The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-18

nance of law and order. as the military
commander shall deem requisite, and
the military forces shall be at all tim IS
subject under his orders to the call of
the civil authorities fer the maintenance
Il law and order and the enforcement
+ their authority.
Inc Municipal officers.
The many different degrees of clvilizz-
lion and varieties of custom and capacity
among the people of the different islards
preclude very definite instruction as 10 the
part which the people shall take in the
selection Of their own officers; but these
general rules are to be observed: That in
ali cases the municipal officers. who adj
minister the local affairs Of the people, arc
to be selected by the people. and that
wherever officers Of more extended juris
diction are TO be selected in any way, ma
tiyes of the Islands are to be preferred,
and il they can be found competent anG
willing to perform the duties. they are to
receive the Offices in preference TO any
others.
1T will he necessary to fill some offices
for the present with Americans which, af-
ter a time, may well be filled by natives
Ct the islands AS soon as practicable a
system for ascertaining the merit and fit
put in force. An Indispensable quaifica-
ton for all offices and positions of trust
and authority in the islands must be abso-
Lutte and unconditional loyalty 10 the United
States, and absolute and unhampered au'
thority and power to remove and punish
any officer deviating from that standard
must AT all times be retained in the hands
OF the central authority of the islands.
I'm all the forms of government and adj
minisIrative provisions which they are
authorized to prescribe, the commission
should bear in mind that the government
which they are establishing is designed
not for our satisfaction, or for the. express
sion of our theoretical views, but for the
happiness. peace, and prosperity of the
people of the Philippine Islands, and tho
measures adopted should be made to con
form to their customs, their habits, ana
even their prejudices, to the fullest ex-
tent consistent with the accomplishment
of the indispensable requisites of Just and
effective government.
AT the same time the commission
should bear in mind and the people of the
islands should be made plainly TO under
stand, that there are certain great prin-
ciples of government which have been
made the basis of our governmental sys-
tenn which we deem essential to the rule
Of law and the maintenance of individual
freedom, and of which they have, unfor-
tunately, been denied the experience pos
sessed by us, that there are also certain
practical rules of government which we
have found to be essential to the preser-
walton of these great principles of liberty
and law, and that these principles and
these rules Of government must be estab-
ljshed and maintained in their islands for
the sake of their liberty and happiness,
however much they may conflict with
the customs or laws of procedure with
which they are familiar.
1T is evident that the most enlightened
thought OF the Philippine Islands fully APP
preciates the Importance of these princi-
pies and rules, and they will inevitably
within a short time command universal
assent. Upon every division and branch
of the government of the Philippines
therefore. must be imposed these inviol-
able rules:
That no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty. or property without due pro-
cess of law; that private property shall
not be taken for public use without just
COMPENSATION; that in all criminal prose-
cutions the accused shall enjoy the right
to a speedy and public trial, to be in
formed of the nature and cause of the &C
cusation, to be confronted with the wit
nesses against him, to have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses in his IA
vor, and to have the assistance of counsel
for his defence; that excessive bail shall
not be required, nor excessive fines i'm
posed nor cruel and unusual punishment
inflicted: that no person shall be put twice
in jeopardy for the same offence. or be
compelled in any criminal case TO be
witness against himself; that the right TO
be secure against unreasonable searches
and seizures shall not be violated; that
neither slavery nor involuntary servitude
shall exist except as punishment for
crime; that no bill of attainder, or ex-post
facto law shall be passed; that no law
shall be passed abridging the freedom of
speech or of the press, or the rights of
the people to peaceably assemble and pc
tition the Government for a redress of
grievances; that no law shall be made re-
specting an establishment of religion. 3or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof and
that the free exercise and enjoyment of
religious profession and worship without .
discrimination or preference shall forever
be allowed.
1T may be well that the main changes
which should be made in the system of
taxation and in the body of the laws
under which the people are governed. ex-
cept such changes as have already, been
made by the military Eoyernms mt, Should
be relegated to the civil governme nj
which is to be established under the
auspices of the commission. 1t will
however. be the duty of the commission
to enquire diligently to whether there
are any further changes which ousht not
to be delayed; and if so, they are author
lied to make such changes, subject to
your approval. In doing so they are to
bear in mind that taxes which tend 10
penalize or repress industry and enter
prise are TO be avoided; that provis ons
for taxation should be simple, so that
they may be understood by the people;
that they should affect the fewest prac-
ticable subjects of taxation which will
serve for the general distribution of the
burden.
"The articles of equalization of the city
of Manila on the 18th of August. 1898, con-
cluded with these words:
e This city. its inhabitants, its churches
and religious worship. its educational es-
tablishments, and its private property of
all descriptions, are placed under special
safeguard Of the faith and honor of the
American Army
II believe that this pledge has been
faithfully kept AS high and sacred an
obligation rests upon the Government of
the United States to give protection for
dom, and wise. firm, and unselfish guild
ance in the paths of peace and prosperity
to all the people of the Philippine Islands
charge this commission to labor for the
full performance OF this obligation, which
concerns the honor and conscience of their
country, In the firm hope that through