Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-23
TO be Added to the Cabinet
Of the President.
OUR COLONIAL AFFAIRS
Need a Head of Their OWn--At Present
They Are Under Control of the
War Department But a Change
Must Come.

New York. June ga special to the
Herald from Washington says: A new
executive branch Of the government with
the title department of colonial affairs
t and foreign commerce. or something
similar to it is deemed by the admnistra-
ton absolutely necessary to meet new
conditions which confronted the United
| States as a result Of the war with Spain.
| The word "colonial'' is repugnant for po-
! ltical reasons to some Of the members of
the cabinet because it smacks of imper-
| iahsm and it is probable that some other
! title will be adopted. The meaning, how
ever will be the same. Preliminary to
recommendations to congress on this
subject, data are now being compiled con-
| cernng the control of the colonies of
foreign powers and the extension of our
| commerce and members Of the cabinet
and subordinate officials Of the admins
tration are giving much thought and
| time to the details of the proposed new
department.. American consuls in
colonies belonging to foreign pow
ers, especially those oGfreat Britain, will
be called upon for full reports on a list
OF questic-.s now preparing for submis-
sion to them. Robert P. Porter, who is
looked upon as the probable head of the
proposed cabinet officer when created,
will be consulted in regard to the plans
for extending foreign commerce, which
is to become a feature Of the new de-
partment.
President McKinley's policy in regard
to the future form of government for the
Philippines and Cuba is Still underlined, !,
butregardless Of what future developments
may bring forth as to his attitude to-
ward those islands he and the members
Of the cabinet fully appreciate that the
military government in all of our de-
Tendencies must give way to civil gov
ernment as speedily as possible. Pre-
liminary to the establishment of civil
government the cabinet has concluded
that there should be a new civil depart
ment with a cabinet officer at it's head
to inaugurate and have control of the new
governments which sooner or later will be
formed A cabinet officer thus explains
the necessity for such a department:
AT the present time there is no central
head for the considerations of the many
questions constantly arising in connec-
ton with Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippines. The war department has
control of these matters now but there
are many questions which our army Of
dcers are not competent to deal with and
ought not be required to pass upon. AS
matters go now, there is a disposition to
shift from one department to another and
ftpr btlr To bnr
sponsbilty for settling intricate and
embarrassing questions. A territorial
form of government for Porto Rico and
Hawaii has already been agreed upon
and there is little doubt that the next con-
gress will pass measures in this direc-
ton.
AS to Cuba it will be impossible to have
any other form of government than the
present military one until the people of
the island have taken steps for the forma-
ton CT civil government with the United
states can recognize. The island is now
ripe for the civil government. The gov
ernments hands are tied. The president
believes that after the pacification of the
island that it should be left to it's own
government. The president has no leg
JSIaIlNe power TO WitnufaW the military !
forces in Cuba after the signing Of the |
treaty and the forces have been held !
there, and the president can if necessary
take the technical ground that the paci- +
fcation of the island will not b. com
plete until there is a stable ana inde-
pendent government of the people there
as contemplated by thetitle of the reso-
luton adopted by congress. Thus you
terms of the act Of congress for the peo-
pie of the island to establish stable gov
ernment which he can recognize 1t is
high time the people were getting togeth-
er in convention for the purpose of draw
ing up constitution preliminary to
vote as to the kind of government
they want Until this is done and a sta
bic government is elected, or the people of
the islands have voted for annexation to
the United States or the American con-
gress has directed otherwise, the presi-
dent will be constrained to maintain a
military government in Cuba.
Though the war department will in
all probability remain in nominal control
of Cuba for some time TO come, there will
be many questions arising that ought to
be passed upon by the proposed new colo
NAL department. The same may be said
Of the Philippines. The collection and dis
tribution Of the revenues Of those islands,