Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-02-03


ot the report of the Philippine commits
sion. 1t is volume of 264 pages, in.
Guiding the appendix, aud is signed by
Prof. Schurmann, Admiral Dewey. Col
onel DENLY and Prof. Worcester. The
principal subject dealt with is the plan |
of government proposed by the commits
sion, which includes O discussion OF the |
Spanish government existing prior to the
war, the various reforms desired by the
Filipinos and the constitutions proposed |
by them, together with the conclusions
and plans suggested by the commission.
The report also covers many other matters |
connected with the social administration |
of the islands, racial characteristics. edu- |
cation, secular and religious orders, tho |
Chinese in the islands, public health, cur. |
Sency, etc, as well as the condition ana
needs of the United States In the Philippines
from u naval and maritime standpoint. The
pe on volume Of the report, which will not be
rea " for several weeks, will contain de-
tailed description of the climate and natural
resources of the island. The chief interest in
the report naturally conters in the plan OF
government proposed by the commission
The commission announces itself unquali-
| fedly in favor Of government OF the Philip
pines and analogous to that Of q territory OF
the United States, with governor appointed
by the president They say 1t Is desirable
| enjoy large measure OF home rule in local
| affairs, their towns to enjoy substantially the
| rights and privileges OF towns in territory.
The provinces should be vested with sub.
| stantially functions of q county in territory
| + his system might be applied to Luzon and
| the Viscayan islands at once and a beginning
| might be made on the coast Of Mndanao.
The sulu archipelago, calling for special ar
| rangements with the sultan, the commission
say need not be considered in this connec'
| ton.
| The Filipinos could manage their own town
| and county affairs through their own officers,
| whom they could elect with no help from
| American officials except such as would be i'll
| volved in control from the central government
| at Manila. The suffrage should be restricted
| by educational or property qualifications, or
| bo tn This system would necessitate small
| body Of American officials OF great ability
| and integrity and Of patience and tact in deal
| ing with other races. and ON this account the
| commission recommends that they should be
| paid high salaries. The commission says they
| could be called advisers or commissioners and
| that one for every 25O 00) natives should suf-
| foe. 1t would be the duty Of such commits
sioners to report upon their work to the CEN
| trail government at Manila, Their main func-
| tion would be to advise town and county coun'
ellis in the discharge of their duties and to watch
the collection of revenue and its expendi.
| lures.
The kind of protectorate which the insur.
1
! one in which the United States would assume
| all responsibility for protecting the Philippine
government against foreign aggression, while
their own officials would collect revenues.
The report further says In part:
| Under the chimerical scheme Of protection
cherished by Aguinaldo, II foreigner lost
his life or property through u miscarriage Of
| Justice in Philippine court, or in conse
quence of governors failure to suppress o
riot, then the United States would be respon
I. 4x,f eos,
ment without possessing tho power of pun.
ishing the offenders or OF preventing malad.
mnistration. or OF protecting itself against
similar occurrences in the future. Nor could
the liability to foreign nations be reduced
without permitting them directly to seek re.
dress. and such u course would, 1t is to be
feared. speedily lead to the appropriation OF
the Philippine islands by the great powers
who would not seek far for pretensos for in
tervention."
'bctween the relation Of tho self.governing
colony of Australia or OF Canada to Great
Britain and that Of the Philippine islands to
the United States. Instead OF community OF
blood, races and languages there Is the great
est diversity; and, instead of a common polit
csl experience. TIM one has already breathed
the air of freedom, the other has been re-
| pressed by despotism. Clearly the plan of d
selfgoverning co.ony is n misht TO tho Philip
pines"
|
types Of British coony-crown colonies and
colonies having representative institution ou
no responsible government, typihe1 by British
Guiana and Hongkong respectively, but
neither style OF government the commission
points out after lengthy argument, should b'
. applied to the Philippines.
The commission takes rs q basis for the gov
ernnent proposed the territorial organization
of louisiana The act is set forth IN full. Itpro
vides for a governor and secretary OF the treas
ury, and vests the legislative power in coun
Gil appointed annually by the president
I Courts are also provided for. This scheme o.
government, says the commission, possesses
l besides Its intrinsic merits, the historical in
terest attaching to origination with the author
<. Of the Declaration of Independence. Jetfer
son had outlined a first sketch as early as 1903
a He seems to have felt no incongruity between
i the principles of the Declaration OF Mdepend
ence of the IL self governing colonies and thi!
scheme Of government for the politically in
D experienced inhabitants Of Louisiana. In
| deed, he complains with some bitterness, IL
December, Is d, when differences OF opinion
developed as to the manner of disposing o
a Louisiana. that "although " 10 acknowledged
, that our new fellow citizens are as yet AS in
. . capable of self ef-government as children, ye
some cannot bring themselves 10 suspend Ii
! principles for Il single moment"
r From the ou. set, however, the commission
!. believes 1t safe and desirable to extend to the
3 Fllipnos larger liberties of self government
than Jenerson approved OF Tor the lnhabl
tants of Louisiana, assuming that in the Sulr
archipelago and such portions Of the othe
islands as nre occupied by tribes OF Indians
3 the government will be conducted through
J, the agency of their sultans or chiefs. Th
u commission believes that the people Of tn,
l. islands should be permitted to elect ut leas
s members of the lower branch of the terri
n torial legislature, and that at least half tn,
members Of the upper house should be ap
pointed by the president With such safe
guards in American hands and qualified
veto power for tho governor general (includ
n ing the right to suspend the law for yea
o oven after its passage by vote of two.th.rd
!. of the legislature over his veto), this plan o
|. government. which is on the lines OF the con
!, stitution prepared for the commission b.
y those Fiipinos who sought to adjust tn
J claims of the insutgent leaders to the right
OF Americanl sovereignty, would probably b.
adequate for the purposes of good govern
ment, This is especially true, the comnssio
says. since congress may and should retail
the right to veto territorial legislation. Nearl,
l all the offices will, under thisI orm of govern
ment be filed by Filipinos themselves.
Tho commission suggests that civil scrvic
board, to ascertain by competitive cxamin,
tion of u practical character the qualification
of Filipinos seeking office should be institute
and there should be promotions for merit an
tenure during efficiency and good behavior
Thesmall number Of American officials needle
! $500 Reward, $500.
The readers Of this paper will be please