The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-09-21

D - W. 49, II
and enthusiastic army. No alternative was
left to us except ignominious retreat.
| Had to Remain.
| sit Is not to be conceived Of that any
American would have sanctioned the sur
render of Manila to the insurgents. Our OBJ
| legations to other nations and to the friendly
| Filipinos and to ourselves and our flag de-
manded that force should be met with force.
Whatever the future of the Philippines may
| be, there Is no course open to us now except
the prosecution of the war until the insur-
gents are reduced to submission.
1.-The commission is Of the opinion that
there has been no time since the destruction
of the Spanish squadron by Admiral Dewey
when 1t was possible TO withdraw our forces
| from the islands either with honor to our
selves or with safety to the Inhabitants
After the most thorough study Of the peo-
pies of the archipelago the commission re-
| ported, among other things:
Their lack of education and political ex-
| perience, combined with their racial and
| linguistic diverslties, disqualify them, in
| spite of their mental gifts and domestic Vir-
| tues to undertake the task of governing the
archipelago at the present time. The most
| that can be expected of them is to cooper
| ate with the Americans in the administra-
| tion of general affairs. from Manila as
center, and to undertake, subject to Amer
lean control or guidance las may be found
necessary the administration of provincial
and municipal affairs. 4"
Would Invite Anarchy.
| all fnAn Gn
withdrawn, the commission believes that the
government of the Philippines would speed
lily lapse into anarchy, which would excuse,
if it did not necessitate, the Intervention of
other powers, and the eventual division of
the islands among them. Only through
American occupation, therefore, is the idea
of free, self-governing and united Philip
pine commonwealth at all conceivable.
Thus the welfare of the Filipincs coin
cides with the dictates of national honor in
| forbidding our abandonment of the archi-
pelago. We cannot from any point of view
escape the responsibilities of government
which our sovereignty entails, and the COM
mission is strongly persuaded that the per-
Torrance Of our national duty will prove
the greatest blessing to the people of the
Philippine Islands,
Satisfied that nothing further could be ac
complished in pursuance of their mission
until the rebellion was suppressed, and de-
| string to place before the Congress the re-
| suit of their observations l requested the
commission to return to the United States
Their most Intelligent and comprehensive
report, was submitted to Congress.
l. Duties of the Com mission.
In March, 1900, believing that the insur-
rection was practically ended and earnestly
desiring 70 promote the establishment of a
stable government in the archipelago, l ap-
pointed the following civil commission:
William H. Taft of Ohio, Professor Dean C.
Worcester of Michigan, Luke 1. Wright of
Tennessee, Henry c. Ide of Vermont. and
Bernard Moses of California. My instruc-
tions tc them contained the following:
You (the Secretary of War; will instruct
the commission to devote their at
tention ii the first instance to the establish
ment of municipal governments, in which
! the natives of the islands, both in the cities
and in the rural communities, shall be af-
forded the opportunity to manage their own
local affairs to the fullest extent of which
they are capable and subject to the least de-
gree of supervision and control which care
full study of their capacities and observation
of the workings of native control show TO be
consistent with the maintenance of law, or
der and loyalty.
| Awaits the Report.
''WheneN err the commission is of the opin
ion that the condition of affairs in the ISL
andS is such that the central administration
| may safely be transferred from military to
| civil control they will report that conclu-
sion to you Uhe Secretary of War;, with
| their personal recommendations as, TO the
fern of central government to be estab-
lished for the purpose Of taking over the
! control.
| Beginning with the LIST day of Septem-
| Der, $500, the authority 10 exercise subject
| to my approval through the Secretary of
| War, that part of the power of government
| in the Philippine Islands which is of a leg
islative nature is to be transferred frcm the
| military governor of the islands to this COM
| mission to be thereafter exercised by them
4 in the place and stead of the military gov
| ernor, under such rules and regulations as
| You 1.-THE Secretary of War; shall prescribe
until the establishment of the civil central
government for the Islands contemplated in
the last foregoing paragraph or until Con
| gress shall otherwise provide.
Legislative Authority.
Exercise of this legislative authority will
| inclnde the making OF rules and orders hav-
ing the effect of law for the raising of reve-
/ nue. by taxes, duties ana lmpOStS,
| the appropriation and expenditure of the
| public funds of the islands; the establish
ment of an educational system throughout
the islands; the establishment of a system
I TO secure an efficient civil service; the Or
| ganization and establishment of courts; the
| organization and establishment of municipal
and departmental governments, and all
I other matters of evil nature of which the
military governor is now competent to pro-
vide by rules or orders of a legislative char
acter. The commission will also have
power during the same period to appoint to
Office such officers under the judicial, edu-
/ municipal and departmental governments as
shall be provided"
Rules for the Interim.
I Until Congress shall take action directed
| that
Upon every division, and branch of the
1 government of the Philippines must be i'm
! posed these invlolable rules: That no per-
son shall be deprived of life, liberty or prop
erty without due process of law; that pri-
yate property shall not be taken for public
| use without just compensation; that in all
criminal prosecutions the accused shall en-
joy the right to speedy and public trial, to
J be informed of the nature and cause of the
4 accusation, to be confronted with the wit
nesses against him, to have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses In his favor,
and to have the assistance of counsel for his
defense; that excessive bail shall not be re-
and unusual punishment Indicted; that no
! person shall be put twice in jeopardy for the
4 same offense, or be compelled In any crimi-
nal case to be a witness against himself;
that the right to be secure against unreason-
able SelrehefS and seizures shall not be Vio-