The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-04

or upon any citizen OF the islands; that,
upon the other hand, no fnNister vi
ligion shall be interfered with or moleSt-
ed in following his calling, and tnat tnS
Separation between state and chuxch shai
be real. entire and absolute.
Educational system.
at viii be the duty of the commission %
promote and extend. and, as they anu
cation already inaugurated BY the fnlntals
authorities. In doing this they should re-
gard as Of flrss imp1r r,snsrv 'n eauestton
which shall be free to all. ana when shals
tend to fit the people for the duties OF
citizenship and for the ordinary avoca-
lions Of a civilized community. This in
struction should be given IN the iirst IN
stance in every part of the Islands ~ tne
language of the people. In view OF the
great number of languages spoken by the
different tribes, Il is especially lmpoIt
ant to the prosperity OF the island that
a common medium of communication may
be Established. and II Is obviously de-
sirable that this medium should pc tne
English language. Especial attention
opportunity to all the people of the islands
to acquire the use of the English IAN
guage.
which should be made in the system of
taxation and in the body of the laws
under which the people are governed; eN-
cept such changes as have alre s, yth osSa
be relegated to the civil government,
which is to be established under the aus
pices of the commission. II VIII, howev we've
be the duty of the commission TO inquire
diligently as to whether there are any
further changes which ought not to be
delayed. and If SO, they are authorized
to make such changes, subject to your
approval On doing so, they are TO bear
in mind that taxes which tend to pen
alize or repress industry and enterprise
are to be avoided: that provisions for tax
alton should be simple. so that they
may be understood by the people; that
they should affect the fewest practicable
subjects of taxation which will serve
for the general distribution of the burdens
1.-THE main body of the laws which regu-
late the rights and obligations of the
people should be maintained with as little
interference as possible. Changes made
should be mainly in procedure. and in the
criminal laws to secure speedy ana I'M
partial trials. and at the same time ef-
fective administration and respect for IN
dividual rights.
I'm dealing with the uncivilzed tribes
of the island the commission should adopt
the same course followed by congress
in permitting the tribes Of our North
American Indians to maintain their tri-
bal organization and government and
under which many of those tribes are
now living in peace and contentment, sur
rounded by a civilization to which they
are unable or unwilling to conform. such
tribal governments should, however. be
subjected to wise and firm regulation and,
without undue or petty interference, con-
slant and active, effort should be exer,
cisco TO prevent DdTD1rOus pfuCtltts anu
introduce civilized customs.
Personal Rights.
'rrron all ufficers and employees of the
United States. both civil and military,
should be impressed a sense of the
duty to observe not merely the material,
but the personal and social rights or the
people of the islands. and to treat them
with the same courtesy and respect for
their personal dignity which the people
of the United States are accustomed to
aach n Their
'T'he nrticles OF capitulation of the city
OF Manila on the 18th OF August, 1898, con-
cluded with these words.
:" This city. its Inhabitants. It's churches
and religious worship, its educational es-
Establishments and It's private property or
all descriptions, are PLACED under the
special safeguard of the faith and honor
OF the American army
II believe that this pledge has been faith
fully kent. high and sacred obi
cation rests upon the government of the
United states to rive protection for prop
erty and life, civil and religious freedom.
s.Ad We firm and unSelfsh guidance in
the paths of peace and prosperity TO all
the people or the Philippine islands, |
charge this commission to labor for the
full performance OF this obligation, which
concerns the honor and conscience of this
country. in the Arm heHe that through
their labors all the Inhabitants of the
Philippine islands may come to look back
with gratitude to the day when God gave
victory to American arms at Manila and
set their lands under the sovereignty and
protection of the people of the United
States"
Considerably with the entrance of the
commission upon its labor / caused to be
issued by Gen. Macarthur, the military
governor of the Philippines, on June u.
1900 proclamation Of amnesty in gen.
erous terms. of which many of the in
surgents took advantage. among them a
number OF important leaders.
This commission. composed OF eminent
citizens representing the diverse geo
graphical and political interests Of the
country. and bringing 70 their task the
vice In educational, administrative and
judicial careers, made great progress
from the outset As early as August p,
1900. II submitted preliminary report,
which will be laird before the congress
and from which ii appears that already
the good effects OF returning order are
felt: that business interrupted by hostii-
tiles Is improving as peace extends. that
n larger area Is under sugar cultivation
than ever before that the customs resen-
are greater than at any tip1e dur
ing the Spanish rule: that econAny ana
efficiency In the military administration
have created surplus fund OF ssoo,e0p
available for needed public improve
ments; that stringent civil service law
Is In prcparationi that railroad COM
mnnieations are expanding, opening np
rich districts, and that comprehensive
scheme OF education is being organized.
Encouraging Progress.
Latter reports from the commission
show yet more encouraging advances to-
wards insuring the benefits OF liberty eEd
good government to the F'lipines. in the
interest OF humanity and with the aim
OF building up an enduring self-supp0rt-
ing and self-sustaining community IN
these far Eastern seas.
! would impress upon the congress that
whatever legislation may be ENACTED IN
respect to the Philippine islands should
be along these generous lines. The for
tune OF has thrown upon this
nation an uusought trust which should
he unselhshiy discharged. and devolved
upon this government a moral as well
as material responsibility t1AarA these
millions whom we have freed from an
Oppressive yoke
I have upon another occasion called the
F1lipin8s the wards % the nation" Our
obligation as guardian was not lightly
assumed. n must not be otherwise than
honestly fulfilled: aiming FIRST Of an TO
bench; those who have come under our
fostering care. II IL our duty 40 10 treat
them that our flag may be no less beloved
In the mountains OF Luzon and the geT-
tile zones Of Mindanao and Negroes than
q Is at home, that there ae-Aere, Il
shall progress In every avenue Of de-
velonment