The evening times., 1900-02-03
CIVIL LAWS TO PREVAIL
The President to Abolish Military
Law in the Philippines.
Determination by Mr. Mckinley
Not to Watt for Congress TO Act.
To Appoint Commissioners TO E.-
tabiiSh Territorial Government.
Men Being Considered FOR the o:tice

| The military government now in vogue
in the Philippines will be replaced by a
! purely civil administration in very short
| time according to a War Department Off
/ cial who is well acquainted with the stua-
tiOn. The President it is said. will rot
wait for Congress to take final action on
the Philippine Commissioners report. but
as soon as possible will select commission
ers to go to Manila to put the civil gov
| ernmeIt in operation.
General Otis, it is believed will be ia
structed to spread broadcast the proclaim
.ion offering amnesty to all the FilI mos
who will lay down their arms. The proc
lamation is being prepared by the 'resl-
dent and may be issued in few dsy *
will announce that all persons who laG at
in bearing arms against this Gov a9ul.
win be considered bandits and WI b.
treated accordingly. The pro- 'aH-' -r
the President and Secretary Of Na
lieve, win have the effect of
the small bands of roaming natives ".u
are now plundering the inb 1.fs q
will encourage the peaceably Et.
lives to return to their hon -l-
work in the fields.
Genera! Otis will also
have his troops afford ey 10
he natives who desire to re-, .h
and a vigorous campaign will be .-.ll-I
on against the marauders who are pill
Laying the homes of natives. Garrsons
will be established in all the small towns
of the islands and the troops will assist
the natives in carrying on the civil gov
ernment to be inaugurated.
A number of the natives Will also De
used as police to maintain order in the
towns and to assist in ferreting out those
who are secretly bearing arms against
the Government while apparently friendly
to the troops The President, il is said,
believes that no time should be lost in es-
tablishng civil government. and it is to be
established subject to any changes Con
gress may see fit TO make.
1t has been decided therefore, TO send
out three, or at most five, Commissioners
to establish professionally the form of ter
ritorial government recommended in the
report of the Philippine Commission sent
to Congress today. According TO present
intentions the head of the new Commits
sion is eventually to become the Governor
of the Territory OF the Philippines. its
secretary VIII become iit secretary ol the
Territory and a third member is TO be Sc
lected with a view TO his qualifications for
becoming the Presiding Justice of the
Territorial Supreme Court when il is es-
tablished.
Among the men Who have been already
canyassed for membership of this Com
mission are Governor Roosevelt. President
Schurman Robert 7. Porter Colonel Den
by. Gen. Frederick d. Grant, and former
Minister Barrett. II has been found that
Governor Roosevelt and President Schur-
man cannot be induced TO accept. and va
rious objections have been raised to the
others as possible Governors of the Terri
tory General Grant is said to be most
favorably regarded just now, but it is de-
sired to avoid choosing a military man.
The leading candidate for the Secretary
ship of the Territory is said 10 be John r.
Macarthur, Secretary of the present Com
mission.
The President has given his hearty ap
proyal to the recommendations of the Phil
ippine Commission, especially as to the
advisability of Immediately supplanting
martial law in those portions of Luzon
and the other islands which have been ef-
fectually pacified, and in which the inhab-
itantS are not only capable of some meas
ure of self-goyernment. but are bitterly
opposed to all forms of militarism.