The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-12-08

eerted plan Of strategic action. operating
only by the methods common to the ira
ditions Of guerrilla warfare. which. while
Ineffective to alter the general control
now established. are still sufficient to
beget insecurity among the populations
control. and thus delay the conferment
upon them of the fullest measures Of
local self-goyernment. of education. ana
OF industrial and agricultural develop
them.
BY the spring of this year III effective
the authority Of the United States was
virtually ended. thus opening the door
for the extension of q stable admins
the s" srch dpeh %acf bes 81 5ee to tes briGs this Is
about, 1 appointed in March last a civil
commission composed of Hon. William
~ ~ T Tafti Of Ohio; Prot; Dean G; Worcester .a
nessee: Hon. Henry C. Ide, of Vermont.
n Prof. Bernard Moses, of California
The aims Of their mission and the scope
in my instructions Of April I. 1900. ad-
dressed to the secretary of war to be
transmitted to them.
Principles Are Appreciated.
Referring to the manner in which the
work of the commission upon the lines
AoAN AS"A Al AAo AAS CllO u
has been received by the people Of the
Philippines. the president says:
1t Is evident that the most enlightened
thought of the Philippine islands fully ap-
preciates the Importance of these princi-
Piles and rules. and they will inevitably
within a short time command universal
Of the government Of the Philippines.
therefore. must be imposed three inviol-
able rules:
That no person shall be deprived of life.
/ 1fharfv 0r nronorfv Uffhar,t duo raoac -
law; that private property shall not be
taken for public use without just COM
pensation: that In all criminal prosecutions
the accused shall enjoy the right to q
| speedy and 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 OBJ
tanning witnesses in his favor, and to have
the assistance of counsel for his defense;
that excessive bail shall not be required,
nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel n
unusual punishment inflicted; that no per-
son shall be put twice in jeopardy for the
same ofense, or be compelled in any GRIM
inal case to be a witness against himself:
that the right to be secure against unrea-
sonable searches and seizures shall not be
violated; that neither slavery nor involun-
tary servitude shall exist except as a pun
ishment for crime; that no bill of attain
der or ex post facto law h be passed:
that no law shall be passed a~bridging the
freedom of speech or of the press, or the
rights of the people to peaceably assemble
Liz pCllliOli III 6ONCl ullClL " q ICQICSS
of grievances: that no Law shall be made
respecting an establishment Of religion or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and
hat the free exercise and enjoyment of
religious profession and worship without
discrimination or preference shall forever
be allowed.
Encouraging Reports.
Later reports from the commission show
yet more encouraging. advance toward
government to the Filipinos, in the inter-
est of humanity and with the aim of
building up an enduring. self-supporting
and self-administering community in
those far eastern seas. I would impress
upon the congress that whatever legisia-
ton may be enacted in respect to the Phil
ippine islands should be along these gem
erous lines. The fortune of war has
thrown upon this nation an unsought
trust which should be unselfshly dis
charged, and devolved upon this govern
ment a moral as well as material respon-
sibility toward these millions whom we
have freed from an oppressive yoke.
"Wards of the Nation"
1 have upon another occasion called the
Filipinos the wards of the nation" Our
obligation as guardian was not lightly
assumed: 1t must not be otherwise than
bene e tb tatni WSc; a have co n1s' u Gr an eu uG
fostering care. It is our duty SO to treat
them that our flag may. be no less be-
fertile zones of Mindanao and Negroes
than 1t is at home, that there as here 1t
shall be the revered symbol of liberty,
enlightenment and progress in every av-
The Filipinos are a race quick to learn
and to profit by knowledge. He would
temporaneous history in view, would fix
a limit to the degree of culture and ad-
vancement yet within the reach of those
people If our duty toward them be faith
fully performed.
Porto Rico.
The civil government Of Porto Rico pro-
vided for by the act of the congress, ap-
proved April L.. 1880. Is in successful op-
iished. The governor and his associates.
working inteiligently and tremendously.
are e, meeting tsa ftS with W No S0mmend ! ssn sqsGe aIec-
ton was held in the island for members
of the legislature. and the body elected
has been called to convene on the first
I recommend that legislation be enact
ed by the congress comforting upon the
secretary Of the interior Supervisor 9Sef
he be directed to ascertain the location
and quantity of and the title to which
ss1a oe c In sne e Of Por to f Rieo to a5 the
United States. and that appropriations
necessary for surveys be made. and that
lands be prescribed by law.
Dealings with Cuba.
The present conditions in Cuba are re-
ferred to. citing the call for the election
of delegates to a constitutional conven-
ton and the meeting of the convention
which Is now in session. and closes this
part of his message with the following:
When the convention concludes its Ia
Dor / will transmit to the congress the
ton for its consideration and for such
action as it may deem advisable.
The Army.
An increase in the regular army Ii
recommended, and the need OF soldiers
shown. After saying that we need at
least 5000 troops at home to care for
our expensive Notifications and ordnance,
he continues:
We nave in Cuba between 5000 and 5000
troops. For the present our troops in that
island cannot be withdrawn or materially
diminished. and certainly not until the con-
clusion of the labors of the constitutional
convention now in session and a govern |
ment provided by the new constitution
shall have been established and its stability
assured. |
In Porto Rico we have reduced the gar
risons to 1885. which include S6 native
troops. There Is no room for further re-
duction here. We will be required to
keep a considerable force in the Philip
pine islands for some time to come. From
need there for the immediate future from
SO, 900 to 60. 600 men. I am sure the num-
Der may be reduced as the insurgents
shall come to acknowledge the author
ity of the United States, of which there
are assuring indications.
1t may be apparent that we will re-
quire an army of about $1,000, and hat
during present conditions in Cuba and
the Philippines the president should have