Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-06
NO IMPERIALISM HERE.


The most rabid anti-expansionists
will be unable to find any element Of
imperialism in the declarations of the
president with reference to the policy
tn be pursued in the Philippines. The
composition of the civil commission
appointed by the president with Judge
VIM. H. Taft, of Ohio, at its head, and
with Prof. Dean C. Worster, of Michi-
gan, as one of it's most active mem
bers, is such as to insure that the pol
icy of the administration toward the
Filipinos will be carried out in spirit
and in letter. The president is right
in stating that "as long as the insur-
rection continues, the military army
must necessarily be supreme" He is
also right in the policy promulgated
for the establishment at the earliest
possible date of governments essen
italy popular in their form as fast as
territory is held and controlled by our
troops. The instructions of the adj
ministration to the civil commission
are that these governments shall be
established ''for the happiness, peace
and prosperity of the people of the
Philippine Islands, and the measures
adopted should be made to conform to
their customs, their habits and even
their prejudices to the fullest extent
consistent in their accomplishment
with the indispensable REQUESTS of a
just and effective government.
The president insists that upon
every division and branch of the gov.
eminent of the Philippines there must
be imposed three inviolable rules.
That no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty, or property without due
process of law; that private property
shall not be taken for public use with
out just compensation; that in all
criminal prosecutions the accused
shall enjoy the right to speedy and
public trial, to be informed by the ma.
ture and cause of the accusation, to be
confronted with the witnesses against
him, to have compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in his favor, and
to have the assistance of counsel fol
his defense; that excessive bail shall
not be required, nor excessive fines
imposed, nor cruel and unusual pun.
1shment inflicted; that no person shall
be put twice in jeopardy for the same
offense, or be compelled in any Grim
inai case to be witness against him
self; that the right to secure against
unreasonable searches and seizures
shall not be violated; that neither
slavery nor involuntary seryitude shall
exist except as punishment for crime;
that no bill of attainder or ex post
facto law shall be passed; that no law
shall be passed abridging the freedom
of speech or of the press, or the rights
of the people to peaceably assemble
and petition the government for a re-
dress of grievances; that no law shall
be made respecting an establishment
of religion or prohibiting the free ex-
ercise thereof, and that the free exer-
else and enjoyment of religious pro-
fesslon and worship without discrini-
nation or preference shall forever be
allowed.
In addition to the above recon-
mendations President Mckinley
states that it will be the duty of the
commission to promote and establish
free schools and such a condition OF
affairs THAT the separation between
state and church shall be real. entire
and absolute"
The policy of President Mckinley
consistently carried out as it will
be by the splendid commission hay
ing the matter in charge, will estab-
lish the blessings of liberty and free
government in the Orient and will eff
feet an Unreasonable advancement to
civilization and Christianity. Under
it the people of the Philippine Islands
will enjoy freedom, liberty happi-
ness and prosperity such as they have
never before dreamed of.