The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-21
THE PHILIPPINE REPORT.
Plan OF Government is Recommended
For the Islands.
NO WITHDRAWAL IS POSSIBLE.

Tho Proytnces Should Be Turned Into
Counties and Large Measure of Home
Rule Given the Towns-Men OF In.
tesri.y and Ability Needed to Teach
the Natives Selr-Rule.
WAsHtyaToy, D. G. Especially D.-The Presl.
dent has submitted to Congress the first
volume of the report OF the Philippine
Commission. 1t is volume Of 264 pages,
including the appendix, and is signed by
Professor Schurmann, Admiral Dewey,
Colonel DENLY and Professor Worcester.
The principal subject dealt with is the
plan OF government proposed by the com.
mission, which includes discussion Of the
Spanish Government existing prior to the
war. the various reforms desired by the
Fflipiros. and the Constitutions proposed
by them, together with the conclusions and
plans suggested by the com mission.
The report covers many other matters
n6nnsated with the. social administration
Of the Islands, -raefal ebarRcf efissttsaes,
cation. secular and religious orders, the
Chinese In the islands, the public health.
currency, etc.. as well as the condition and
needs OF the United States In the Philip.
pines from q naval and maritime. stand.
point.
The second volume OF the report which
will not be ready for several weeks. Will
contain detailed description OF the climate
and natural resources OF the Islands.
The chief interest In the report naturally
eeLtres ip the plan OF Government pro-
posed by the commission. The commission
announces itself unqualifledly In favor Ola
Government of the Philippines analogous
to that OF q Territory Of the United States,
with a Governor appointed by the Prest-
dent. They say 1t Is desirable that the IN
habitants OF the archipelago should enjoy
large measure Of home rule. In local az
fairs, the towns to enjoy substantially the:
rights and privileges OF towns IN 70 Ierrt- 'e1i
tory. ~
The provinces should be vested With SUBJ
stautially the functions ofsa county sin{ g
Territory; thissystem might be applied 70
Luzon and the Vlscayan Islands at once,
and beginning might be made on the
coast ofSMIndanao. The Sulu archipelago
calling for special arrangements WITH the
Sultan, the commission say, need not pc
considered In this connection.
The Fiipinos could manage thets 9 wna
town aud county affairs through their
own officers, who they could slect, WITH
no help from American oftclals, except
such us would be involved In controlling:
local government at Manila. The Suffrage
should be restricted by educational or
property qualifications or both. ~ &: &.
This system would necessltate as Small
body OF American officials OF greut dqtl :
ity and integrity, and OF patlenee and net
In dealing with other races, ind son Sats
account the commission recomnendstna
they should be paid high ssaiaEes. ;.c!se es J.
commission say they could be ,calieI az
yisors OK commissioners, and that onek k42E
IsNaSnlp 250, 900 natives would sumce. 1
& twouid be the duty OF such comMt9s
h6hers to report upon theltSwork .toa tgA
central Government at Manila. Their main
function would be to advise town and
county councils in discharge OF their duties,
and to watch the collection OF revenues
and its expenditures. Our government OF
the Philippines, the commission insists,
must be adapted to the Filipino.
The commission, while not undertaking
the difficulty of governing the Philippines,
is disposed to believe the task easier thaa
is generally Supposed. The Filipinos, they
say, are OF unusually promising material,
possessing admirable personal and domestic
virtues and being naturally peaceful ,docile,
and deferen:ial to constituted authority.
The educated among them, though con.
stitutinga minority, they say, nre far more
numerous than is generally supposed, and
the commission bears strong testimony TO
their high rahge OF Intelligence and social
reapements.
These picked Filipinos would be OF In.
finite value to the United States III the
work OF establishing and maintaining CIVIL
government throughout the archipelago.