Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-12-06

| erS pN the people OF the Island or any
/ part of the people. and to seek by wise
and peaceable measures a. just settle
ment of the controversies and redress of
| wrongs which have caused strife. and
ance of this duty the commission is en-
| joined to see that no injustice is dona;
equity, disregarding. technical:-ies so
and to observe the following rules: PEI III -
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 well the principle Of
our own government, which PROHIBITS the
| process of law, shall not be violated:
that the welfare, of the people of the
consderat ton, shall be attained consist
emily with this rule of property right:
that if it beeemes necessary for the, pub
the commission finds to be not lawfully
acquired and he'd. dispositiog shall he
which there shall be full opportunity for
fair and impartial hearing and judg-
ment that pto;If the the same Pg6f
quired aud held. due con- pensati6n shall
be made ut Of the public treasury there
for; that no form Of religion and no min
community or upon any citizen of the
islands; that, upon the other hand, no
minister Oh TeilSlOn Slall De Interior gu
with or mo!ested in following his calling,
and that the separation between sta tie
and church shall be real, entire and alb
To Extend Education.
1t will be the duty of the commission
to promote and extend and as they ma
occasion. to improve, the system OF edu-
cation already inaugurated by the military
authorities. In doing this they should re-
gard as of first Importance the extension
of a system of primary education which
to fit the people for the duties of citizen
ship and for the ordinary avocations of
a, civilized community. This instruction
every part of the islands in the language
of the people. In view Of the great num-
| Der of languages spoken by the different
prosperity of the islands that a common
medium of communication may be estab-
lished, ard it is obviously desirable that
this medium should be the English Ian
guage. 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.
1t may be well that the main changes
which should be made in the system Of
taxation and the body of the laws under
which the people are governed, except such
changes as have already been made by
the military government, should be rele-
gated to the civil government which is
the commission. 1t will however. be the
duty of the commission to inquire diligent-
" as to whether there are any further
changes which ought not to be delayed,
and, if so, thy are auth orize ed to make such
changes. subject 10 Your approval In Co
ing so they are to hear in mind that taxes
which tend TO penaliZe or repress industry
and enterprise are to be avoided; that pro-
visions for taxation should be simple, so
that they may be understood by the
people: that they should affect the feWest
racticahLe subjects of taxation which will
serve for the general distribution of the
burden.
Little Change in Laws.
The main body of the laws which regu-
pie should be maintained with as little
interference as possible. Changes made
should be mainly in procedure, and IN n
| impartial trials, and at the same time
effective administration and respect for
individual rights:
of the islands the commission should
! adopt the same course followed by con-
| gress in permitting the tribes of our
! North American Indians to maintain
! their tribal organization ard government,
| and under which many of those tribes are
now living in peace and contentment,
they are unable or unwilling to conform.
| Such tribal governments should. how
| ever, be subjected to wise and firm reg
| ulation. and, without undue or petty in
| reference constant and active effort
| should be exercised to prevent barbarous
| practices and introduce civilized customs.
| Upon an Officers ana e1nDlONeS Oh the
! United States, both civil and military,
! should be impressed a sense of the duty
/ TO observe not merely the material, but
| the personal and social rights of the peo-
I pie of the islands. and to treat them
) with the same courtesy ard respect for
their personal dignity which the people
! of the United States are accustomed to
| require from each ether.
Have Kept Our Pledge.
| The articles of caoitulation of the city
J of Manila on the 18th of August, 1898, con-
/ cluded with these words:
This city, its inhabitants, its churches
; and religious worship. its educational es-
! adjustments. and it's private property of
| an descriptions, are placed under the
| of the American army"
believe that this pledge has been
! faithfully kept. As high and sacred an
obligation rests upon the government of
the United States to give protection for
property and life. civil and religious free
| DOM and wise. firm and unselfSh guild
| ity to all the people of the Philippine is
| lands. charge this commission to la
! Dor for the full performance of this obH-
cation, which concerns the honor and
| conscience Of their country. in the firm
hope that through their labors all the
inhabitants of the Philippine islands may
| come to look back with gratitude to the
day when God gave victory to American
arms at Manila and set their land under
| the sovereignty and the protection of
! the people OF the United States.
ANN eSty.
| Coincidentally with the entrance of the
commission upon its labors caused to be is
| sued by Gen. Macarthur, the military gov
ernor of the Philippines on June q, 1900
! terms, of which many of the insurgents
| took advantage, among them a number OF
| important las&9Es.
This commission, composed of eminent
| citizens representing the diverse geograph-
| zeal and political interests of the country
| and bringing to their task the ripe fruits
| of long and intelligent service in educa-
! tional, administrative and judicial careers
| made great progress from the outset. AS
early as August q, 1900, it submitted a pre-
liminary report, which will be laid befoM
| the congress, and from which it appears
that already the good effects of returning
order are felt; that business, interrupted by
! hostilties, is improving as peace extends
| that a larger area is under sugar cultiva-
| ton than ever before: that the customs
! revenues are greater than al any time dur
| ing the Spanish rule: that economy anG
! efficiency in the military ,administra tior
have created a surplus fund of s6OOO,0OO
| available for needed public improvements
! that a stringent civil service law is in prep
| aration: that railroad communications are
! expanding, opening up rich districts, and
that a comprehensive scheme of education
| is being organized.
Encouraging Reports.
Later reports from the commission show
insuring the benefits Of liberty and good
| government to the Filipinos, In the inter
est of humanity and with the aim Of
building up an enduring, self-supportine
and administering community II
those far eastern seas. I would impress:
| upon the congress that whatever legis!a
| ton may be enacted in respect to the Phil
| ippne islands should be along these gen
| erous lines. The fortune of war ha!
thrown upon this nation an unsoush
trust which should be unselfshly dis
charged, and devoived upon this govern
| ment a moral as well as material respon
sibility toward these millions whom WI
have freed from an oppressive yoke.
| sWards of the Nation"
| / have upon another occa sion called tn,
| Filipinos the wards of the nation" Ou
obligation as guardian was not light,