The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-09-18
LAYS DOWN THE LAW
Mckinley's Instructions to Phil
ippine Commission Given Out.
MACARTHUR TO STAY
SAYS TO TREAT SOME FILIPINoS
LIKE INDIANS.

tions of President Mckinley TO the
Philippine commission were made pub
lie here today.
They bear date of April II. 1900. and
are addressed to the secretary of war
AT the outset the president says;
cit is probable that the transfer Of
authority from military commanders TO
civil officers will be gradual and Will
occupy a considerable period. Its sue
cessful accomplishment and the main
tenance of peace and order in the
meantime viii require the most perfect
cooperation between the civil and mil
itary authorities in the islands. and
both should be directed during the
transient period by the same execu-
tive The commission will therefore
report to the secretary of war and all
their actions will be subject to his ap-
prevail and control
The president instructs that on Sept.
1, 1900, that part of the power of gov
eminent Of the Philippines which is Of
an executive nature shall pass from the
military governor to the commission.
OF the duties of the latter he says that
without hampering them by too Speci-
fic instructions, they should be en-
Joined, first to establish municipal gov
ernments, giving TO the natives the Op-
portunity to manage their own affairs
to the fullest extent, which they are
capable and subject t. the least degree
of supervision and control consistent
with the maintenance Of order. and,
second, to extend the government by
the natives. to the large adminiJtra-
tives corresponding to counties or
provinces.
Continuing, the president says that
the commission should have in view
the happiness, peace and prosperity of
the people of the islands, and that the
measures should conform to their Gus
toms, habits and even prejudiceS to the
fullest extent consistent with a just
and effective government. He adds:
AT the same time the commission
should bear in mind and the people of
the islands should be made plainly to
understand that there are certain prin-
cipleS of government which have been
made the basis of our governmental
system which we deem essential to the
rule of law and the maintenance Of
individual freedom, and of which they
have unfortunately been denied the ex-
perience possessed by US; that there
are also certain practical rules of gov
eminent which we have found to be es-
sential to the preservation Of these
great principles of liberty and law, and
that these principles and rules of gov
eminent must be established and
maintained in their islands for the sake
ever much they may conflict with the
customs or laws of procedure with
which they are familiar"
Inviolable Rules Laid Down.
Upon every division and branch of
the government the president imposes
as inviolable these rules:
That no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty or property without due
process of law; that private property
han hea "a raT 70
out just compensation; that on all
criminal prosecutions the accused shall
enjoy the right to a public trial, to be
informed of the nature and cause of
the accusation, TO be confronted with
the witnesses against him, to have
compulsory process for obtaining wit
nesses in his favor. and to have the as
SiStance of counsel for his defense,
that excessive bail shall not be re
Quired, nor excessive fines imposed, nor
cruel and unusual punishment inhict-
ed; that no person shall be put twice
in jeopardy for the same Offense or be
compelled in any criminal case to be a
witness against himself; that the right
to be secure against unreasonable
searches and seizures shall not be ViO-
lated; that neither slavery nor invOlUn-
tary servitude shall exist except as a
punishment for crime; that no bill OF
attainder or expOst facto law shall be
passed; that no law shall be passed
the freedom OF speech or Oh
the press, or the rights of the people
to peaceably assemble and petition the
government for a redress of grievances;
that no law shall be made respecting
an establishment of religion, or pro-
hibiting the free exercise thereof, and
that the free exercise and enjoyment
of religious profession and worship
without discrimination or preference
shall forever be allowed"
Whenever the commission is of the
opinion that the condition of affairs in
the Philippines is such that the central
administration may be transferred
from military to civil control, they will
report that conclusion TO you, with fur
Their recommendations as to the form
of central government to be estab-
nshed for the purpose of taking over
the control"
Macarthur Remains Head
Until the complete transfer of con-
troll, the president directs the military
governor will remain the chief execu-
tive head of the government, eXercis-
ing all authority previously possessed
by him and not expressly assigned to
the commission, and subject to the Ie-
gislation enacted by the commission
and approved by the secretary of war.
Municipal and departmental govern
ments will continue to report to the
military governor.
After directing that municipal Of
ficers to administer the local affairs of
the people shall be selected by the peo-
pie, and that where officers of more
extended jurisdictions are to be ap-
pointed natives are to be preferred if
men competent and willing can be
found, the president says:
1T viii be necessary to fill some Of
fees for the present with Americans.
which after a time may be we'll filed
by natives of the islands. As soon as
practicable a cSystem of ascertaining
the merit and fitness of candidates for
civil offices should be put in force In
diSpensible qualification for all offices
and positions of trust and authority in
the islands must be absolute and I'M
conditional loyalty TO the United
States and 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 of
the islands"
Dealing With Uncivilized Tribes.
Referring to the unciviIized tribes.
the president says:
In dealing with the uncivfIized
tribes of the islands the commission
should adopt the same course followed
by congress in permitting the tribes of
our North American Indians TO main
tain their tribal organization and gov
eminent and under which MANY of
those tribes are now living in peace and
contentnlent, surrounded by a civiIiza-
10, - IL l.