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

a
legislative nature is to be transferred from
the military governor of the islands 20
this commission, to be thereafter exer-
cised by them in the place and stead of
the military governor, under such rules
and regulations as you shall prescribe, I'M
til the establishment of the civil central
government for the islands cont emplated
In the last foregoing paragraph, or until
congress shall otherwise provide Exer-
clude the making of rules and orders.
having the effect Of law, for the raising of
revenue by taxes, customs duties and i'm
posts; the appropriation and expenditure
Of public funds of the islands: the estab-
lshment of an educational system through
out the islands; the establishment Of a
the organization and establishment Of
courts; the organiza ton and establishment
OF municipal and departmental govern
ments, ana All other matters of a civil
nature for which the military governor is
now competent to provide 10y rules or or
ders of legislative character
Macarthur the CHEZ Executive.
The commission will also have power
during the same period to apnofpt to
| office such officers under the judicial
| educational and civil service systems and
! ernments as shall be provided for Tn
| I'll the complete transfer of control the
military governor will remain the chief
| executive head of the government in the
| Islands, and will exercise the executive
| authority now possessed by him and not
| herein expressly assigned to the commits
sion, subject, however. to the rules and
orders enacted by the commission in the
! exercise Of the legislative powers con-
| ferreq upon them. In the meantime the
municipal and departmental governments
| will continue to report to the military
| governor and be subject to his admins
| trative supervision and control under
| your direction, but that supervision and
| control will be confined within the mar
! rowest limits consistent with the REQUIRE
| ments that the powers of government in
the, municipalities and departments shall
be honestly and effectively exercised ard
~
| dom shall be maintained.
:. All legislative rules and orders, estah-
! HShmentS of government and e1Dolnt-
| ments 10 office by the commission viii
| take effect Immediately, or at such timea
as they shall designate, subject to your
approval and action upon the coming in
OF the commissions reports, which are
to be made from time to time as their
action Is taken. Wherever civil govern
| mentS are constituted under the direction
OF the commission such military posts,
garriSons and forces will be continued
for the suppression of instruction and
/ brlgandage and the maintenance OF law
and orCer as the military commander
| shall demand requisite, and the military
forces shall be at all times subject, un--
| authorities for the maintenance Of law
and order and the endorsement Of their
authority.
Basis of CommIssfon'S work.
In the establishment of municipal gov
| ernments the commission will take as the
basis of their work the governments eS-
! IdDISlGu Dy the mliILary governor uiIuSI
his order of August s. 1859, and under the
! report of the board constituted by the
| military governor by his order Of January
%, 1850, to formulate and report a plan OF
| municipal government, of which his hon
! or, Ca3 etano ArellanO, president of the
audienca, was chairman, and they VIII
! give to the conclusions OF That board the
weight and consideration which the high
! character and distinguished abilities or
It's members justify.
! provincial governments they will give
especial attention to the existing gov
| eminent of the island of Negroes, consti-
tuted, with the approval of the people of
that island, under the order of the mil
| itary governor of July z. 1899, and after
verifying, so far as may be practicable!
| the reports of the successful working of
| that government they will be guided by
the experience thus acquired SO far as 1t
may be applicable to the condition exist
| ing in other portions OF the PhlApplnes.
! They will avail themselves, to the fullest
degree practicable, of the conclusions
| the Philippines.
To Favor Home Rule.
In the distribution of powers among the
| governments organized. by the commission,
| the presumption is always to be in favor
| of 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 a more general character which
can be exercised by the departmental gov
crlInlnt shall be vested in that govern
rccnt, ard so that in the governmental!
| system, which is the result Of the process.
| the central government OF the ISLANDS, foi-
| lowing the example of the distribution u
the powers between the states and the
| l..,tlCI4aI government of the United Sta tes,
s.4'i have 10 direct ADMINISTRATION Co.
| Of matters of purely general concern, and
shall have only such supervision and con-
troll over local governments as may De
| necessary to secure and enforce faithful
anG efficient &C miuistration by lCI"I Co.,
The many different degrees of civiliza tor
ssi~ts
| C---~,; the people Of the different islands
| preclude very definite instruction as to
the selection OF their own officers; but
these general rules are to he observed:
That in al cases the municipal officers.
who administer the local affairs of the
people, are TO be selected by the people.
anG that wherever officers of more eX-
tended jurisdiction are to be selected in
| any way, natives of the islands are to be
preferred, and, if they can be found COM
petent and willing to perform the duties.
they arc to receive the offices in preference
American Officials mt Present.
1t will be necessary to fill some offices
| for the present with Americans which,
after a time, may well be filled by ma
tives of the islands. As soon prac-
ticable a system for ascertaining the
merit a,el fitness of candidates tor civil
office should be put in force. An indis-
| pensable qualification for all offices and
| positions of trust and authority in the
islands must be absolute and Incondi-
|
absolute and unhampered authority and
| power to remove and punish any officer
deviating from that standard must at all
times be retained in the hands of the
central authority CT the islands
In all the forms of government and ad-
ministra tive provisions which they are au-
| thOTized to prescribe the commission
should bear in mind that the government
which they are establishing is designed
not for our satisfaction, for the ex-
preston of our theoretical views. but for
| the happiness, peace and prosperity CT
the people of the Philippine islands. and
the measures adopted should be made to
| conform to their customs, their habits
! and even their prejudices. to the fullest
extent consistent with the accomplish
ment of the Indispensable requisites of
! just and effective government.
At the same time the commission should
bear In mind, and the people of the is
lands should be made plainly to under
stand that there are certain great prin-
ciples of government which have been
made the basis of our governmental sys-
tenn which we deem essential to the rule
of law and the maintenance of individual
freedom, and of which they have, un-
, fortunately, beer denied the experience
possessed by US; that there are also Ger
! tain practical rules of government which
, we have found to be essential to the
preservation of these great principles of
Piles and these rules of government must
, be established and maintained in their
! islands for the sake Of their liberty and
. happiness, however much they NAV con-
fict with the customs or laws of proceed
! ure with which they are familiar
Principles Are Appreciated
! It is evident that the most enlightened
thought OF the Philippine islands fully ap-
preclates the Importance of these princi-
pies and rules, and they will inevitably
| within short time command universal
: of the government of the Philippines
therefore, must be imposed three inviol-
able rules:
That no person shall be deprived of life
liberty, or property without due process OF