinitely without affirmative authority
from Congress. During the recess of Con-
gress Ii is for the President TO decide what
must be done in the fulfillment of his obl-
cation chief executive to preserve the
rights of the government, but the terms of
the treaty may be construed to relieve him
OF this duty and the powers attending it as
soon as Congress convenes, unless the au-
thority is directly conferred.
The Treaty Provisions
The last para graph in article nine of the
treaty of peace in which Spain relinqushes
to this government her sovereignty in the
Philippines provides that the civil rights
and political status of the natives-which
involves sovereignty-shall be determined
by Congress. Congress has not yet taken
any action on this question, and the State
Department has held that, because sover-
eighty over the islands has not yet been
accepted by legislative act, the native Phil
ippines are not subjects or citizens of the
United States. The protection claimed by
them under the usage of International law
and under a decision of the Supreme Court
has been denied them on this ground in a
specific case, an Interpretation being thus
ofhcially given to the clause of the treaty
which is said to hold sovereignty In sus-
Dense.
To Recommend Affirmative Action
1t is inferred, therefore. that the Presi-
dent will in his first message to the fifty
sixth Congress recommend affirmative ac-
tor confirmatory of our sovereignty. re-
gardless of what determination may be
reached by Congress later on as to the dis
position to be made of the islands