The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-02-03
Will Hold the Philippines


philippines commission. as submitted
20 the pres dent Us published here. The
commii on believes 10 would be safe
ana eXpedient ana desirable TO grant
TO the Inhabitants Of the archipelago,
home rule IN local affairs
The provinces should be turned into
counties with the same functions as
counties in the United States This
system might bee applied TO Luzon and
the Visayan Island at once. l., Is in-
tended thaj the Flipnos shall govern
the towns and count es by self-elected
Officers, subject TO general laws. The
suffrage should be restricted by edu.
cational or property qualifications, or
both. a small body Of American of
fcials Of great ability and integrity
should be appointed TO advise the town
and county officials in the discharge Of
their duties. One commissioner for
each 25000O natives might suffice
The commission advocates a second
class territorial government for the
archipelago in which only a portion Of
the legislative should be chosen by the
Hihpinos. The commission would have
no American placed i'm office when a
FLIP no would do as well. and the
merit system should be adopted for the
Filipino civil service. The finances
should be managed for the benefit Of
the islands
From the outset however, the COM
mis- sion believes it safe and desirable
TO extend 60 the F'il.plnos larger lib
erty of self government than jefferson
approved of for the inhabitants of
louisiana, assuming that in the Sulu
archipelago and such portions of the
other islands as are occupied by tribes
Of Indians, the government will be con-
Quoted through the agency of their
sultans or chiefs. The comm ssion be-
lieves that the people of the remainder
Of the islands should be permitted to
elect at least members Of the lower as
sembly, with such safeguards in Ameri-
can hands and a qualified veto power
for the governor general, including the
right TO suspend the law for a year
even after los passage by vote Of two
thirds of the Legislature over his veto.
this plan Of government. which Is on
the Lines Of the constitution prepared
by those Filipnos who sought to ad-
just the claims Of the insurgent leaders
to the rights Of American sovereignty,
would be adquate for the purpose OF
good government. This is especially
true, the commission says, since con-
gress may and should retain the right
TO veto territorial Legislation Nearly
all the offices Will, under this form OF
government, be filled by Fnipnos
themselves and the merit system must
he adopted and lived up TO. The pat
ronage or spoils system the commiss on
says would prove fatal to good govern
ment in the Philippines. The COM
board TO ascertain by competitive ex-
ANIMATION OF a practical character the
qualifications OF Filipinos seeking Of
fee should be instituted and that there
should be promotions for merit and
tenure during the efficiency and good
behavior. The small number Of Ameri-
can officials needed would include in
the first group, governor. secretary, at
ttorney general, certain judges and other
officials OF the territorial government.
and in the second group heads OF postal.
customs and other departments. The
officers OF the first group should be APP
pointed by the president and Of the
second transferred from the home SER
vice. In neither case should there be
exam ination. The commission cl es the
case Of British India with an area of
1900, 900 square miles. and a popula
aion OF 300. 900 900 where the executive
and judicial work is performed by
Thousand British officials, 90 show that
only a small number of Americans
would be needed as the d recting brain
os the civil administration.
The commission reaches the following
conclusions;
!. The United States cannot with
draw from the Philippines. We are
there and duty bids US remain. There
IS no escape from our responsibility to
the FIlipdnOs and to mankind for the
government OF the archipelago.
2. The FilipinOs are wholly unpre-
pared for independence and AZ inde-
pe1dence were given TO them they
could not maintain it.
Under the third head is included a
copy OF Admiral Dewey's letter 20
Senator Lodge, which was read in the
senate the other day denying Aguin-
aldO's claim that he was promised in
dependence
4. There being no Philippine nation,
but only collection OF different peo-
piles. there is no general public opinion
i'm the archipelago; but the men OF
property and education, who alone in
terest themselves in public affairs, in
general recognize as indispensable au-
shortly, guidance and protection.
g. Congress should, at the earliest
practical tome provide for the Philip
pines the form OF government herein
recommended or another equally liberal
and benefclent.
6. Pend ng any action on the part Of