The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-09-28
|HOME RULE FOR ISLANDS
President McKinley's Instructions
to the Philippine Commission
Given to the Public.
FILIplAOS TO BE FAIRLY DEALT WITH.
The Natives Must Have Most Liberal
Treatment-Justice and Equity to
Rule - Largest Measure of Self
Government Compatible with Com
ditions Is Accorded.

Washington, Sept. 18.-President Nc
Kinley's letter of instructions to the
present Philippine commission. of
which Judge William H. Taft is chair
man, was made public yesterday. 1t
bears date April T. 1900, and is adj
dressed to the secretary of war. After
asserting that much can be done to
establish civil government even before
the insurrection is entirely crushed,
The president outlines the duties of the
commission as follows:
1.-THE establishment of municipal govern
ments, in which the natives of the islands,
both in the cities and in the rural COM
munities, shall be afforded the opportunity
to manage their own local affairs to the
fullest extent of which they are capable,
and subject to the least degree of super
vision and control which a careful study of
their capacities and observation of the
workings of native control show to be con-
sistent with the maintenance of law. order
and loyalty
Whenever the commission is of the opin-
ion that the condition of affairs in the is
lands is such that the central administra-
ton may safely be transferred from mill
tary to civil control. they will report that
conclusion to you, with their recommended
lions as TO the 10TH Oh centIdl government
to be established for the purpose of taking
over the control
Principles OF Government.
"In tho distribution of powers among the
governments organized by the commission
the presumption is always to be in favor of
the smaller subdivision, so that all the
powers which can properly be exercised by
the municipal government snail be vested
in that government and all the powers of
a more general character which can be
exercised by the departmental government
shall be vested in that government and so
that in the governmental system, which is
the result of the process, the central gov
eminent of the islands, following the ex-
ample Of the distribution of the powers be-
tween the states and the national govern
ment of the United States, shall have no di-
rect administration except of matters of
purely general concern and shall have only
such supervision and control over local
governments as may be necessary to Sc
cure and enforce faithful and efficient adj
ministration by local officers.
Officers Must BE Loyal.
.'It will be necessary to fill some offices
for the present with Americans which aft
er a time will be filled by natives of the is
land. As soon as practicable system for
ascertaining the merit and fitness of candi-
dates for civil Office should be put in force.
An indispensable qualification for all offices
and positions of trust and authority in the
islands must be absolute and unconditional
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 re-
tanned in the hands of the central author
ity of the islands.
For the Natives.
'1n all the forms of government and adj
mSnistrative provisions which they are
authorized to prescribe the commission
which they are establishing is designed
not for our satisfaction or for the express
sion of our theoretical views, but for the
happiness, peace and prosperity of the peo-
pie of the Philippine islands, and the meas
ures adopted should be made to conform
to their customs, their habits, and even
their prejudices, to the fullest extent con-
sistent with the accomplishment of the
indispensable requisites of just and effec-
tive government. 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 GER
tain great principles of government which
have been made the basis of our govern
mental 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 experience
possessed by us; that there are also certain
practical rules of government which we
have found to be essential to the preserva-
ton of these great principles of liberty and
law, and that these principles and these
rules of government must be established
and maintained in their islands for the sake
of their liberty and happiness, however
much they may conflict with the customs
or laws of procedure with which they are
familiar"
Justice and Equity.
Explicit instruction are given that
Justice and equity shall be observed. that
= ,icfA Of he of Do ric bo1
be followed, and that the church establish
ments shall be properly treated. A special
paragraph concerns the promotion of edu-
cation, both in native languages and in
English. AS to taxation, the commission
is instructed to make changes very slowly
and only so as to simplify the system and
avoid burdens to trade and industry. The
letter concludes
Pledge Faithfully Kept.
."The articles of capitulation of the City
of Manila on the 18th of August 1885, con-
cluded with these words:
This city, its inhabitants, its churches
and religious worship, it's educational es-
adjustments, and its private property of
all descriptions. are placed under the spe-
cial safeguard of the faith and honor of
the American army
'I believe that this pledge has been faith
fully kept. AS high and sacred an obliga-
ton rests upon the government of the
United States to give protection for prop
erty and life, civil and religious freedom.
and wise, firm and unselfsh guidance in
the paths of peace and prosperity to all
the people of the Philippine islands.
charge this commission to labor for the full
performance of this obligation, which con-
Germs the honor and conscience of their
country, in the firm hope that through their
labors all the inhabitants OF the Philip
pine islands may come to look back with
gratitude to the day when God gave vic
tory to American arms at Manila and set
their land under the sovereignty and the
protection of the people of the United
States"