St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-04-04
THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION.


81 J0hnsbury Furnishes she Private
Secretary for Judge Idc.
The Philippine commission had two
meetings in Washington last week. At
their first meeting they agreed upon the
personnel of the commission. The secre-
tary will probably be Charles M. Pepper,
who has been in Porto Rico. Arthur F.
Ferguson, of Washington, is to be the
Spanish secretary. He ischief translator
of the bureau of the American republics,
and was interpreter for the peace COM
mission at Paris. Frank A. Branagin,
native of Ohio, is to be the disbursing
officer and accountant of the commission.
He acted in a simila- capacity for the
Paris peace commission. Rutherford
Corbin, son of Adjt.-Gen. Corbin, has
been chosen as assistant secretary OF the
commission Mr.. Corbin filled positions
ofimportance with the Paris peace COM
mission and the Philippine commission
They also agreed upon certain outlines
which they will follow in their work in
the Philippines. The commission waited
on Secretary Root in the afternoon and
spent three hours behind closed doors in
earnest conference. At the conclusion of
the conference the secretary said that the
discussion had covered the probable
scope of the work OF the commission for
the next two years. What passed We'd
nesday was preparatory to the reception
OF written instructions. 1t was not the
intention at this time to make the in
structions public. Butt might be stated
in general terms, the secretary said, that
the new commission would have much
greater powers in dealing with the prob
lens arising in the Philippines than had
it's predecessor. The primary purpose
was the establishment of local civil gov
ernment throughout the islands. In the
selection OF the civil officers the commits
sion would have free hand. When
asked whether the civil authorities would
dominate the military, the secretary re-
piled that, as be saw it, 10 question was
likely to arise on that point. There
would be no chance for friction.
President Mckinley gave dinner We'd
nesday night in honor OF the commits.
sion. The dinner was informal and was
served in the private dining-room of the
White House. No ladies were present.
Besides the members of the Cabinet, all
OF whom except Secretary Hay were
present, the guests were Judge William
Taft, chairman and Prot. Dean c. Wor-
cester, Luke E. Wright, Henry c. Ide,
and Prof. Bernard Moses, commission
ers; Senator Turley, of Tennessee, Repre-
sentative Cannon, OF Illinois. Represen-
tative Cooper, of Wisconsin, Gen. Joseph
Wheeler, Col. Charles Denby, Col.
Thomas H. Barry and George w. Per-
kins, OF New York.
The members of the commission had
final conference with the Secretary of
War Thursday afternoon at which all
the phases of the Philippine situation
were discussed. The question of cooper
alton between the commission and the
military authorities was considered, and
it was made plain to the commission
that the military force would give them
full support and that Gen. Otis would
use every effort to carry out the commits
sion's ideas. 1t was explained that the
military authorities will be subordinate
to the commission in the administration
of civil affairs. The commission will
gather at San Francisco on April IL and
will sail for Manila April Is on the army
transport Hancock.
Besides furnishing an honored member
OF the commission St. Johnsbury contrib
utes to the personnel OF the commission
the private secretary ofJudge Ide, Paul
S. Carter. The latter has been employed
for the past few years as stenographer
for E. & T. Fairbanks & Co. aud has
also done considerable court work, both
at privale hearings and at the terms of
the Caledonia county court. The ap
pointment came to him as a surprise,
but he promptly accepted it and is now
being generally congratulated upon his
prospects. Mr.. Carter is fine stenog-
rapher and has earned his appointment
by his faithful and excellent work in the
past. Mrs. Carter and the children do
not accompany him to the Philippines
now, but hope to 60 later.