Evening journal., 1900-09-10

eminent might be offered them which
they would accept SO great was the SAT-
isfactiOn Of the insurgcnt commission
ers with the form Of government pro-
posed by the American commissioners
that the latter submitted tho proposed
scheme to me for approval and my ac-
tion thereon is shown by the following
cable message OF May 9. 1893:
"You are authorized 10 propose that un-
der the military power of the president.
pending action Of congress-, government of
the Philippine Islands SHAH consist Of
governor general appoint "a by the presi-
dent cabinet appointed BY the governor
general; a general advisory council elect
/ ed by the people; the qualincations OF
i electors 10 be carefully considered and
determined: and the governor general TO
have absolute veto; judiciary strong and
/ independent principal judges appointed
/ by the president the cabinet and judges
/ TO be chosen from natives or Americans,
| or both. having regard for fitness. The
/ president earnestly desires the cessation
| of bloOdshed. and that the people of the
| Philippine islands at an carly date will
/ have the large measure OF local self gov
ernment consistent with peace and good
In the latter part Of May another group
| of representatives came from the insur-
| gent leader The whole matter was fully
discussed with them and promise of ac-
| ceptance seemed near at hand. They
/ assured 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 Tagalog representative favor
| able to the plan Of the commission Il
appears that ne was, by military order
| OF the ins0rgent leader. stripped OF his
| shoulder straps dismissed from the army
| and sentenced to u years Imprisonment.
After the most thorough study OF the
people of the archipelago the commission
reported among other things:
"Their lack of education and political
experience combined wieh their racial
and linguistic dlversites disquullfy them,
| IN spite Of their mental gifts and do
nestle virtues, 10 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 administration of general affairs,
from Manila as q center. and TO under
take. subject to American control or
guidance (as may be found necessary
the ADMINISTRATION OF pro fncial and mu-
nicipal affairs Should our power
by any fatality be withdrawn the commits
sion believes thgt the government of the
| Philippines would speedily lapse into an
archy, which would excuse. IL not necessi-
tate the Intervention Of other powers and
the eventual division Of the islands among
them. only through American pccupa-
tion, therefore is the dea of a free, self
| governing and united Philippine common
wealth at all conceivable
Satisfied that nothing further could be
accomplished in pursuance OF their mis-
sion until the rebellion was suppressed
and desiring to place before the con,
gress the result Of their observations,
requested the commission to return to the
In March 1900. believing that the in
surrection was practically ended ano
earnestly desiring TO promote the estab
lishment of a stable government in the
archipelago 1 appointed the followinl
civil commission: Hon. William ii. Taf
Of Ohio, Dean G. Worcef ter of Michigan
| Hon. Luke !. Wright of Tennessee. Hon
q Henry c. Ide of Vermont and Hon. Ber
nard Moses Of California. My instruc
| tions to them contained the following:
,cg x9u ,S the otaS sSerssary f war wl davdq, m
their attention In the FIRST instance 10 th'
! establishment OF municipal government
| In which the natives of the Islands, bOtt
e | ties. shall be afforded the opportunity q
81 ! manage their own local affairs 10 tn
Z ! fullest extent Of which they are capable
, | and subject to the least degree OF super
, | vision and control which a careful stHd,
| of their capacities and observation of tn
| workings of native control show to b
A | consistent with the maintenance OF law
e order and loyalty. Whenever tn
! | commission is of the opinion that tn
{, condition Of affairs in the island is sucl
e that the control AND dms2istretion ma
y safely be transferred rom military &
r clvu control they wiz Aeport that con
: elasio9 l,,s 10 you Skhe naestttary OK war az
e form of central g0Nsst NEST to be es
4 tablished Tor the EufSSes 81 taking owe
r the control"
q The instructions oonalnSs with the proc
. lamation issued BY deh. Macarthur o
= June 2l, 1850 by srder - She president
q Offering amnesty to the rebellious Fill
= !
+ Under their instructions the commits
q sion, composed Of representative Amerl
o cans In different sections of the countr
r. and from different political parties, who's
G character and ability guarantee the mos
v | faithful intelligence and patriotic service
"a are now laboring.tO establish stable gov
Il ernment under civn control, in which tn
"a inhabitants shall participate, giving theI
q | opportunity to demonstrate how far the
are prepared for self government.
e The Commisioners Quoted.
% This commission. under date of Aug. 2
Ii 1900, makes an interesting report troi
4. which ! quote the following extracts:
= Hostility against Americans original
II aroused by absurd falsehoods of unscrl
N pulous leaders. The distribution of trooI
a in three hundred posts has by cOnta'
= largely dispelled hostility and steadil
i, improved the temper Of the people. Tn
>, improvement Is furthered by abuses
!, insurgents. Large numbers of peop
49, long for peace and are willing to accel
n government under the United State
~ Insurgents not surrendering after defe;
% divided into small guerrilla bands und'
n general officers or become robbers. Nea
% ~ an Of the prominent generals and pol
u ticians OF the insurrecu)n except Agu
~ naldo have since been captured or ha,
II surrendered and taken the oath of a
~ legiance. All northern Luzon excel
\, two provinces substantially free from II
= surgents. People busy Planting, and asl
y ing FOR municipal organization Railwa
9 and telegraph line from Manila
+ paggEpan l22 miles not moles,5ed for Il,
III
llo I'm leading guerrilla warfare. In Negro
~ { Cehd. Romblon, Masbate Sibuyan, Ia
y / las. Bohol and other Philippine islan'
~ / little disturbance exists ana civil go
p I crnmeut eagerly awaited. Fol
"a years OF war and lawics ness in parts
~, Islands have created unsettled condition
II Native cOnstnbu|sry and militi
~ which should be organized al once W
~ end this and the terrorism Co which d
~ fenseiess people are subj .lted. The n
az tives desire TO enlist In these organic
tions. II judiciously selected and officer
Will be efficient forces lOf maintenance
Ia order and win permit early material 7
he ducuon of United States roOpg.
ir Turning Islands over 20 C0iaric of ragal
We politicians win blight fair prospects
hc enormous Improvement, drive out capitl
to make lie and property Secular and reli
u2 ious. most insecure; oaut n by fear
a cruel prescription considerable body
er conservative Fihpinos who have aid
we Americans IN well founded belief tn
we their people are now hl for self go
nat ernment, and reintroduce me Cppressl
h- and corruption which cXi <cd I'm all pro
M | inces under Malolos insurgent cover
nd ment during the eight months Of It's co
Ity / troll. The result will be flct'onal str
we between jealous leaders, chaos and a
or ! archy.
ity The commission is confident that "
SO / n tudiClOus customs law. reasonable la