Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-09-18


lions of President Mckinley to the
second Philippine commission, dated
April T. 1900, have been made public.
The points that hTAOIN \ n MN
The points that particularly touch on
any degree of government, say
in part:
Our Home Government Plan.
In the distribution of powers among the
governments organized by the commission,
the presumption Is always to be in favor
IF the smaller subdivision, SO that all the
powers which can properly be exercised by
the municipal government shall be vested
in that government, and all the powers
of more general character which can be
exercised by the departmental government
shall be vested In that government and so
that in the governmental system, which Is
the result Of the process, the central gov
eminent of the islands, following the ex-
ample of the distribution of the powers
between the states and the national gov
eminent of the United States, shall have
no direct administration except of matters
of purely general concern, and shall have
only such supervision and control over To-
cal governments as may be necessary to
secure and enforce faithful and efficient
administration by local officers.
The many different degrees of civilization
and varieties of custom and capacity among
the people of the different islands pre-
elnde very definite instruction as to the
part which the people shall take in the
selection of their own officers; but these
general rules are to be observed: That in
all cases the municipal officers, who ad-
minister the local affairs IF the people,
are to be selected by the people, and that
wherever officers of more extended juris-
diction are To be selected in any way, ma
tiFes Of the island are to be preferred and
if he tar md will
to perform the duties, they are to receive
the offices in preference to any others.
Americans Must Hold Some Offices.
for the present with Americans which after
a time may well be filled by natives of the
islands As soon as practicable Il system
for aseertaining the merits and fitness of
candidates for civil Office should be put in
force. An Indispensable qualification for
all offices and positions of trust and au-
thority in the island must be absolute and
unconditional loyalty to the United States
and absolute and unhampered authority
and power to remove and punish any officer
deviating from that standard must at all
times be retained in the lands of the CEN
trail authority of the islands.
In all the forms of government and ad-
ministrative provisions which they are au-
thof,zed to prescribe, the commission
should bear in mind that the government
which they are establishing is designed
not for our satisfaction, or for the express
sion of our theoretical views but for the
happiness, peace and prosperity of the peo-
pie of the Philippine islands. and the
measures adopted should be made to con
form to their customs, their habits. and
even then pfejudices to the fullest extent
consistent with the accomplishment Of the
Indispensable requisites of just and effec-
tive government
AT the same time the commission should
bear in mind, and the people of the islands
should be made plainly to understand, that
there are certain great principles of gov
eminent which have been made the basis
or our governmental system which we deem
essential to the rule nj law and the main
tenance of individual freedom. and of
which they have, unfortunately, been de-
MED the experience possessed by us; that
there are also certain practical rules of
government which we have found t,o be es-
sental to the preservation of these great
principles of liberty and law and that
these principles and these rules OF govern
ment must be established and maintained
In their islands for the sake of their lib
erty ana happiness, however much they
may conflict with the customs or laws of
procedure with which they are familiar
Rights of individuals.
Upon every division and branch of the
government of the Philippines therefore
must be imposed these invioabie rules:
That no person shall be deprived of life.
liberty or property without due process of
law; that private property shall not be
taken for public use without Just COM
pensation; that In all criminal prosecutions
the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial. to be Informed of
the nature and cause of the accusation
to be confronted with the witnesses
against him. to have compulsory process
for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to
have the assistance of counsel for his de-
Tense; that excessive bail shall not be re-
luired, nor excessive fines imposed nor
cruel and unusual punishment inflicted:
that no person shall be put twice In jeo-
pardy for the same offiense, or be compelled
In any criminal case to be a witness against
himself; that the rights to be secure
against unreasonable searches and seizures
shall not be violated; that neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude shall exist except
as punishment for crime; that M bill of
attainder, or ex-postfacto law shall be
passed; that no law shall be passed abrdg-
ing the freedom of speech or Of the press.
or the rights of the people to peaceably
assemble and petition the government for
a redress Of grievances; that no law shall
be made respecting an establishment, of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof, and that the free exercise and
enjoyment of religious profession and wor.
ship without discrimination or preference
shall forever be sallowed.