The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-02-10
4 TERRITORIAL
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Recommendations Of the Philippine
Commission -Report Sent
to Congress.
OLD LOUISIANA AS A MODEL
J%enerson's Scheme of Government
for That Territory The Basis
of the Commissions Pro.
posed System.

Washington, Feb. 5.-The president
has transmitted TO congress the first
volume of the report of the Philippine
commission, the principal feature of
which is the commissions plan of
government for the islands.
The commission announces itself
unqualifiedly i'll favor of a govern
ment for the Philippines analogous to
that of a territory of the United
States, with a governor appointed by
the president. They say it is desir-
able that the inhabitants of the
archipelago enjoy a large measure Of
home rule in local affairs, their towns
to enjoy substantially the rights and
privileges of towns in Il territory of
the United States.
The provinces shall be vested with
substantially the functions of u coun-
ty in a territory. This system might
be applied to Luzon and the Niscayan
islands at once. and a beginning
might be made on the coast of Min
danao.
The sulu archipelago, calling for
special arrangements with the sultan,
the commission need not be con-
sidered in this connection.
1E IN LliAIploS Soulu 1ldltuRS liz
W own and county affairs through
their own officers, whom they could
elect with no help from American Of
volved in control from the central gov
should be restricted by educational or
property qualifications or both. This
system would necessitate a small body
Cf A ,n,.s /, - xGa;nl L., &c I,l:l:4,, ,,1
integrity and of patience and tact in
dealing with other races. and on this
account the commission recommends
that they should be paid high salaries.
The commission says they could be
called advisers or commissioners, and
that n for every 100000 natives
should suffice. 1t would be the duty
of such commissioners to report upon
their work to the central government
at Manila. The main function would
be to advise town and county councils
in the discharge of their duties, and to
watch the collection of revenue and
Iits expenditures. Our government of
the Philippines, the commission in
sists, must be adapted to the Filipinos.
The commission discusses the system
of government by a protectorate es-
tablished over the Malayan peninsula
by Great Britain, deeming such Il pro-
%tectorate inadvisable. it having been
instituted for the reason that England
had no sovereignty there. The United
States. which possesses sovereignty
over the Philippines, heed not concern
itself with such a scheme. The mass
of the people, except in the Sulu group
and some portions of Mindanno and
1lDJo,.,,, ,r-I:,1 - 49, ,sAJ,-,,A .lsorxn:, 80,
or rulers, are without distinction of
birth or rank; in other words, are n
pure democracy. The kind of a pro-
tectorate which the insurgent leaders
desired, the commission say, is one
under which the United States would
assume all responsibility for protect
ing the Philippine government against
foreign aggression, While their own
officials would collect
Under the chimerical scheme for
protection cherished by A%guinaldo, if
a foreigner lost his life or property
through u miscarriage of justice in a
Philippine court, or in consequence Of
a governors failure to suppress u riot,
then the United States would be re-
sponsible for indemnity to the foreign
er's government, without possessing
the power of Furnishing the offenders
or of preventing such malndministra-
ton, or of protecting itself against
similar occurrences in the future. Nor
could the liability to foreign nations
be reduced without permitting them
directly to seek redress, and such n
course would. it is feared. speedily
lead to the appropriation of the Phil
ippine islands by the great powers,
,,E1x1 -~,,1 ,,~% .al 49,.
pretenses for intervention.
Undoubtedly the raising of the
American flag in the Philippines has
entailed great responsibilities upon
us: but to guarantee external protec-
ton while renouncing internal domin-
ion is no way of escaping from them.
On the contrary, while you pull down
the flag. You only pile up difficulties.
The example of Great Britain, which
the commission says has been bril-
liantly successful in governing depend
ent people, has suggested u colonial
form of government, and this plan
seems to have won greater favor with
the general public than any other.
The commissions report goes into the
different kinds of colonies and CORE
spending types of colonial govern
ment. "There is no analogy" snys the
commission, "between the relation of
the self-governing colony of Australia
or of Canada to Great Britain and that
Of the Philippine islands to the United
States. Instead of community of
blood. races and language, there is the
greatest diversity; and instead of a
common political experience. the one
has already breatlied the air Of free
DOM, the other has been depressed by
despotism. Clearly the plan OF a self
governing colony is a misfit to the
Philippines"
The commission then discusses the
other two types Of British colonies
crown colonies, and colonies having