The Portland daily press., 1900-09-10

collection of customs and other taxes,
the means of transportation, and the need
of public improvements. Ihey Will re.
port the results OF their observations and
rehecUions and Will recommend such exec
utive action as may from time to time
seem to them wise and useful.
"The commissioners are hereby au-
thorized to confer authoritatively with
any persons resident in the islands from
whom they may believe themselves able
to derive information for suggestions
valuable for the purposes of their COM
mission, or whom they may choose to
employ as agents, as may be necessary
for this purpose.
"It is my desire that in all their rela-
tions with the inhabitants of the islands
the commissioners exercise due respect
for all the Ideals, customs and tnSt1tu-
t1Ons of the tribes which compose the
population, emphazing upon all occasions
the lust and abeneficent intentions of the
government of the United States. 1t is
also my wish and expectation that the
comm issioners may be received In man
ner due to the hOnOred and authorized
representatives of the American Repub-
lie, duly commissioned on account sot
their knowledge, skill andH integrity as
bearers OF the good viii, the protection
and the richest blessings of a liberatlng
rather than a conquering nation"
On the 9th OF February, 1899, the treaty
was ratified by the Senate OF the United
/
prOpriated $40, 900, 600 TO carry out It's
provisions. The ratifications were eX-
changed by the United States and Spain
on the llth OF April, 1899,
AS early as April, 1899, the Philippine
commission Of which DIR. Schurman
was president, endeavored to bring about
peace in the islands by repeated confer
ences with leading Yagalogs representing
the so-called 1nsurgent government, TO
the end that some general plan OF gov
ernment might b9 offered them which
THEY would accept So
GREAT WAS THE SATISFACTION
OF the insurgent con mi isioners with the
form OF government proposed by the
American commissioners that the latter
submitted the proposed scheme to me for
approval, and my action thereon is
shown by the cable message following:
May g. 1889
"Schurman, Manila.
Yours 4th received. You are author
ized to propose that under the military
power OF the President, pending action of
Congress, government of the Philippine
Islands shall consist OF GOYernOr-General
appointed by the President; cabinet APP
pointed by the GOYernor-GeneraI; gen
eral advisory council elected by the pgo-
pie; the qualifications of electors to be
carefully cOn3idered and determined; and
the GOvernor-6eneral to have absolute
veto. Judiciary strong and independents;
principal judges appOlned by the Pres1-
dent. The Cabinet and judges to be
chosen from natives or Americans, or
both, having regard 60 fitness. The
President earnestly desires the cessation
of blOOdshed, and that the people Of the
Philippine Islands at an early date shall
have the largest measure OF local self
government consistant with peace and
good order. ~
In the latter part OF May another group
OF representatives came from the lnsur-
gent leader. The whole matter was fully
discussed with them and promise of ac-
ceptance seemed near at hand. They as
sured our commissioners they would re-
turn after consulting with their leader,
but they never did.
AS a result of the views expressed by
the first Iagalog representative favorable
to the plan Of the commission, it ap-
pears that he was. by military order Of
the 1nsurgenU leader, stripped Of his
shoulder straps, dismissed from the army
and sentenced to twelve years imprison-
ment.
The views Of the commission are best
set forth in their own words:
"Deplorable as war IS, the one in
which we are now engaged was unavoid
able by US. Ne were attacked by a bold,
adventurous and entL Lasiastic army. No
alternative was lett to US except ignomln-
ious retreat.
1T Is not to be conceived Of that any
American would have sanctioned the
surrender or Manila to the insurgents.
/ Our obligations TO other nations and to
I tho friendly Filipinos and to ourselves
and our flag demanded that force should
be met with force. Whatever the future
of the Philippines may be- there is no
/ course open TO US now except the prose-
cution OF the war until the insurgents
are reduced TO Submission The commits
rf. So
no time since the destruction of the
/ Spanish squadron by Admiral Dewey
when it was possible to withdraw our
forces from the Islands either with honor
to ourselves or with safety TO the inhabi-
tants'
After the most thorough study OF the
peoples of the archipelago. the commits
sion reported, among other things:
"rheir
LACK OF EDUCATION
and political experiences, combined with
their racial and linguistic diversities,
disqualiry them. in spitS of their mental
gifts ana domestic virtues, to undertake
the task of governing the archipelago at
the present time. The most that can be
expected of them is to cooperate with
the Americans in the admin stratiOn of
general affairs from Manila as a center,
and to undertake, subject to American
control or guidance as may be found
necessary the administration OF pro.
vincial and municipal affairs ~*f
"Should our power by any fatality b,
Withdrawn, the commission believes that
/ the government of the Philippine.
would speedily lapse into anarchy which
would EXCUSE, If It did not necessitatg
the Intervention OF other powers, and tht
eventual division of the islands among
them. Only through American occupa
tiOn, therefore, is the idea Of a free. self
governing ana united Philippine com
mOnwealth at all conceivable
"Ihus the welfare of the FilipinOs co
incides with the dictates OF nati0na
honor in forbidding our abandonment
/ of the archipelago We cannot from am
point Of view escape the responslbilitie
OF government which our sovereignt,
entails. and the CO nmission is strongly