The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-01-18

|
ton. For example, they do not under
stand the utility of roads. Nothing
exists but paths through the Jungle.
1 have ridden for hours in Sulu over
the most primitive paths, barely dis
cernable in the rank grass. They have
not grasped the idea of private and
permanent property in land. And yet,
there is no lovelier spot, no richer
land, no better military and naval
base than the Sulu group. In Paluan,
Sulu and Mindanao. the strictest mill
tary government is necessary, indefi-
nitely. The inhabitants can never be
made to work, can never be civilized.
Their destiny can not be fortold. But
tion or disappear before it, our duty
is plain.
Outline of Plan of Government
| Needed.
In all other islands our government
must be simple and strong. 1t must
be uniform government. Different
forms for different islands will pro-
duce perpetual disturbance, because
the people of each island would think
|
are more favored than they. In pa-
nay, 1 heard murmurings that we
were giving Negros an American con-
stitution. This is a human quality
found even in America; and we must
never forget that in dealing with the
Filipinos we deal with children. And
30 or government must be simple
and strong. Simple and strong; the
meaning of those two words must be
written in every line of Philippine
legislation; realized in every act of
Philippine administration. A Philip
pine Office in our department of state;
an American encouragement in Ma
Mia, with power to meet daily empr-
gencies; possibly an advisory council,
with no power except that of dis
cussing measures with the governor
general. which council would be the
germ of future legislatures, school in
practical government; American lie:;-
tenant governors IN each province.
with like council about him; if pos
sible an American resident in each dis
trict, and like council grouped about
him; frequent and unanno,inced visits
Of provincial governors to the districts
of their provinces; periodical reports
to the governor general; an Ameri.
con board of visitation to make semi
annual trips to the archipelago with
out power of suggestion or intecfer-
ence to officials or people. but only TO
report and recommend to the Ph,lp-
pine office of our state derartn.
a Philippine civil service. with p. omo-
ton for efficiency; the abolition o:
duties on exports from the Philip
pines; the establishment of import du-
ties on a revenue basis, with such dis
elimination in favor of American i'm
| ports as will prevent the cheaper
goods of other nations from destroy
ing American trade; d complete re-
form of local taxation on just and
scientific basis, beginning with the
establishment of tax on land, ac-
cording to it's assessed value: the
minting of abundant money for Phil
ippine and oriental use; the grant
ing of franchises and concessions
upon the theory of developing the
resources of the archipelago, and
therefore not by sale, but upon
participation in the profits of the
enterprise; the formation of a sy,-
tenn of public schools everywhere
with compulsory attendance rigidly
enforced; the establishment of the
English language throughout the
islands, teaching it exclusively in the
schools and using it, through inter-
prefers, exclusively in the courts; n
simple civil code, and still simpler
criminal code, and both common to
all the islands except Sulu, Minandao
and Paluan; American judges for all
but smallest offenses; gradual, slow
and careful introduction of the best
Filipinos into the working machin-
cry of the government, no prom
Use whatever of the franchise until
the people have been prepared for it;
all this backed by the necessary force
to execute it; this outline of govern
ment the situation demands as soon
as tranquility is established. Until
then military government is advis-
able.
Professionals Inpraeticable.
We can not adopt the Dutch meth
cd in Java, nor the English methods
in the Malay states, because both of
those systems rest on and operate
through the existing governments of
hereditary princes, with Dutch or
English residents as advisers. But
in the Philippines there are no such
hereditary rulers, no such established
governments. There is NO native ma
chinery OF administration except that
of the villages. The people have been
deprived of the advantages of heredi-
tary native princes, and yet not in
stfucted in any form Of regular, just
and orie-ly government. Neither IL
q prott,ctorate practicable. II pro-
tectorate leaves the natives to their
own methods more than would our di-
rec administration of their govern
ment, it would permit the very evils
which 1t is our duty to prevent.
Kind of Omcials Necessary.
: Even the elemental plan I have out
lined will fail in the hands of any
but ideal administrators. Spain did
not utterly fail in devising- many of
her plans were excellent; she failed
in administering. Her officials as q
class were corrupt, indolent, cruel,
immoral. They were selected to
please faction in Spain, to placate
members of the cortes, to bribe those
whom the government feared. They
were seldom selected for their fitness.
They were the spawn of government