Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1900-11-30
rHoaHss. n vpr ra"rresrs

tskiNiLtiNc Dpts ~ W." "'o'h"'s
Ing functions In the Philippine is
lands. This IL not, of course, such a
body as sc arc generally familiar
with In the United States. where rep
rcscntatlscs selected by the people III
large iu given political division
gatiier To make regulations for the
government II lie iniiabitant, there
If. The body 20 which VIC have ref
erence rs legislating in our new pos
sessions In fhr far east IL the Philip
pine commission, whose functions are
exercised by the authority Of the
president ~ the United states, and
naturally enough, it's duties are to Il
large extent administrative. AT the
same time, its cnactmcnts, unless dis
approved, have the force Of law, and
whatever may he the nature of some
NJ lis functions, II is in reality icgis-
iative body. The procedure Of the
commission is Of kind. one would
think, 10 commend Itself To people
long familiar With the process of
spanish management The work Of
The commission IL open and 1t IL based
,,pnn al understanding arrived at as
lie result III a careful Investigation
into the conditions If the Islands and
III their people. An Intelligent basis
aud mcthod free from obnoxious
features should commend the results
10 the peop.e for whose benefit they
are intended.
Naturally enough tie first leglsla
ton for the Islands under new condi-
tlons was concerned with the develop
,nent OF the material basis OF clylllza-
tion. The earliest act Of the commits.
zion was tho passage or bill appro-
priai.ng T., 900, 600, Mexican, to be ex-
pended In the immediate eotstfue-
lion and repair Of highways and
bridges In the Islands. The sum APP
prupriatcd was directed 10 be cgpend-
cd under the direction % the military
governor In such construction and re-
pairs AZ commended themselves tn
him as most conducive ~ the public
welfare. IL was explained on The
part Of the commission that the large
amount ~ rohd construction provided
for would furnish employment TO a
large number of worthy people " ha
needed the work Oh account Of re-
verses suffered during the insurrec-
lion, and that the building Of high.
ways wits ns necessary for the guyei n
mcnt as for The people themselves.
This explanation was made la public
and for the benefit Of the people at
latge. lor IL should 10 understood that
The session of the commission was
public. and that the president Of tn,
commission announced at ths outset
that discussion ~ all bills would bs
allowed. As matter az fact, hut 3
small number of people were In at
tendance. At the same time III,
spirit manifested nv the commission
was appreciated by the press and til,
people, aud the hearing Of the bill
above mentioned ELECTED from one o
the flliplnos present tho suggcstiot
that IL II were provided that til,
country people would be given an ap
pDrtunity Ia work on the reads duFin.
their idle months. when they Mari
not occupied With harvesting, tn
henei iciai results would be create
than II no selection III time and sea~ol
we're made Annther bill passed b
the commission appropriated SO, uN
~ ~ much thereof l.s might he neeea
sAry, for the purpose vi making u sai
yry Ia ascertain the NEST adsautag
rnns route Tor riiruad into ia
mountains ~ Heuguni. Isle Of LuEnI
and the probable cost thereof,
The measures N.seea are signitcan
III unev of the attitude Of The CON
mission toward the people. and VI n,
ppitey 20 be followed In dealiug wit
this ,xiielititass VA tie islands. II
tntsreIesi, while caring Tor interests I
,he government IN the importan
nasser M Improved coRsianigatiat
~ Initiate a system ~ material drXe
epsnent, In explaining this hill an
nf tie msaa0e~ II the eamml~SiU
said stsat Il WAS hi, preliminary /
Treasures calculated "a upen up a rie
ss,nntry anti the expenditure NV pfI
ssts corporation ~ eatl>tAcnhi
psasse, Ia railroad astruetion Il
interesting 10 nt,e that ia ,0nncssie
with Ills the director IL The phtel
psns pStS Fep1fis that in tic hrsue
~ iie scFsiee uudes his charge u gra
liting degfre II progress mas lpe
snasie. Tue cl,~e of tile year llns
The Pstal s.Isice IN the islands Wit
" Handsome surplus e. s,s credit Il
tie secoud time IN its life of .
msastsss The revenues from a
~sssirsrs. intinflIug fees from Il
MONEY ORDER service. since May
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