The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-05

havior. A small number Of American
officials will be necessary for the Phil
ippine service. The highest, according
to the form of government recon-
mended by the commission, may be
divided into two classes. In the first
group belong the governor, secretary,
attorney general certain judges and
other officers of the territorial govern
fnent. To the second group belong the
directing heads of the postal. customs
and other departments of the Federal
service in the Philippines The mem-
bers of the first group will be appointed
by the president; those of the second
probably transferred from the home
service. In neither case will there be
examination.
Under the scheme of government
recommended by the commission, half
the senate Is to consist of appointed
members. and it Is presumed that the
secretary. attorney general, and other
heads of departments will be appointed
senators. Permanency of tenure is the
first requisite In the highest office
which the Americans will be called
upon to fill in the Philippines. and to
ScCuie tle ueSL IIicIl-hich WIN oiC
qualified for the arduous task of
shaping and guiding public adminis-
tration in the Philippines--it Is essen
tial that high salaries should be paid.
Besides the executive, administrative,
and judicial heads, who cannot be
! selected by means Of competitive ex-
| aminations, there would be small
number of offices. intermediate between
the heads of departments and the
great body of native officials in all
branches of the government, for which
it would be desirable to have Ameri-
can incumbents. Americans who are
candidates for these positions should
| be subjected, before admission, to tests
| of fitness in the United States. They
| should then be promoted upon merit
and retained during efficiency and good
behavior. American members of the
regular Philippine civil service should
be required to learn the language of
the people among whom they live, ana
| facility in the use of such vernacular
should be a condition of all promotion.
AS to the number of Americans who
may be needed for the Philippine civil
service, the commission believes that
the experience of the British will af-
ford some safe indication. In British
India and the feudatory native states,
with an area of 100000 square miles
and a population of S00O0O,O00, the
whole of the higher executive and
judicial work is performed by 1000
| British officials, with the aid of ma
tives. on an average of one such Euro
pean official to every one thousand
square miles of country and to every
100000 inhabitants. The results are
the same in Ceylon. The conclusion
drawn in the report is that only small
number of Americans are needed as
the organizing and directing brain OF
the civil administration Of the Philip
pines.
AS to other details the report recon-
mends that at the present time no at
tempt be made to assimilate the Gus
toms duties or internal revenue taxes
OF the Philippines to those of the
United States, because of the radical
differences in conditi, MS: and it adds
There are two fundamental princi'
pies on which q successful administra'
ton of the finances of dependent terri
tories must rest: First, their finances
must be managed not for the advan.
tage of the sovereign power. but fol
the benefit Of the people and the de-
velopment of the country whose des'
tinies have been committed to its SUI
preme control. The second vital prin'
cipal of the financial administration
Of dependent territories is that they
should be made self-supporting; arG
to accomplish that object should bt
the principal aim Of the United States
in the financial administration of the
Philippines. All duties and taxes col
lected in the Philippines must be de.
posted in the Philippine treasury, anc
that treasury must bear the cost o'
the entire administration of the arch!-
pelago' The question of currency
changes IS to be held open until fur
ther experience shall have cleared the
way; but the commission urges thu
immediate extension and development
of o public school system and sug'
gests that this general scheme Of gov
ernment be put in operation at once
in all pacified parts of the archipelago
so as to exhibit to the natives ir
practical fashion the American gov
ernment's good faith.