The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-12-04

lhe SalutaPy fules to WHICH HHNe fe
 ferred
 "Ihe whole question is so importan
 and far-reaching that 1 am sure no par
 of it will be lightly considered, but ever,
 phase of it will have the studied delibera
 ton of the Congress, resulting in wis'
 and judicious action."
 Restraint upon such combinations at
 are injurious, and which are within Fed
 eral jurisdiction, should be promptly ap
 piled by the Congress.
 In my last Annual Message I dwelt a
 some length upon the condition of af
 Fairs in the Philippines. While seeking
 to impress upon you that the grave re
 sponsibility of the future government ol
 those islands rests with the Congress o1
 the United States, l abstained from
 recommending at that time specific
 and final form of government for tho
 territory actually held by the United
 States forces and in which as long as
 nsurreotion continues the military arm
 must necessarily be supreme. l stated
 my purpose. until the Congress shall
 have made known the formal expression
 of it's will, to use the authority vested in
 me by the Constitution and the statutes to uphold the sovereignty of the United
 States in those distant islands as in
 all other places where our flag rightfully
 floats, placing, to that end, at the dis
 posal of the Army and Navy all the
 means which the liherality of tine Con
 gress and the people have provided. No
 contrary expression of the will of the
 Congress having been made, I have
 steadfastIy pursued the purpose so de- ,sla ,i.rn nl toward the accomplishment of pacifca- tion and the institution of local govern ments within the lines of authority and law.
 Progress in the hoped-for direction
 has been fayora bie. Our forces have successfully controlled the greater part
 of the islands, overcoming the organized forces of the insurgents and carrying or
 der and administrative regularity to all | quarters. What opposition remains is | for the most part scattered, obeying no l concerted plan of strategic action, operat- | ing only by the methods common to the tra- | ditions of guerrilla warfare, which, while | ineffective to alter the general control | now established, arc still sufficient to be- | get insecurity among the populations that have felt the good results of our control and thus delay the conferment upon them of the fuller measures of local self-gov ernment, of education, and of industrial and agricultural development which we stand ready to give them.
 By the spring of this year the effective opposition of the dissatisfied Tagals to the authority of the United States was virtually ended, thus opening the door for of n ef o1, in tct,. ,.ot over much of territory of the Archi- pelago. Desiring to bring this about, 1 appointed in March last q civil Commis- sion composed of the Hon. William H. Taft, of Ohio Prof Dean c. Worcester, of Michigan; the Hon. Luke I. Wright, of Tennessee; the Hon. Henry c. Ide, of Vermont, and Prof. Bernard Moses, of California. The aims of their mission and the scope of their authority are clear ly set forth in my instructions of April z, 1900, addressed to the Secretary of War to be transmitted to them:
 Tn the Message transmitted to the Congress on the 9th of December, 1899, l said, speaking of the Philippine ls- lands; As long as the insurrection con tinues the military arm must necessarily be supreme But there is no reason why steps should not be taken from time to time to inaugurate governments essential ly popular in their form as fast as terri tory is held and controlled by o,r troops. To this end I am considering the advis- ability of the return of the Commission, or such of the members thereof as can be secured, to aid the existing authorities and facilitate this work throughout the islands,
 ''ro give effect to the intention thus ex- pressed I have appointed Hon. William H. Taft of Ohio; Prof. Dean c. Worces- ter, of Michigan; Hon. Luke I. Wright, l of Tennessee; Hon. Henry c. Ida of Vermont, and Prof, Bernard Moses, of California, Commissioners to the Philip | pine Islands to continue and perfect the work of organizing and establishing civil | government already commenced by the military authorities, subject in all re spects to any laws which Congress may hereafter enact.
 The Commissioners named will meet and act as a board, and the Hon, Wil liam II. Taft is designated as president of the board. If is probable that the transfer of authority from military com manders to civil officers will be gradual and will occupy considerable period Its successful accomplishment and th maintenance of peace and order In tho will require the most perfect between the civil and militia ry authorities in the island, and bot should be directed during the transition period by the same Executive Depart ment. The Commission will therefore report to the Secretary of War, and al their action will be subject to your ap proyal and control.
 You will instruct the Commission to proceed to the city of Manila, where they will make their principal office. and to with the Military Governor of the Philippine Islands, whom you will nt the same time direct to render to them every assistance within his power in the performance of their duties. Without them by too specific instruc ions, they should in general be enjoined, after making themselves familiar with he conditions and needs of the country, .o devote their attention in the first in stance to the establishment of municipal governments, in which the natives of the stands, both in the cities and in the rural shall be afforded the oppor- unity to manage their own local affairs 0 the fullest extent of which they are apable and subject to the least degree of supervision and control which careful judy of their capacities and observation if the workings of native control show