Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-06
TREATMENT OF fILIPINOS
Instructions Of the President Sent to the
Senate.
Gen. Merritt and the Commissioners
Directed 10 Meet the Natives with
Evidences of Friendship.

In the correspondence between American
! representatives and insurgent leaders IN the
| Philippines, which was laid before the SEN
| ate yesterday, as mentioned In The Star,
| was the correspondence Of last October be-
| tween Gen. Macarthur and Aguinaldos rep
| resentative, Gen. Ambrosio Flores in re-
| gard to the delivery of sick Spanish pris-
oners, which is a protest against what he
| terms the 'suspiciousness'' of the Ameri-
| cans. He said, THE treatment awarded
| necessarily corresponds with our political
| condition" adding that in the name of a
soldierly honor l protest against such sus-
picion, as We have never resorted to indi-
rect means in order to wrest by artifice the
| recognition of our beloved independence
instructions to Merritt.
In the second batch of papers, Gen. Otis
proclamation of January 4, 1889, and Gen.
Merritt's proclamation of August a. Is.lS
| are given. The instructions TO Gen. Merritt
are also transmitted, but not those to Gen.
Otis, which the report says were given in
cipher. The instructions from the Presi-
dent to Gen. Merritt, May IS 1895 direct
the issuance Of a proclamation, saying that
| we come not to make war upon the peo-
pie OF the Philippines, nor upon any party
or faction among them. but to protect them
in their homes, in their employments and
in their personal and religious rights All
HSISoHS WHO ellner DN active aid by hon.
est admission cooperate with the United
states in its efforts to give effect to this
benehcent purpose will receive the reward
OF Its support and protection. Our occupa-
ton should be as free from severity as
possible
Instructions to COmmissioners.
The Presidents instructions to the Phil
irpine commission of January 20, 1899, are
given in full. The peace treaty had not
hltr he
pressed the opinion that 1t would be by
the time of the arrival of the commission
ers at Manila" After referring to the fact
tnat the temporary government of the
Islands is intrusted to the military authori-
ties and authorizing proclamation the
President says: The commission may rem
der valuable services by examining with
special care the legislative needs of the
various groups of Inhabitants and by re-
porting with recommend atoms the measures
which should be instituted for The ruaiute-
nance of order, peace and public welfare
II Is my desire that in all their relations
with the inhabitants of the Philippine
Islands the commissioners exercise due
respect for all the ideals customs and in
situations of the tribes and races which
compose the population, emphasizing upon
all occasions the just and beneficent in
tenuonS OF the government the United
States 1t IS also my wish and expectation
that the commissioners may be received in
a manner due to the nOnored ard aIthOr-
lied representatives Of the American re-
public duly commissioned on account Of
their knowledge, skill and integrity as
Learers of the good will, the protection and
the richest blessings of a liberating rather
than conquering nation"
Proposed Government.
The record shows that on the 4th Of May
1892 President Schurmau of the commits
SIGN notified Secretary Hav of a cessation
of hostilities in order to get a vote from the
insurgent congress in favor of autonomy. to
which Secretary Hay replied as follows: you
are authorized to propose that under the
military power of the President, pending
the action of Congress, government uf the
Philippines shall consist OF . governor gen
eral appointed by the President. cabinet
appointed by the governor general, gen.
eral advisory council elected by the people.
the qualifications Of electors 90 be carefully
considered and determined, and the gov
ernor general to have absolute veto"