The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-04


and fitness q Candidates for tiyi oscss saanli b
put Ia foroe. An iudisPsusabss ssaiisoation for al
ofacsz sna posltions of trust sns ssthozsy 81 TIE
islsada muzt e absolute and unconditional icYal1
% The Unitea etsies, sna sbsoiats sad unsam-
rersd sutbofity sad poEer 10 rneys and punish
sny S@oer dsyiating from that standard muat Al
al unes b retained In The Asada 81 ths central
suihsnty % the lsands.
ia al ths fernz of Fovsfuraent and stminissrs-
tive provisions watch they are authorized 70 prs-
fcribs the commission should bear in mind that
the government which they are sstshlishinE u es-
sign.d not Tor car Eatisfsctioa for tbs enpfst-
tion o. oar theoretical ytsS2. but Ter TIE happi-
nea. peace and prosperity Of the people q the
phAppiss Islands, and TIE H.sssHfss a4ogssd ahoaa
B. made to ooaform TO their customs, tasir habits.
and their Drelutlosz TO the fullest extent con
as,snt vith tie accomplishment o. the indisBen-
cable requisites q lsst and Elective EoyeFnment
At ths sane tine ths commission should bear
in mlnd ana TIE people of The lslsats saoule b
ras9s psinly % uaasrslsnS that there are certain
Frest principles q government Whieh have besn
made the tssis q car governmental System which
vc tesn essential 10 the rule ci Law and the
faalaienaaes q lnliNtgal freedom. AID Of which
they have. unfortunately. been dsaied ths sxpsF.-
once Possessed by o.; that there are also certain
practical rules Of government Valch Ns have fpaa4
10 bs essential to the Drsserya;oa o; these great
eiplss ana these rules 0i government must b es-
tab.!shsd sad maintained IA their Islands for the
ssks q their liberty and happiness. however much
they nay conalct With the customs or laas of
procedure With which they are familiar
II IL evident that the most enlightened thouGht
os tie pallippiae IElands fully appreciates tae im-
Yortanoe of these principles and rules. and they
viii inevitably. within q short time command uni
versal assent Upon every division and branch Of
The g0ycFnmeLt q ths Philpplnea therefore. must
D. Imposed these inviolsbe rules:
That no person shall BE- deprived of life. lher-
ty or property without due process d Law: that
private property shall not be taken for public uss
without Just compensation; that in all criminal
prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right 70
speedy and public trial. 20 be Informed Of the na-
ture and cause o. the accusation 70 ts confronted
with the witnesses against him. 10 have e0iApGl-
s5ry process for obtaining witnesses ia his favor.
and 10 have the assistance OF counsel for his de-
fense; that excessive bail shall not be required.
nor excessive anes imposed. nor cruel and unusual
punishment iGnicted that person shall be put
twice In jeopardy for the same onense. or be com
PEELED IN any criminal 70 be a witness against
himself that the right to be against uare-s-
enable searches aud seizures shall be violated; ;
that neither slavery involuntary seryituie ahal
exist except As a punishment for crime. that no
bill Of attSindsr or ex-post-facto law shall be
passed: that no Law shall be passed abridgng the
freedom Of speech Of the press the rights Of
the people TO peaoeably assemble and petition the
government for = redress Of grievances; that no
Law shall be made respecting establishment OF
religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof and
that the free exercise and enjoyment Of religious
profession and worship without discrimination or
preference shall forever BE- allowed
II VIII be the duty Of the commission 10 make
thorough investigation into the titles TO the large
tracts u land held claimed BY individuals or
b. religions orders: into the justice Of the claims
and complaints made against such landholders by
the people Of the island any part Of the people
and 10 seek BY wise and pescssble measures = Just
settlement Of the controversies and reiress Of
Wr0ngs which have caused strife and bloodsaed In
the past. In the performance of this duty the
commission Is enjoined 10 see that no Injustice is
done; 70 have regard for substantial rights ana
equity, disregarding techniesl;iss SO far as sub
stautal right permits and to observe the following
rules:
That the provision Of the treaty Of Paris pIe4g-
Ing the United States TO the protection Of all rights
OF property in the islands and as well the princ-
pie Of our own government which prohibits the
taking Of private property without due process Of
Law, shall not be violated that the welfare Of the
people Of the Islands. which should be a paramount
consideration, shall be attained consistently with
this rule Of property right that If 1t becomes nee
essary for the public interest Of the people of the
Islands to dispose Of claims TO property which the
commission finds TO be not lawfully acquired and
held, disposition shall be made thereof by due legal
procedure In which there shall be full opportunity
for fair and impartial hearing and judgment; that
II the same public interests require the extinguish-
ment Of property rights lawfully acquired and held
due compensation shall be made out of the public
treasury therefor; that no form OF religion and no
minister Of religion shall be forced upon any COM
munity upon any citizen OF the islands; that
upon the other hand no minister Of religion shall
be irterfered with molested in following his
calling and that the separation between state and
church shall be real. entire, and absolute.
