The Yale expositor., 1900-12-07

tion and thN statutes to uphold the SOW
ereignty Of the United IN states IN those dis,
our nag rightfuuy floats, placing to that
end. at the disposal of the army and ma
Wy, all the means which the liberaity of
the congress and the people have provi6.
cd NO contrary expression OF the will OF
the congress having been made / have
steadfastly pursued the purpose so de-
| cIared, employing the civil arm as well
| toward the accomplishment of pacification
and the institution of local governments
within the lines of authority and law
PROGRESS In the hoped-for direction has
| peen favorable. Our forces have success
| fully controlled the greater part of the
Islands, overcoming the organized forces
or the insurgents and carrying order and
| administration regularly to ali quarters.
! What opposition remains is for the most
! part scattered, obeying no concerted plan
| or strategic action, operating only nv the
methods common to the traditions of
! guerrilla warfare which, while ineffec-
tive to alter the general control now es-
tabiished. are still sufficient to beget inse-
curlty among the populations that have
felt the good results OF our control and
mus delay the conferment upon them of
the fuller measures of local sef-govern-
ment, OF education and of industrial and
agricultural development which we stand
ready to give to them.
by the spring of this year the effective
opposition of the dissa tisfied Tagals to the
authority of the United States was virtu-
any ended, thus opening the door for the
extension of q stable administration over
much Of the territory of the archipelago
Desiring to bring this about appointed in
March last civil commission composed OF
Honi william II. Taft, Of Ohio; Prof. Dean
Luke /. Wright. of Tennessee: the Hon.
Henry c. lde, of Vermont. and Prof. Ber-
nard Moses. of California. The effects of
their mission and the scope of their au-
thority are clearly set forth in my in
structions of April Z. 1900. addressed to
the secretary of war to be transmitted to
them.
In the message transmitted to the con-
gress on the 9Th of December. 1900, | said,
spe aking Of the Philippine Islands:
AS long as the instruction continues
the military arm must necessarily be SUI
preme. But there is no reason way steps
should not be taken from time to time
TO inaugurate governments essentially
popular in their form as fast as territory
Is held and controlled by our troops To
this end am considering the ACCESSIBILITY
OF the return of the commission. such
or the members thereof as can be Sc
cured to aid the existing authorities and
1arilitate this work throughout the ISL
ands."
The Taft Commission.
To give effect to the intention thus ex-
pressed. have appointed Hon. William II.
Taft, of Ohio; Prof. Dean c. Worcester.
of Michigan Hon LUXE l. Wright, of Ten
and Prof Bernard Moses of California,
commissioners to the Philippine Islands,
to continue and perfect the work Of or
ganizing and establishing civil govern
ments already commenced by the military
authorities. subject in all respects to any
laws. which congress may hereafter enact
You will instruct the commission to pro-
coed to the city of Manila, where they
will make their principal office. and to
communicate with the military governor
of the Philippine Islands, whom you will
at the same time direct to render to them
every assistance within his power in the
performance, of their duties. Without
hampering them by too specific instruc-
tions, they should in general he cnjoncd,
after making themselves familiar with the
conditions and needs of the country, to
devote their attention in the first instance
to the establishment OF municipal govern
ments, in which the natives of the ISL
ands, both in the cities and in the rural
communities, shall be afforded the oppor-
tunity of managing their own local aualrs
to the fullest extent of which they are
capable. and subject to the least degree OF
supervision and control which n careful
study of their capacities and observation
of the workings of native control show to
be consistent with the maintenance of law.
order and loyalty:
Whenever the commission is OF the opin-
ion that the condition of affairs in the ISL
ands is such that the central adminstra-
ton may safely be transferred from mill
tary TO civil control, they will report that
conclusion to you with their recommended
tions as to the form of central govern
taking over the control,
In the establishment of municipal gov
ernments the commission will take as the
basis of their work the governments es-
tablished by the military governor I'M
der his order of August g. 1929. and under
the report of the board constituted by the
military governor by his order of January
20, 1900 to formulate and report plan of
municipal government. of which his honor
Cayetano Arellano. president of the Audi
to the conclusions of that ard the
weight and consideration which the high
character and distinguished abilities or It's
members justify.
Tho many different degrees of civiliza-
ton and varieties of custom and capacity
among tho people of the different islands
preclude very definite instructions as 70
the part which the people shall take IN
tho selection of their own officers; out
these general rules are to he observed:
That in all cases the municipal officers,
who administer the local affairs OF the
people are to be selected by the people,
and that wherever officers of more eX-
tended jurisdiction are to be selected in
any way, natives of the islands are to be
preferred and If they can be found COM
petent and willing to perform the duties,
they are to receive the offices in prefer
encc To any others.
1t will be necessary to fiji some offices
for the present with Americans which
after time may well he filed by natives
of the islands. As soon as practicable a
system for ascertaining tho merits and
fitness of candidates for civil office should
be put in force An Indispensable quail
fcation 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 I'M
hampered authority and power to remove
and punish any officer deviatinS from
that standard must at all times be re-
tanned in the hands of the central author
ity of the islands.
~
That the provision Of the treaty or
Paris pledging the United States to the
protection of all rights of property in the
islands. and well the principle of our
own government which prohibits the TAX
ing of private property without due pro-
cess OF law. shall not be violated; that the
welfare of tho people of the islands.
which should he paramount consideTa-
ton. shall be attained consistently with
this rule OF property rights: that II 1t
becomes necessary for the public interest
of the people of the islands to dispose OF
claims to property which the commission
finds to be not lawfully acquired and
held. disposition shall be made thereof by
due legal procedure. in which there shall!
DC full opportunity for fair and Impartial
s...I.x 4hN lr,aa