St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-10-17
The Philippine Commission at Work

A subscriber of the CALIFORNIAN in
Manila sends us a copy of the Manila
Freedom of August 81 and our readers
will be especially interested in what the
paper says of the work of the United
States Philippine Commission.
"The Civil Commission has been very
busy during the past week with the re-
ports OF the commission on the subjects
assigned to them. At the present time
| their entire attention is engaged in con-
sidering the report of Professor Wor-
cester on municipal law. They will go
into legislative session on the first of the
month, Saturday, when they will con-
tinue to organize and establish civil
government.
They will not take upon themselves the
governing power with a flourish of trum-
pets and a sixteen column proclamation.
They will simply express to the inhabit-
ants the extent of their authority vested
in the body by the United States gov
eminent and then they will set example
to every Filipino by getting down to
good hard work.
The Filipinos will start at the most ele-
mentary form of selfgovernment and the
success with which they manage their
municipal affairs will be criterion on
further indulgence in the matter of gov
erning power. The citizens who cangov-
ern a town we'll, giving every resident
equal rights before the municipal law
will compose the material used in some
day governing province. If all the
pueblos in a province prove that they
can sustain law and order within the
limits of their jurisdiction and protect
themselves from ladrones from without
and the lawess element from within, it
will not take many years tor them to
demonstrate that they can handle the
government of the provinces.
That is just along the lines that the
commission will work, When the people
demonstrate their fitness for greater
measures OF self government they may
rest assured that the United States re
f representatives. will not fail to reward them
No officials were ever more in earnest tc
aid and benefit the Filipino people thar
the members of the present commission
The establishment of municipalities
means great deal of hard work Nun
icipal laws meeting every contingency
must be codi6ed. Grimes and Offences
against those laws must be punished
, The procedure of the municipal court
must be established on an American basi
so that every man can have prompt ant
sure justice.
Everything elementary in the govern
ment of a country is entailed in the gov
eminent of a municipality and in tn
municipality the citizen receives his ele
5 mentary training. He discovers here hi
relationship to society and how far hi
personal rights extend. When he ha
learned that his own liberty must no
= encroach upon his neighbor the Filipino
: will have learned his first lesson in SCI
p government.
This is what the Civil commission i
here to teach him and it will be their pur
pose to have him study each lesson we
: so that he can demonstrate it.
T. The legislative body will meet dali
S and all their acts while in session will b
;; made public. Each reform will be oper
j ly discussed by the press and the people
S In this manner the first actual work {
, bringing the Filipino people to know
< ledge OF citizenship will commence an
: will continue under the direction of
Il commission composed Of men who repr
y sent the very best intellect of America.