II Will be the duty Of the commission 20 pro-
mote and extend and, they find OCCASION 70
improve the system Of education already inaugu-
rated by the military authorities In doing this
they should regard OF first Importance the
tension Of system Of primary education which
shall ba free 70 ALL and which shall tend to fit the
people for the duties Of citizenship and for the
ordinary avocstions Of a civilized community This
instruction should be given in the first instance in
every part Of the islands in the language Of the
people. In view OF the great number Of Ian
guages spoken by the different tribes. II is espe-
Cially important to the prosperity Of the islands
that a common medium Of communication may be
established and IL is obviously desirable that this
medium should be the English language. Especial
attention should be at given to arording full
opportunity to all the people OF the Islands to ac-
qure the use Of the English language.
1T may be well that the main changes which
should b made in the system ot taxation and In
the body Of the laws under which the people are
governed, except such cases as have already been
made by the military government should be rce-
gated 10 the civil government which is 10 be es-
tabiished under the auspices OF the commission.
il WILL however. be the duty Of the commission
10 inquire diligently TO whether there are any
further changes which ought not 10 be delayed,
and II so. they authorized 10 make such
changes subject 20 your approval. In doing so
they are 10 bear in mind that taxes which tend
10 penalIze repress industry and enterprise are
10 be avsided that provision for taxation should
be simple 80 that they may be understood By the
people that they should AFFECT the feWest pfac-
tieable subjects Of taxation which will serve fcr
the general distribution OF the burden.
The main body of the laws which regulate the
rights and obligations Of the people should be
maintained with little interference as posstble
Changes made should be mainly Ia procedure ana
in the criminal laws 10 secure speedy and i,near-
tial trials, and al the same time effective admin
istration and respect for individual rights
In dealing with the uneiyilized tribes Of the
islands the commission should adopt the same
course followed by Congress In permitting the
tribes Of our North American Indians TO maintain
their tribal organization and government ana un-
der which many Of those tribes are now living in
peace and contentment surrounded by a eivilizs-
lion 10 which they are unable or unwilling To con-
form. such tribal governments should however
10 subjected TO wise and hrm regulation. and with
out undue or petty interference. constant ana ac-
tive effort should be exercised 10 prevent barbsrogs
practices and Introduce civilized customs
Upon all ofheers and employees Of the unitea
States both civil and military should be impresss4
sense Of the duty 10 observe not merely The ma
tefial but the personal and social rights OF ise
people Of the islands, and 10 treat them with the
same courtesy ana respect for thelr personal dgait,
which the people Of TIE United States are aceus-
toned to reQuirc from each other
The articles Of capitulstion OF the city OF Ma
Mia on the 18th Of August, 1885, concluded with
these words
" This city ita Inhabitants, It's churches ana
religious worship, It's educational establishments.
and Us private property of all description. are
placed under the special safeguard Of the faith and
AenoE OF the American army