Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-09-28


and enthusiastic army. No alternative was
left to us except ignominious retreat.
Had to Remain.
'It is not to be conceived of that any
American would have sanctioned the sur
render of Manila to the insurgents. Our OBJ
legations to other nations and to the friendly
Fiiipinos and 10 ourselves and our flag de-
manded that force should be met with force
Whatever the future Of the Philippines may
be, there is no course open to US now except
the prosecution of the war until the insur-
gents are reduced to submission.
THE commission Is of the opinion that
there has been no time since the destruction
of the Spanish squadron by Admiral. Dewey
when 1t was possible to withdraw our forces
from the islands either with honor to our
selves or with safety to the Inhabitants"
After the most thorough study of the peo-
Piles of the archipelago the commission re-
ported, among other things:
Their lack of education and political ex-
perience, combined with their racial and
linguistic diversities, disqualify them, In
spite of their mental gifts and domestic vir
tues, to undertake the task of governing the
archipelago at the present time. The most
that can be expected of them is TO cooper
ate with the Americans in the administra
tion Of general affairs, from Manila as a
center. and to undertake. subject to Amer
lean control or guidance tas may be found
necessary the administration of provincial
and municipal affairs.
Would Invite Anarchy.
SHOULD our power by any fatality be
withdrawn, the commission believes that the
government of the Philippines would speed
lily lapse into anarchy, which would excuse,
II 1t did not necessitate, the Intervention of
other powers. and the eventual division of
the Islands among them. Only through
American occupation. therefore Is the idea
of free, self-governing and united Philip
pine commonwealth at all conceivable. =
Thus the welfare of the Filipinos coin
cides with the dictates of national honor in
forbidding our abandonment of the archi-
pelago. We cannot from any point of view
escape the responsibilities of government
which our sovereignty entails, and the COM
mission Is strongly persuaded that the per-
formance of national duty will prove
the greatest blessing 10 the people of the
Philippine Islands,"
Satisfied that nothing further could be ac-
compiished In pursuance of their mission
until the rebellion was suppressed, and de-
string to place before the Congress the re-
suit of their observations requested the
commission to return to the United States.
Their most Intelligent and comprehensive
report, was submitted to Congress.
Duties of the Com mission.
In March. 1900. believing that the insur-
| rectiou was practically ended and earnestly
desiring TO promote the establishment of a
| stable government in the archipelago, / ap-
pointed the following civil commission:
William H. Taft Of Ohio, Professor Dean c.
Worcester of Michigan, Luke l. Wright of
Tennessee, Henry C. Ide Of Vermont. and
Bernard Moses of California. My instruc-
tons to them contained the following!
You 1.-THE Secretary of War; will instruct
| the commission = to devote their at
tentfon In the first Instance to the establish
lnent of municipal governments. in which
| the natives Of the Islands, both in the cities
and In the rural communities, shall be af-
forded the opportunity to manage their own
local affairs to the fullest extent of which
they are capable and subject to the least de
gree of supervision and control which a care
| ful study of their capacities and observation
of the workings of native control show to be
consistent with the maintenance of law, Or
der and loyalty.
Awaits the Report.
"Wheney er the commission is of the opin-
ion that the condition of affairs In the isl
ands Is such that the central administration
may safely be transferred from military 10
civil control they will report that conclu-
sion to you 1.-THE Secretary of War. with
their personal recommendations as 20 the
form Of central government to be estab-
iished for the purpose Of taking over the
.Beginning with the lst day of Septem.
ber, 1900, the authority to exercise, subject
to my approval through the Secretary of
War. that part Of the power of government
in the Philippine Islands which Is of leg
islatiTe nature is to be transferred from the
military governor of the islands to this com
mission, to be thereafter exercised by them
In the place and stead of the military gov
ernor, under such rules and regulations as
you tthe Secretary Of War; shalt prescribe.
until the establishment of the civil central
government for the Islands contemplated in
the last foregoing paragraph or until Con-
gress shall otherwise provide.
Legislative Authority.
. Exercise of this legislative authority will
include the making of rules and orders hav-
ing the effect of law for the raising OF reve-
uue by taxes. customs duties and imposts;
the appropriation and expenditure of the
public funds of the islands; the establish
ment of an educational system throughout
the Islands; the establishment of a system
TO secure an efficient civil service: the or
ga nizatIon and establishment of courts; the
organization and establishment of municipal
and departmental governments. and all
other matters of civil nature of which the
military governor Is now competent to pro-
vide by rules or orders OF a legislative char
acter. The commission will also have
power during the same period to appoint to
office such officers under the judicial, edu-
cational and civil service systems and in the
municipal and departmental governments us
shall be provided"
Rules for the Interim.
Until Congress shall take action / directed
that:
Upon every division and branch of the
government of the Philippines must be i'm
posed these inviolabie rules: That no per
son shall be deprived of life, liberty or prop
erty without due process of law; that prf
vate property shall not be taken for public
use without Just compensation; that in all
criminal prosecutions the accused shall en-
| joy the right to a speedy and public trial, to
he Informed of the nature and cause of the
accusation, to be confronted with the wit
uesses against him, to have compulsory
| process for obtaining witnesses In his favor
| and to have the assistance of counsel for his
defense; that excessive bail shall not be re
quired, nor excessive fines imposed. nor crue
and unusual punishment inflicted. that nc