The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-12-07


hleodshed. The adv nj of Dcweys li.et IN
MANILA Ray. instead If being. as we hoped
the dawn OF new day Vt freedom aud
progress. will have been the beginning oi
an era of misery and violence worse than ny
which has darkened their unhappy past
The suggestion has been made thst We
could renDuncc our nsthority over the isi
snds. and. giving them Independence. could
retain protrctorate over them. Thi'
proposition viii not 10 found. ! am sure.
worthy Of your selection. Such an ar.
rauxemcnt would Involve ut the outset a
cruel breach Of faith. II would place the
peaeeablr and loyal mn iorit-. who ask FOR
nothing better than to ac,rpt our authority.
az the mercy OF the minority OF armed IN.
surEents IL would make us responsible
Tor the acts Of the insurgent leaders. and
give us no power to control them. IL
would charge US with the task Of protect.
Ing them against each other. and dcfcud
Ing them against any foreign mower With
which they choose tO quarrel In short IL
would take from the Congress Of the Uni.
ted states the power OF declaring war and
! vest that tremendous prerogatlve In the
I TaRal leader Of the hour. II does not seem
desirable that should recommend at this
time specihc and hnal form Of govern
ment for these Islands. When peace shall
he restored. II will be the duty Of Con
gress to construct plan Of government
which shall establish aud maintain free
dom and order and peace In the Philip
pines
! lulU tOnkTras snail nave HllUe Known
the formal expression Of It's Will. shall
\ use the authority vested In me by tho Con-
stitution and the statutes to uphold the
sovereignty OF the United States In those
distant Islands. ~ In all other places where
our nng rlzhtfuliy noats. I shall put nj the
disposal ~ the army and navy nll the
: means which the lIbcrallty OF Congress and
! the people have provided to cause this IN
provoked and wasteful insurrectIon to
cease.
Our 6,r has nerer waved ovcr any com.
nunIty but In blessing. believe the FIJI
pinos will soon recognize The fact that u
has not lost Its gft Of hcncdlction in Its
world wide journey to their shores.
FUTURE GOVERNMENT or THE IlA-
WAilAN ISLANDS.
Some embarrassment In the adminlstra-
tlon has occurred by reason Of the peculiar
status which the Hawaiian Islands at pres.
ent occnpy under the Joint resolution OF
annexation approved July .. 1895. While
by thst resolution thr Republic of Hawaii
NJ an Independent nation was cItlngulshed
It's separate sovereignty destroyed and It's
property and possessions vested In the t'ni.
ted States. yet complete establishment
for Its government under our system was
not effected. While tho municipal lnwS Of
the Islands. not enacted for the fulhlment
of treaties and not Inconsistent with the
Joint resolution or contrary 10 the Constl-
tuition OF tho United States or any Of is
treaties. remain In force, yet these laws
rcntc only 10 tho social and International
arsIrs of tho Islands. and do not touch
many subjects of Importance which nre
of n broader national character mud soy
era other matters Of detail touching tho
interests both NJ the Island and OF the fed
crnl government
IIy the resolution Of annexation the Pres.
ident WAS directed 10 appoint Ave Commits
sioucrs. To recommend to Congress such
legislation concerning tho Islands ns they
should dcem necessary or proper. The re-
port OF the Commission was transmitted
n Congress on December 6. 1905 hut the
bill still awaits nnal action.
The people of these Islands are entitled 10
the benefits and privileges OF our Constltu.
rlon. II II manifestlv important that an
act shall bc passed as speedily as possible.
erecting these islands into judicial dis
trlrt. providing for the appointment of
judge and other proper officers and method
~ procedure In appellate proceedings. and
that tho government OF this newly ne
quircd territory under the federal consti.
tuition shall he fully defined and provided
for.
ALASKA ~ NEED or RETTER LAWS.
A necessity for immediate legislative re-
lief exists In tho Territory ~ Alaska. The
Increase In population by Immigration dur.
ing the past few vrnrs ronseduent unon
the discovery Of gold. has produced such
condition as calls for more ample facilities
for local self government and more nnmer-
ous convrnicnrcs OF civil aud judicial ad.
mlnlstration.
government In The Territory. There is no
authority. except In Congress to pass any
law. no mntter how local or trivial. md the
dnicnlty Of conveying TO tho Congress an
adequate conception and understanding of
the various needs of the people In the ar.
ferent communiiies IL easily understood. |
see no reason why more complete form
OF territorial organization should not be
provided.
TIL. President here cItes the temporary
mn Mt 4. u dn1 faF fhfs
Territory Of Louisiana In 1905. md recon-
mends the samc legislation for Alaska.
AS TO THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT
or PORTO RICO.
recommend that legislation to the same
end he had with reference 10 the govern.
mrnt Of Porto Rico. The time Is rpr FOR
the adoption NJ Temporary form of gov
ernment for this Island. and many surg""
iions made with reference 10 Alaska are mp.
pllcsbr IN Porto Rico
Tho system Of civil Jurisprudence now
adopted by the people NJ this island Is dis
covered hy competent lawyers. who are IA
mliar with II. M thoroughly modern and
scientific. So far ns II relates to matters Of
International business. trade. production.
and social aud private rights In general.
The cities ~ the Islands arc governed mn
der charters which probably require very
little or no change. So that. with relation
To matters of local concern nnd private
rlzht u IL NOT probable that much II any
legislation IL desirable: hut with reference
10 public ndDiiniSiraiion and tho relation
Of the Islands 10 the federal government.
there are many matters which are ~ press
Ing urgency. II must bc borne In mind
thnt since the cesslon Porto Rico has hcen
denied the principal markets she had long
enjoyed. and our iarins have been contln-
ned against her products Ms when she was
under Spanish sovereignty.
II is desirable that the government OF the
island. and tho law ~ bellgercnt right.
now maintained through the executive de-
m riment. should he superseded by an ad-
mInistrntlon entirely civil IN It's nature.
For present purposes ] recommend That
Congress pass n law for the organization
Of Temporary government. which shall
provide for the appointment hy the Presi-
dent. subject 10 confirmation hv the Sen
ate. OF a government and snch other officers
nv the general administration of the island
may require. and that for legislative pur-
poses. on subjects OF local nature. not
partakIng of q federal character. n legisla-
tive council. composed partly OF Porto
Ricnns and partly Of citizens NJ tho United
States. shall I've nominated and appointed
by the President. subject TO confirmation
hy the Senate. their acts 10 be subject 20
the approval Of Congress or the President.
prior 10 going Into effect, In the munich
palltIes and other local subdivisions. I rec
ommcnd that the principle Of local self
government be applied at once.
WHY CIVIL SERVICE ORDER WAS AN.
NENDED
The executive order OF MAY q. 1896. ex-
tending the limits OF the classified service.
brought within the operation Of the civil
service Law aud rules nearly all Of the er-
ecutiye civil service not previously classl.
hed.
Some OF the inclusions were found wholly
Illogical and unsuited 10 the work Of the
several departments. After careful c0nsid-
erntion Il became evident that certain
amendments were necessary. These amend
mcnts were promulgated by me In executive
order dated May 20. ISoo.
The places were comparatively few In
number.
All Of the amendments had for their main
object q more efficient and satisfactory ad-
Of the system OF appointments.
as tabiIshed by the civil service la:.