The Springfield herald., 1900-02-16

Ie VI JudkS Iulk M
the first selection for the new Philip
pine Commission. There will be five
members on the commission. Mr..
Schurman, president of the existing
commission, has declined, for business
reasons, to remain on the commission
SO Judge Taft Will be president In his
place. Mr.. DENLY and Professor Wor
cester have been invited to accept np
pointments. but SO far have not signi-
fed their intentions. Admiral Dewey
will not go back to Manila, and Gen
eral Otis will give way, like him, to Il
civilian. Secretary Root said Tuesday
that no instructions had been framed
for the new commission rs yet, but il
would be easy to perceive from the sen
timents set out In the Presidents me.
snge on the subject what these in
structions would be.
1t Is proposed to appropriate $1,000
for a Topographic and geological sur
vey Of the island of Puerto Rico, 500
600 for the Hawaiian Islands, $36.oon
for Cuba and $4,000 for the Philip
pines, the expenditure for Cuba to b,
made from the revenue Of that coun
try. The maps of all these islands arr
incomplete and inaccurate. They ind
cate roads and streams that do not eX
ist, and omit some that are of import
ance 1t will be of great value to FIJI
ture immigrants to have maps show
ing the geological formation of thu
country, the location of the differcn
soils and rocks, the size of the different
streams. the height of the hills aud
mountains and other information of
this character Although the Spanisl
have occupied Cuba and Puerto Ric,
for 400 years. portions of these islands
have never yet been explored. and theii
mineral resources have not been meas
ured. There is no accurate infornn
ton concerning their water supply
their building material their timber re
sources, and their tables Of distance np
pear to have been compiled by guess
work. The knowledge of the Philip
pines Is even more meager and innccur
ate There Is not even Il good tOpo-
graphical map of Luzon, the most
thickly settled island In the archipeln
go, and its resources are practically
unknown. 1t is proposed to have th,
Typographical and geological surveys
made under the direction of expert
enced men who have conducted tho
geological surveys of our own country
To those who have been urging tlt
ratification Of the treaty Of The Hague
which commits the United States and
other nations to arbitration as meth
cd Of settling disputes. in order that on
government may properly Intervene in
South Africa, will now learn to their
surprise that It contains clause under
which the United States pledges itself
not to interfere In International affairs
outside Of the American continent. III
fact, President Mckinley Is prohibited
from rendering his good offices either
to the Beers or to Great Britain by the
terms Of The Hague treaty. now that
1t is ratified by the Senate. The stipu-
lation to which l refer reads as fol
lows: Nothing contained In this con-
vention shall be so construed as to re
uuire the United States Of America to
depart from Its traditional policy of not
intruding upon, interfering with or en-
tangling itself In the political questions
of policy or Internal administration of
any foreign state; nor shnll anything
contained in the said convention be
construed to imply REIMBURSEMENT by
the United States of America of its ira
dItional attitude toward purely Amcri
can questions This paragraph was
Inserted in the treaty after careful de
liberation upon the demand of our dele
gates, expressly for the purpose of com
pelling the nations of Europe to recog-
nize the Monroe doctrine us n principle
of international polity and Information
al law. Those who rend the above quo
tation carefully will notice how COM
pletely this purpose was accomplished.
for when Great Britain. Germany.
France and the other nations who are
parties to the peace conference nt The
Hague, have signed the conventions
adopted there they admit and approve
the right Of the United States to main
tain Its traditional attitude toward
purely American questions.
Representative w. S. Knox Of Mass
achusetts, chairman of the House COM
mittee on territories. has completed his
report on the bill for the creation of the
territorial form of government In Hn
wall The report Is voluminous doe
ument, going exhaustively into all the
questions involved, and thoroughly COW
ering every phase Of the bill which the
committee has agreed upon, after many
hearings and much investigation. The
form of government proposed by the
bill for the Hawaiian Islands is terri
torial in form, similar to that of the
later territories of the United States
governor. a secretary, both appointed
by the President, treasurer, attorney
general, commissioner Of public lands.
commissioner Of agriculture and for
estry, superintendent Of public works
superintendent of public instruction.
auditor and deputy auditor, surveyor
and high sheriff appointed by the gov
ernor. A legislature is provided, con
sisting of Senate ond House of Rep
resentatives appointed by the people.
The territory is to be represented by a
delegate in Congress. The territory Is
made judicial district of the United
States with District Court The ju-
dicial power OF the territory Is vested
in Supreme Court and in superior
courts to be established by the Legls-
lature. The constitution and laws of
the United States locally applicable are