The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-07
A REPORT FROM TAFT.
Review of work Done by the Philip
pine CnmInfssion.

The War Department has Just COM
pleted compilation of number of re-
ports from Judge Taft. President of the
Philippine Commission, sent to the ISL
ands to inaugurate a civil government.
The reports we're made TO Secretary Root
in letters from Judge Taft and will be
made public in day or two. The state
ment which viii be given out by the War
Department will also include a copy OF
the proclamation issued by the commits
sion granting amnesty to the Filipnos
and copy of the Presidents instructions
telegraphed TO the commission Just be-
fore it's departure from San Francisco.
Judge Taft's letters give a comprehen-
sive review of the work done by the COM
mission since its arrival at Manila and
the progress made toward the establish
ment of civil instead of military ad-
ministration. The instructions from the
President directed the commission to
take charge of the ci.il administration
the LIST of September and the last report
received by mail from Judge Taft shows
that the commission considered the con-
ditions in the Philippines fully warrant
ing this change in the government.
One of the interesting features of
Judge Taft's correspondence relates to
whose direction Was placed the work of
education. in carrying out a new eGuca-
tionaI system Prof Moses considered that
the teaching of the English language to
the Fliipiuos was of the first Importance,
as it would enable the natives to more
readily understand and appreciate Ameri-
can institutions. In teaching English to
the Filipinos the plan followed by Prof
Moses was to have English used by the
teachers instead of teaching it through the
medium of the Spanish or Tagalo tongue
Judge Taft called particular attention to
the eagerness of the Filipinos for schools
and to the establishment of municipal
governments throughout the island of
Luzon.
In the election of municipal officers the
commission held that in no cases could
there be elected or appointed to munich
pal Office ecclesiastics, soldiers in active
service. persons receiving salaries from
municipal provincial. or Government
funds; debtors to said funds, contractors
of public works and their bondsmen,
clerks and functionaries of the adminis-
tration.
In one of his reports Judge Taft refers
to the propositions of peace submitted
by number of leading Filipinos. and
also tells of the feast of amnesty which
followed the issuance of the amnesty
proclamation At the opening of this
feast Senior Palermo made an address in
which he congratulated General Mac
Arthur on the proclamation. saying that
the feast was inspired by no other idea
than that of unison between the Filipino
and American peoples" Judge Taft
spoke in reply, and told of the Presi-
dept's instruction to the comn.iss. on,
saying that the commission YVES in tbs
Philippines under instructions directing
1t to form a civil government that would
take into consideration only the good of
the Filipino people. He added that the
instructions directed the commission,
under the sovereignty of the United
States. to prescribe civil government
and that in its formation the chief Of
ficers were to be elected by the people.