The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-02
A PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
Result of the Deliberations OF the
Philippine Comr.ss-ion

President Mckinley received yesterday
from the Philippine Commission the first
half of It's report on the Philippine Is
lands The second part will rot be COM
pleted for several weeks.
The first volume. which is signed by
Jacob G.. Schurman, George Dewey. Charles
DENLY, and Dean C. Worcester, Commes-
sioners, opens with formal letter OF
transmitial to the President and is fol-
lowed by a full description CT the efforts
made by the Commission while at Manila
to terminate the insurrection and secure
pacification OF the islands.
The document now before the President
presents the conclusions reached by the
Commission on matters pertaining to the
Philippines, its view of the Industrial,
social, and economic conditions. and an
elaborate plan of government. The Com
mission declares its belief that at present
the Islands need the protection of the
United States; that the real desire of the
majority OF the inhabitants OF the islands
is for guarantee of human rights which
belor.ys to them, but were denied under the
rule OF Spain. announces lbs unqualified
opposition to the formation Of a confederp-
ton and recommends complete territorial
government with a governor appointed by
the President of the United States.
The report names as two fundamental
principles of successful financial admin
istration that the islands finances must
be managed. not for the advantage OF the
sovereign power, but for the benefit OF the
people of the Islands, and that the islands
themselves must be made self-supporting
The report in its plan OF government
says that it will be safe and expedient and
desirable to grant to the inhabitants of the
archipelago large measure of home rule
in local affairs.
Their towns should enjoy substantially
the rights, privileges. and immunities of
towns in one of the Territories of the
United States. As to the provinces the
Commission is of opinion that they should
be turned into counties and vested with
substantially the same functions as those
enjoyed in a county in one of the Ter
ritories of the United States. 1t is. of
course, intended that the Filipinos them
selves shall. subject to the general laws
which may be enacted in this regard.
manage their own town and county affairs
by the agency OF their own officers. whom
they themselves elect The suffrage should
he restricted by educational or property
qualifications. or, perhaps. even both. The
system will necessitate u small body OF
American officials of great ability and
integrity. and of much patience and tact
in dealing with other races.
Their main function would be to adj
wise the country and town officials in the
proper discharge OF their duties. In watch
ing the collection of local revenue and
controlling its expenditure the Commits
sioners would find an important portion
of Their duties. 1t has been thought by
many that the system of government by
protectorate which has been established
in the Malayan peninsula should be ap
piled by the United States to the Philip
pine Islands But the Commission is not
of the opinion that such protectorate is
desirable. The idea Of a protectorate en-
tertained by the insurgent leaders, under
which they should enjoy all the powers
OF an independent. sovereign government
and the Americans should assume all obli
cations to foreign nation for their good
use OF those powers. would create an i'm
possible situation for the United States.
Internal dominion and external RESPONSE
bility must go hand in hand.
The Commission discusses powers of
Congress over the Philippines. in which
it claims that these powers are of unlim-
tied extent. The report sets forth legal
argument on this question.
The subject of the Philippine civil SER
vice is also fully treated, the report ex-
planning that under the form OF govern
ment recommended for the Philippines by
the Commission nearly all the offices will.
OF course. be filled by FiIipinos themselves.
and it is a safe and desirable rule that
no American should be appointed to any
office in the Philippines for which rel-
sonably qualified Filipino can by any pos
sibility be secured. OF course the merit
or business system must be adopted and
lived up to. The patronage or spoils sys-
tenn would prove absolutely fatal to cd
government in this new Oriental t-i.i-
tory. In the Filipino civil service there
should be, besides provisions for tests of
fitness before appointment. regulations TO
insure promotion upon merit and tenure
of office during efficiency and good be-
havlor. A small number Of American
officials will be necessary for the Philip
pine service.
The Commission recommends that at the
present time no attempt be made to essim-
ilate the customs duties of the Philippines
to those of the United States A similar
recommendation and for similar reasons.
is also made in regard to internal revenue
taxes of the two countries.
In order stimulate trade with Other
countries. which is a desidera um in the
Philippines, the customs should. If changed,
be reduced rather than augmented.