The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-12-15

congress and which L will transmit as
soon as it is completed. As long as the
instruction continues the military arm
must necessarily be supreme. But there
is no reason why steps should not be
taken from time to time to inaugurate
governments essentially popular in their
form as fast as territory is held and con.
trolled by our troops. To this end
am considering the ACCESSIBILITY of the
return of the commission, or such of the
members thereof as can be secured, to
aid the existing authorities and facili-
tate this work throughout the islands.
have believed that reconstruction
should not begin by the establishment
of one central civil government for aid
the islands, with it's seat at Manila, but
rather that the work should be commenc-
ed by building up from the bottom, first
establishing municipal governments and
!, then provisional governments, central
! government at last to follow.
Until congress shall have made known
the formal expression of it's will | shall
use the authority vested in me by the
| constitution and the statutes to uphold
the sovereignty of the United States ia
| those distant islands as in all other
places where our flag rightfully floats
| | shall put at the disposal of the army
! and navy all the means which the lib
! erality of congress and the people have
| provided to cause this unprOvoked and
wasteful insurrection to cease. If any
| orders of mine were required to insure
the mercfu conduct of military and
naval operations, they would not be lack
ing; but every step of the progress of our
troops has been marked by a humanity
which has surprised even the misguided
insurgents. The truest kindness to them
will be swift and effective defeat of
their present leader. The hour of victory
will be the hour of clemency and recon
struction.
WORK OF RECONSTRUCTION.
mo effort will be spared to build up
the waste places desolated by war and
by long years of misgovernment. We
shall not wait for the end of strife to
begin the beneficent work. We shall con.
tinue, as we have begun, to open thu
schools and the churches, to set the
courts in operation, to foster industry
and trade and agriculture and in every
way in our power to make these people
whom Providence has brought within
our jurisdiction feel that it is their lib
erty and not our power, their welfara
and not our gain, we are seeking to en-.
nance. Our flag has never waved ovea
any community but in blessing. l be,
lieve the Filipinos will soon recognize tina
fact that it has not lost its gift of bene"
diction in it's worldwide journey to theif
shores"
Concerning Hawaii, President McKin'
ley says it is important that an act
should be passed erecting these islands
into a judicial district and provide for
the appointment of a judge and other of.
fcers.
GOVERNMENT IN ALASKA.
He continues:
So THE whole vast area of Alaska COM
prises but one judicial district, with one
Judge, one marshal and one district attor-
ney, vet 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. The duties of the judge require
him to travel thousands of miles to dis
charge his judicial duties at the various
places designated for that purpose. The
territory should be divided into at least
two districts and an additional judge,
district attorney. marshal and other APP
proprate officers be provided.
''In like manner system of laws pro"
viding for the incorporation and govern
ment of towns and cities having a GER
tain population, giving them the power to
establish and maintain Il system of edu-
cation to be locally supported, and Ordi-
nances providing for sanitary and other
such purposes could be speedily provided.
| believe a provision of this kind would
be satisfactory to the people of the terri
tory. 1t is probable that the area is too
vast and the population too scattered and
transitOry to make it wise at the present
time to provide for an elective Legislative
body, but the conditions calling for local
self government will undoubtedly very
soon exist and will be facilitated by the
measures which have recommended.
II recommend that legislation to the
same end be had with reference to the
government of Porto Rico. The time is
ripe for the adoption of temporary
form of government for this island, and
many suggestions made with reference to
Alaska are applicable also to Porto Rico.
PORTO RICO'S COMMERCE.
at must be borne in mind that since
the cession Porto Rico has been denied
the principal markets she had long en-
joyed and our tariffs have been continued
against her products as when she was
under Spanish sovereignty. The markets
Of Spain are closed to her products except
upon terms to which the commerce of all
nations is subjected. The island of Cuba,
which used to buy her cattle and tobacco
without customs duties, now imposes the
same duties upon these products as from
any other country entering her ports
She has therefore lost her free inter
Course with Spain and Cuba without any
benefits in this market.
Her coffee was little known and not in
Use by our people, and therefore there
was no demand here for this one of her
.hief products The markets of the Unit
ID States should be opened up to her
PRODUCTS. Our plain duty is to abolish
til customs tariffs between the United
States and Porto Rico and give her
PRODUCTS free access to our markets.
"As a result of the hurricane which
wept over Porto Rico on the Sth of Au-
Just, 1899, over 100000 people were re-
uced to absolute restitution, without
ZONES and deprived of the necessaries OF
ife. To the appeal of the war depart
nent the people of the United States
made prompt and generous response. In
edition to the private charity of our
eople the war department has expended
or the relief of the distressed $685.