Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-02-08
COMMISSIONERS REPORT.
First Volume Deals with Problem
of Government.
A MEASURE OF HOME RULE.
The Islanders should be Allowed TO
Manage Their Town and County Af-
fairs Under the Supervision of an
American Advisory Board.

Washington, Feb. 3.-The president
yesterday transmitted to congress the
| first volume of the report of the Phil
| ippine commission. 1t is a volume If
264 pages, and is signed by Prof.
| Schurman, Admiral Dewey, Col. DENLY
and Prof. Worcester. The principal
| subject dealt with is the plan of gov
ernment proposed by the commission.
| The report also covers many other
| matters connected with the social adj
ministration of the island; racial char
| acteristics, education, secular and re-
| ligious orders, the Chinese in the ISL
ands, public health, currency, etc, as
well as the needs of the United States
in the Philippines from a naval and
maritime standpoint.
The second volume of the report,
| which will not be ready for several
| weeks, will contain a detailed descrip-
| tion of the climate and natural re-
sources of the island,
The chief interest in the report GEN.
ters in the plan of government pro-
| posed by the commission. The COM
| mission announces itself unqualifiedly
in favor of a government for the Phil
ippines analogous to that of a terri
tory of the United States, with a gov
ernor appointed by the president.
They say it is desirable that the in
habitants of the archipelago should
enjoy a large measure of home rule in
local affairs, their towns to enjoy sub
stantally the privileges of towns in
territory.
The provinces should be vested with
nf a
tory; this system might be applied to
Luzon and the Niscayan islands at
once and a beginning might be made
in Mindanao. The Sulu archipelago,
calling for special arrangements with
he sultan, need not be considered IN
this connection. 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 involved in control from the
central government at Manila. Inc
suffrage should be restricted by edu-
cational or property qualifications.
"Undoubtedly the raising of the
American flag in the Philippine ISL
ands has entailed great responsible
ties upon us; but to guarantee eNter-
nal protection, while renouncing in
ternal dominion, is no way OF es-
Gaping from them. On the contrary
while YOU pull down the flag, you only
pile up difficulties
The example of Great Britain, which
the committee says has been brilliant
ly successful in governing dependent
peoples, has suggested a colonial form
of government and this plan seems to
have won greater favor with the gen
eral public than any other.
There is no analogy says the
commission, between the relation OF
the self-governing colony of Australia
or of Canada to Great Britain and
that of the Philippine islands to the
United States. Instead of commu-
nifty of blood, races and language,
there is the greatest diversity, and IN
stead of a common political eXperl-
ence, the one has already breathed the
air of freedom, the other has been re-
pressed by despotism. Clearly the
plan of a self-governing colony is
misfit to the Philippines"
In connection with the subject of
government the commission reaches
the following conclusions:
1.-THE United States cannot with
draw from the Philippines. We are
there and duty bids us remain. There
is no escape from our responsibility to
the FiIipinos and to mankind for the
government of the archipelago and
the amelioration of the condition Of
its inhabitants.
"2-The FilipinOS are wholly unpre-
pared for independence, and if inde-
pendence were given to them they
could not maintain it.
Under the third head is included a
COPY of Admiral Dewey's letter TO
sHlator Lodge which was read in the
senate the other day denying Aguin-
aldo's claim that he was promised IN
dependence.
"4-There being no Philippine ma
ton, but only collection of different
peoples, there is no general public
opinion in the archipelago; but the
men of property and education, who
alone interest themselves in public al
fairs, in general recognize as indis-
pensable American authority, guild
ance and protection.
"5-ConpresS should. at the earliest
practicable time, provide for the Phil
ippines the form of government here
in recommended, or another equally
liberal.
"6-Pending any action on the part
of congress. the commission recom-
mends that the president put in oper-
alton this scheme of civil government
in such parts of the archipelago ds
are at peace.
$50 far as the finances of the
Philippines permit, public education
should be promptly established, and
when established made free to all.
"S-The greatest care should be
taken in the selection of officials for
administration. They should be men
of the highest character and fitness, |
and partisan politics should be entire
ly separated from the government of
the Philippines.