The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-04

no law shall be made respecting an estah-
lshment of religion. or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof, and that the free
exercise and enjoyment OF religious pro-
fession and worship without discrimina-
tion or preference shall forever be al
lowed.
1T will be the duty of the commission
TO make thorough investigation into the
titles to the large tracts of land held or
claimed by individuals or by religious or
ders; into the Justice of the claims and
complaints made against such landholders
by the people of the island or any part of
the people, and to seek by wise and peace
able measures a Just settlement of the
controversies and redress of wrongs
which have caused strife and bloodshed
in the past. In the performance of this
duty the Commission is enioined to see
that no Injustice is DONE to have regard
for substantial rights and equity, disre-
garding technicalities so far as substan-
tial right permits, and to observe the fol-
lowing rules:
THAT the provision of the Treaty of
Paris pledging the United States to the
protection of all rights of property in the
islands, and as we'll the principle of our
own Government which prohibits the TAX
ing of private property without due pro-
cess of law. shall not be violated that
the welfare of the people of the islands,
which should be a paramount considera-
ton, shall be attained consistently with
this rule of property right; that if it
becomes necessary for the public interest
of the people of the islands to dispose Of
claims to property which the Commission
finds to be not lawfully acquired and held
disposition shall be made thereof by due
legal procedure, in which there shall be
full opportunity for fair and impartial
hearing and judgment; that if the same
public interests require the extinguish-
ment of property rights lawfully acquired
and held due compensation shall be made
out of the public treasury therefor; that
no form of religion and no minister of
religion shall be forced upon any COM
munity or upon any citizen of the islands;
that upon the other hand no minister of
religion shall be interfered with or mo-
Tested in following his calling, and that
the separation between state and church
shall be real. entire and absolute.
1T will be the duty of the commission
to promote and extend. and. as they find
occasion, to improve, the system of edu-
cation already inaugurated by the mill
tary authorities. In doing this they
should regard as of first Importance the
extension of a system of primary educa-
ton which shall be free to all, and which
shall tend to fit the people for the duties
of citizenship and for the ordinary avo-
cations of a civilized community. This
instruction should be given in the first in
stance in every part of the islands in the
language of the people. In view of the
great number of languages spoken by the
different tribes. it is especially important
to the prosperity of the islands that a
common medium of communication may be
established and it is obviously desirable
that this medium should be the English
language. Especial attention should be at
once given to affording full opportunity
to all the people of the islands to acquire
the use of the English language
'It may be well that the main changes
which should be made in the system OF
| taxation and IN the body Of the laws
| under which the people are governed, ex-
cept such changes as have already been
made by the military government, should
| be relegated to the civil government
which is to be established under the aus
pces of the commission. 1t will. how
ever, be the duty of the commission to
inquire diligently as to whether there
are any further changes which ought not
to be delayed, and if so, they are author
| lied to make such changes, subject to
! your approval. In doing so they are to
bear in mind that taxes which tend to
| penalize or Fepress industry and enter
prise are to be avoided; that provisions
for taxation should be simple, so that
| they may be understood by the people;
hat they should affect the fewest practi-
cable subjects of taxation which will
serve for the general distribution of the
| burden.
1.-The main body of the laws which regu-
| late the rights and obligations of the
Dec.le should be maintained with as
little interference as possible. Changes
made should be mainly in procedure, ano
in the criminal laws to secure speedy and
| impartial trials. and at the same time