The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-12-06
THE PHILLIPPINEs.

r Il & Y
THE PHILIPPINES.
Full Measures Of Local SeIf-G0vcrn-
ment Are Promised.
In my last annual message dwell at
some length upon the condition of affairs
press upon YOU that the Craze l,,sponsibil-,
ity Of the future government Of those
Islands lilssrs l rests with The congress G. the
nending at that time a specific and final
form OF government Tor the territory
actually held by The Unit sd States forces
ena wh tbe II ens a.
sarily be supreme stated my purpose,
until the congress shall nave 4.'atle known
the formal expression of It's Will, to use
stitnt.on and the s.s-t,f.es TO .iphVld the
| sovereignty. Of the United States in those
distant lands ~ n AL t;r piaees where
end, at the disposal Of the army tS..ld ,.avS
all the meais viii iii the liberality Of the
CONGRESS- sn and n the people have PROVIDED ed
| congress having been made. have stead
tasty pursued the purpose SO declared;
employing the civil arm as well toward
I the accomplishment or paclticatiOn and
/ the institution OF local governments with
lin the lines. OF authority and law.
Progress IN the hoped for direction has
been favorable. Our forces have success
fully controlled the greater part Of the
| islands, overcoming the organized forces
Of the insurgents and carrying order and
What opposition remains is for the most
part scattered, obeying no concerted plan
81 strategic action. operating only by the
methods common to the traditions OF
guerrilla warfare, which. while ineffec-
tive to alter the general control now es-
| tablished. are still sufficient to beget in-l
fell the good results 81 81 our control and
| thus delay tho c0nferment upon them OF
! the fuller measures Of local self-goYern,
ment. OF education and of Industrial and
| agricultural development, which we stand
! Stable Administration.
BY The spring q this year the effective
the athority OF the United States was
virtually ended, thus opening the door
! for the extension of a stable admtnistra-
| archipelago Desiring to bring this about,
appointed In March last a civil commits
sion, composed Of Hon. William II. Taft
MeSisa p Hon. LIE aan D. wrigh afeo 81 Ten
! nessee, Hon. Henry C. Ide OF Vermont,
| and Prof. Bernard Moses OF California;
The. aims Of their mission and the hope.
| Of their authority are clearly set forth ~
my instructions Of April z 1900, addressed
70 the secretary OF war. to be transmitted
4 to them. 4.
The articles of capttulation Of the city
| Of Manila, on the 18th OF August, 1SoS,
| concluded with these words:
This city, its inhabitants, It's churches
4 and religious worship; Its educational es..
! Establishments and its private property OF
! all descriptions are paced under the spe-
cial safeguard Of the faith and honor Of
\ the American army
4 believe that this pledge has been faith
fully kept. As high and sacred mn obliga-
| ton rests upon the government of the
United snfs gse Ter
/ ard WISE firm, and unseltisn guidance II
the paths of peace and prosperity to ali
the people of the. Phillippine islands,
full performance of this obligation, which
! concerns the honor and conscience Of their
/ country, In the firm hope that through
4 Its 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
4 set their land under the sovereignty and
! the protection Of the people Of the Unit.
/ ed States.
Coincidentally with the entrance of the
commission n, upon It's abors caused y, to TO-
k governor of the Philippines. on June Il,
| 1000, proclamation Of amnesty In gem
erous terms, Of which many of the insur-
4 gents took advantage. among them a
i number of important leaders.
This commission, composed OF eminent
citizens. representing the, diverse geo
Country and bringing to Its task the
i ripe fruits OF Tong and Intelligent service
i In edncationals administrative and judi
ontse espe AZ eary as Aug ioo sub 10
i mltted n preliminary report, which will be
i laid before the congress- and from which
Il, appears that already the good effects
/ OF returning order are felt; that business,
| interrupted by hostilties, is improving as
! peace extends:. that a larger area. Is nn-
4 der sugar cultivation than ever before;
| that the customs revenues are greater
| than at any time during the Spanish rule:
i that economy and efficiency IN the mili-
! taiy administration have created sur,
f..s.p
| ed public improvements; that n stringent
civil service law Is In prepa aLtlon. that
/ railroad communications are expanding,
opening UP rich districts, and that n COM
prehenslve scheme OF education IS being
organized. Later reports from the COM
| mission
vance
4 toward nsuring the benefits Of liberty
and good government TO the Fllipsnos In
the interest Of humanity and with the aim
4 of building up an enduring, self-support-
ing and administering community In
/ those Far Eastern seas, j would Impress
! upon tho congress that whatever legsia-
ton may be enacted In respect to the
| generous lines. The fortune of war has
thrown upon this nation an unsougbt
! trust. which should be unseltishly dis
charged, and devolved upon this governs
ment moral as well as material respon-
sibility toward these millions whom we
have freed from an oppressive yoke.
+ / have upon another occasion. caiied Inc
/ Filipinos 'the wards OF the nation. Our
obligation as guardian was not lightly. as.
sumed; 1t must not be otherwise than
honestly fulfilled, aiming first Of all to
! benefit those who have come under our
i fostering care, It Is our duty so to treat
them that our flag may be no less be-
loved in the mountains OF L,lzon and the
fertile zones Of Mindanao and Negroes.
| than Il Is at home. that there. as here, It
! shall be the revered symbol Of liberty. en-
iigftenment and progress In every ave.
| nue. OF devlopmnt.
! TIL Fillpinos are a race quick to learn
/ and to profit by knowledge. He would be
rash who. with the teachings Of contem-
i poraneous history In view. would FIX a
| limit to the degree of culture and adj
! vancement yet within the reach of those
/ people il our duty toward them be faith
! fully performed.