Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-12-11

other places where our flag rightfully
floats. I shall put at the disposal of
the army and navy all the means
which the libcrality 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 merciful con-
duct of military and naval operations,
they would not be lacking; but every
step of the progress of our troops has
been marked by humanity which has
surprised even the misguided insur-
gents. The truest kindness to them
will be a swift and effective defeat of
their present leader. The hour of vic
tory will be the hour of clemency and
reconstruction.
| No 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
| continue, as we have begun, to open
| the schools and the church, to set
| the courts in operation, to
| foster industry and trade and agricul-
| ture, and in every way in our power to
make these people whom Providence
has brought within our jurisdiction
feel that it is their liberty and not our
power, their welfare and not our gain,
we are seeking to enhance. Our flag
has never waved over any community
but in blessing. l believe the Filipinos
will soon recognize the fact that it has
not lost it's gift of benediction in it's
worldwide journey to their shores.
Hawaii.
While the municipal laws Of the
Hawaiian islands not enacted for the
fulfllment of treaties and not incon-
sistent with the joint resolution or
contrary to the constitution of the
United States or any of it's treaties re-
main in force. yet these laws relate
only to the social and internal affairs
of the islands, and do not touch many
subjects of Importance which are of a
broader national character. By the
resolution of annexation the president
was directed to appoint five commits
sioners to recommend to congress such
legislation concerning the islands as
they should deem necessary or proper.
These commissioners were duly ap-
pointed and after a careful investiga-
ton they prepared bill to provide a
government under the title of ''the
territory of Hawaii The report of
the commission, with the bill which
they prepared, was transmitted by me
to congress on Dec. 6, 1898, but the bill
still awaits final action. 1t is mani
testify important, therefore, that an
act shall be passed as speedily as DOS
sible erecting these islands into a
judicial district, providing for the ap-
pointment of a judge and other proper
officers and methods of procedure in
appellate proceedings and that the
government Of this newly acquired
territory under the federal constitu-
ton shall be fully defined and pro-
vided for.
Turning to Alaska the president de-
clares that he can see no reason why a
more complete form Of territorial or
ganization should not be provided.
Porto Rico Again.
He recommends that legislation to
the same end be had with reference to
the government of Porto Rico. The
time is ripe for the adoption Of tenn
porary form of government for this
island. The system of civil juriSpru-
dence now adopted by the people of
this island is described by competent
lawyers as thoroughly modern and sci
entific, so far as it relates to matters of
internal business, trade, production
and social and private right in gen
eral. The cities of the island are gov
erned under charters which probably
require very little or no change. So
that with relation to matters OF local
concern and private right, it is not
probable that much, if any, legislation
is desirable; but with reference to pub
lie administration and the relations OF
the islands to the federal government
there are many matters which are of
pressing urgency. The same necessity
exists for legislation on the part OF
congress to establish federal courts
and federal Jurisdiction in the island
as in the case of Hawaii
The markets of the United States
should be opened up to Porto Rico's
products. Our plain duty is to abolish
all customs tariffs between the United
States and Porto Rico.
1t is desirable that the government
of the island under the law of belliger-
ent right, now maintained through the
executive department, should be super
seeded by an administration entirely
civil in it's nature. For present pur-
poses I recommend that congress pass
law for the organization Of tenn
porary government, which shall pro-
vide for the appointment by the presi-
dent, subject to confirmation by the
senate, of governor and such other
officers as the general administration
of the island may require, and that FOR
legislative purposes on subjects of a
| local nature not Dartaking of a federal