The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-10

| difficulties and be opposed to the interests
OF humanity. Nor can we permit
| Spain to transfer any of the islands to
another power. Nor can we invite an
| other power or powers to join the United
! States in sovereignty over them We
must either hold them or turn them back
| to Spain.
Consequently, grave as are the RESPONSE
| bilities, and, unforeseen as are the diff
culties which are before us, the president
| can see but one plain path of duty, the
acceptance of the archipelago. Greater
| difficulties and more serious complications
! = administrative and international -
| would follow any other course. The pres
| ident has given to the views of the com
missioners the. fullest consideration, and
| in reaching the conclusion above an
nounced in the light of information COM
munleated TO the commission and to the
| president since Your departure, he has
been influenced by the single considera-
ton of duty and humanity. The president
| Is not unmindful of the distressed f1nan-
! consideration the United States may show
| must come from its sense of generosity
and benevolence, rather than from any
rear or technical obligation"
STILL. MORE INSTRUCTIONS
Again, on Nov. 49, instructed the com
From the standpoint of Indemnity
both the archipelagoes porto Rico and
the Philippines) are insufficient to pay ouI
| war expenses, but, aside from this, dc
! we not owe an obligation to the people OF
! the Philippines which will not permit US
| to return them to the sovereignty OF
| Spain? Could we justify ourselves in such
a course or could be permit their barter
| TO some other power? Willing or not, we
have the responsibility of duty which we
canot escape. 20 The president cam
not believe any division of the archipelago
can bring US anything but embarrassment
| in the future. The trade and commercial
side, as we'll as the indemnity for the cos
of the war, are questions we might Weld
| IhaV might UyoiXy or on nTlrOr sod
| but the questions of duty and humanity
| appeal to the president so strongly thai
| he can find no appropriate answer but the
one he has here marked OUT
The treaty of peace was concluded or
! Dec. 10,1S9S. By its terms the archipelago
known as the Philippine islands was
| ceded by Spain to the United Sta ties. II
was also provided that ''the civil rights
and political status of the native inhab-
| itants of the territories hereby ceded to
| the United States shall be determined by
! the congress-. Eleven days thereafter,
! on Dec 81, the following direction was
| given to the commander of our forces in
! the Philippines:
"* The military commander of the
| United States is enjoined to make known
! to the inhabitants of the Philippine ISL
andS that in succeeding to the sovereign
! ~ OF Spain, in severing the former po-
! lltical relations Of the inhabitants and in
| establishing a new political power, the
| authority of the United States is to be
exerted for the securing of the persons
and property of the people Of the islands
| and for the confirmation of all their pri-
| Vate rights and relations. 1t will be the
| duty Of the commander of the forces of
| occupation to announce and proclaim in
the most public manner that we come, not
| as invaders or conquerors, but as friends,
! to protect the natives in their homes in
| their employments and in their personal
and religious rights"
HIS FIRST COMMISSION.
In order to facilitate the most humane,
q 1G off,
lty throughout these islands, and to Sc
cure, with the least possible delay, the
! oenefltS of a wise and generous protection
| OF HE and property to the inha bitants
appointed in January 1893, a commission
consisting Of Hon. Jacob Gould Schurman
! OF New York; Admiral George Dewey.
y. :; N; Hon.. Charles DENLY, of Indiana
and Maj. Gen. Elwen D. Otis u. A
Their instructions contained the follow
ing:
commissioners are enjoined to meet at
the earliest. possible day in the city of
Mania and to announce by a public proc
iiamaton their presense and the mission
t IN TO them, carefully setting forth
that, while the military government al
ready proclaimed is to be maintained and
ContInued SO long as necessity may re-
qulre, efforts will be made to alleviate
the burden of taxation, to establish in
| qustrlaI and commercial prosperity, and
! 10 provide for the safety of persons and
OF property by such means as may be
round conclusive to these ends
The commissioners will endeavor with
out interference with the military author
tues Of the United States now in control
OF the Philippines, to ascertain what anne
loralon In the condition of the inhabi-
tants and what improvements in public
order may be practicable, and for this
purpose they will study atentiVely the
eHlstlng social and political state of the
various populations. particularly as re-
CARDS the forms of local governments the
administration of Justice the collection
OF customs and other taxes, the means
! improvements. They will report the re-
! suits Of their observations and reflections
ana ana Will recommend such executive &C
! ton as may from time to time seem Ia
them wise and useful.
The commissioners are hereby author
| lZed TO confer authoritatively with any
persons resident in the islands from whom
they may believe themselves able to de-
rive information or suggestions valuable
! Tor the purposes of their commission. or
whom they may choose to employ as
agents, as may be necessary for this pur-
1T is my desire that in all their rela-
| lions with the inhabitants of the islands
the commissioners exerc sc due respect for
| all the Ideals, customs and institutions of
the tribes which compose the population
emphasizing upon all occasions the lust
ana benehcent intentions of the ktrvErn-
ment of the United States IT is also INV
|
sloners may be received in a manner due
| 10 the honored and authorized representa-.
yves OF the American republic, duly
| commissioned on account of their kn0Wi.
edge, skill and integrity as bearers al
the good will, the protection and the
| richest blessings of liberating, rather
than conquering nation
RATIFICATION TREATY.
On the 9Th of February, 1899, the treaty
| was ratified by the senate of the limited
/ States, and the COZ. gress immediatoIv an.
propriated 100000 to carry out ifs,nro
visions The affiliations we e excha ige6
1 IL tn nf Snl1ed States and Spain on the
AS early as April, 1899. the Philippine
COMMISSION, of which Dr. Schurman was
paesloeint' endeavored to bring abour
euces with leading Tagalogs repreSenfine
the so-called insurgent government r.
lne end that some general plan of govern
n IieliL ndgnI De ofered them which they
Woulo accept So great was the satisfac
tioh OF the 1nsurgent commissioners wifi
me form OF government proposed by tn,
ALnlerican commissioners that the latte
submitted the proposed scheme to mo fo,
approval, and my action thereon is show
by Inc cable message following:
May O. 1899 Schurman, Manila-Your
~ - r ne 4tn received: You are authorized
70 propose that under the military MOVIE
OF the president, pending action of con
SIesS, government of the Philippine isl
arius stlaIl consist of a governor general
dppolhled py the president; cabinet an
pointed by the governor general: a zen f
eral advisory council elected by the 6eo
PEE the qualifications of electors to b,
thaaeIuIiy considered and determined. AM
veto judiciary strong and independent
principal Judges appointed by the presi
cent. The cabinet and judges to b,
CHOSEN from natives or Americans, n
both, having regard to fitness. The d esi
gent earnestly desires the cessation q
p p6:2il and that the people of III,
have the largest measure of local self
government consistent with neace an.