River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-02-08
SENT TO CONGRESS-.
President Transmits Report of Phil
ippine Commission.
The Home Rule Principle, with ms
Few Americans In once rs Pos
sibIe, strongly Favored by
Commission.

The Home Hute IrihcApAc, 0'tn rs
Few Americans In once ms Pos
sibIe, strongly by
Commission
Washington. Feb. 8.-The president FRI
day transmitted to congress the FIRST vol
ume OF the report of the Philippine COM
mission. Ii is a volume OF 264 pages, In
Guiding the appendix, and Is signed by fFoi'
Schurman, Admiral Dewey, Col. Denny
and Prof. Worcester. The principal sub
ject dealt with is the plan of government
proposed by the commission, which IN
cludes a discussion OF the Spanish govern
ment existing prior TO the war. the various
reforms desired by the Fflipinos ana the
constitutions proposed by them, togetner
with the conclusions and plans suggested
by the commission. The report also covers
many other matters connected with the
social administration of the island; racial
characteristics education. secular and re-
ngious orders, the Chinese in the ISLANDS,
public health. currency, ETC., as well as the
condition and needs of the United states
In the Philippines from a naval and mari
time standpoint. The second volume OF the
report, which will not be ready for several
weeks, will contain a detailed description
or the climate and natural resources OF the
islands. The chief interest In the report
naturally centers In the plan of government
proposed by the commission.
Favor Home Rule.
The commission announces itself unqual-
iledly in favor of a government of the Phil
ippines analogous to that OF a territory
OF the United States, with a governor APP
pointed by the president. They say 1t is
desirable that the Inhabitants of the archi-
pelago should enjoy a large measure or
home rule in local affairs. their towns to
enjoy substantially the rights and privi-
leges of towns in a territory.
The provinces should be vested with sub
stantially the functions of a county In a
territory; his system might be applied to
Luzon and the Viscayan islands at once,
ana a beginning might be made on the
coast of Mindanao. The Sulu archipelago,
calling for special arrangements with the
sultan, the commission says, need not be
considered in this connection.
Filipino Omcers.
The Fflipinos could manage their own
town and county affairs through their own
officers, whom they could elect with no
help from American officials except sReh
as would be involved In control from The
central government at Manila. the sur
frage should be restricted by educational
or property qualifications, or both, rms
system would necessitate a small body OF
American officials of great ability and IN
tegrity and of patience and tact In dealing
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 commis-
%sioners. and that one for every 25O,000 ma
tives should suffice. 1t would be the duty
OF such commissioners to report upon their
work to the central government at Manila.
Their main function would be to ADVISE
town and county councils in the discharge
of their duties and to watch the collection
of revenue and its expenditures. Our gov
eminent of the Philippines, the commission
insists. must be adapted to the Fflipinos.
Basis for the Government.
A territorial government. IT concludes. is
a desideratum. The commission takes as a
basis for the government proposed the ter
ritorial organization of Louisiana. The act
is set forth in full. 1t provides for a gov
ernor and secretary of the treasury. and
vests the legislative power in a council APP
pointed annually by the president. Courts
are also provided for. This scheme of
government" says the commission. pos
sesses, besides its intrinsic merits, the his
torical interest attaching TO origination
will the author of the declaration of in
dependence"
Thinks Task Would he Easy.
The commission, while not undertaking
the difficulty of governing the Philippines,
is disposed to believe the task easier than
is generally supposed. The Filipinos, they
say, are OF unusually promising material,
possessing admirable personal and do
nestle virtues and being naturally peace
full, docile and deferential to constituted
authority. The educated among them,
though constituting a minority, they say,
are far more numerous than is generally
supposed, and the commission bears strong
testimony to their high range OF intelli-
gence and social refinements.
These picked Filipinos will be of infinite
value to the United States in the work OF
establishing and maintaining civil gov
eminent throughout the archipelago.
Cancellations Reached.
In connection with the subject of govern
ment the commission reaches the following
conclusions:
Il. The United States cannot withdraw
from the Philippines. We are there and
duty bids us remain. There is no escape
from our responsibility to the Filipinos
and to mankind for the government of the
archipelago and the amelioration of the
condition of its inhabitants.
70. The Filipinos are wholly unprepared
for independence, and If independence
were given to them they could not main
tain It,"
Under the third head is included a copy
of Admiral Dewey's letter TO Senator
Lodge, which was read In the senate the
other day, denying Aguinaldo's claim that
he was promised independence.
"a. There being no Philippine nation, but
only a collection Of different peoples, there
j. IO 6EAElo PAbAAN OPAhiOt IA hhC NhA
pelago' but the men of property and edu-
cation, who alone interest themselves In
public affairs. in general recognize as in
dispensable American authority, guidance
and protection.
20. Congress should, at the earliest prac-
ticable time, provide for the Philippines
the form of government herein recon-
men6ed or another equally liberal and
beneficent.
&c. Pending any action on the part of
congress, the commission recommends that
the president put in operation this scheme
of civil government in such parts of the
archipelago as are at peace.
20. So far as the finances OF the Philip
pines 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 char
acter and fitness and partisan politics
should be entirely separted from the gov
ernment of the Philippines"