Evening star., 1900-12-03

control they win report that conclusion to
you. with their recommendations as to the
| form Of central government to be estab-
lished for the purpose Of taking over the
control.
Beginning with the 1st day Of September.
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 a
| legislative nature is to be transferred from
the Military Governor of the islands to this
Commission, to be thereafter exercised by
them in the place and stead of the Military
Governor. under such rules and regulations
as you shall prescribe. until the establish
| ment Of the civil central government for the
islands contemplated in the last foregoing
| paragraph, or until Congress shall other
wise provide. Exercise of this legislative
authority will include the making Of rules
and orders, havlrg the effect of law. for
the raising of revenue by taxes, customs
duties. and imposts; the appropriation and
expenditure Of public funds of the islands;
the establishment of an educational system
throughout the islands; the establishment
| of a system to secure an efficient civil serv-
ice; the organization and establishment Of
courts; the organization and establishment
Of municipal and departmental govern
ments, and all other matters of a civil
| nature for which the military governor is
| now competent to provide by rules or
| orders CT legislative character.
The Commission will also have power
| during the same period to appoint to office
such officers under the judicial, educa-
tional. and civil-service systems and in the
municipal and departmental governments
as shall be provided for. Until the COM
plete transfer of control the Military Gov
ernor will remain the chief executive head
Of the government of the islands, and will
exercise the executive authority now pos
| sessed by him and not herein expressly as
signed to the Commission, subject, how
ever, to the rules and orders enacted by
the Commission in the exercise of the legis-
lative powers conferred upon them. In the
| meantime the municipal and departmental
governments will continue to report to the
Military Governor and be subject to his
administrative supervision and control, un-
der your direction but that supervision and
control will be confined within the narrow
est limits consistent with the requirement
that the powers of government in the NUM-
cipalities and departments shall be hon.
estly and effectively exercised and that law
and order and individual freedom shall be
| maintained.
All legislative rules and orders, estab-
lishments' Of government, and appoint
ments to Office by the Commission will take
effect Immediately, or al such times as hey
shall designate. subject to your approval
and action upon the coming in of the Com
missions reports, which are to be made
from time to time as their action is taken.
Wherever civil governments are consti-
tuted under the direction of the Commits
sion such military posts, garrisons. and
forces will be continued for the suppression
of insurrection and brigandage and the
maintenance of law and order as the Mil
itary Commander shall deem requisite and
the military forces shall be at all times
subject, under his orders. to the call OF the
civil authorities for the maintenance of law
and order and the enforcement Of their au-
thority.
In the establishment of municipal govern
ments the Commission will take as the
basis of their work the governments estab-
Iished by the Military Governor under his
order of August 8, 1899, and under the re-
port of the board constituted by the Mill
tary Governor by his order Of January o,
1900, to formulate and report a plan of mu-
nicipal government, Of which His Honor
Cayetano Arellano, President OF the Audi
encia, was chairman, and they will give to
the conclusions Of that board the weight
and consideration which the high character
and distinguished abilities Of its members
justify
In the constitution of departmental or
provincial governments they will give espe-
ciaI attention to the existing government of
the island of Negros, constituted, with the
approval Of the people of that island. under
the order of the Military Governor Of July
%, 1899, and after verifying. so far as may
be practicable, the reports of the successfI ii
working of that government they will be
guided by the experience thus acquired so
FAR as it may be applicable to the condition
existing in other portions of the Philip
mines. They will avail themselves, 20 the
fullest degree practicable, Of the conclu-
sions reached by the previous Commission
to the Philippines.
In the distribution of powers among the
governments organized by the Commission,
the presumption is always to be IN favor CT
the smaller subdivision, so that all the
powers which can properly be exercised by
the municipal government shall be vested
in that government, and all the powers of
a more general character which can be ex-
ercised by the departmental government
shall be vested in that government. and so
that in the governmental system. which Is
the result of the process, the central gov
ernment of the islands following the ex-
ample of the distribution of the powers be-
tween the States and the National Govern
ment of the United States. shall have no
direct administration except Of matters Of
purely general concern. and shall have only
such supervision and control over local gov
ernments as may be necessary to secure
and enforce faithful and efficient admins
tration by local officers.
The many different degrees Of civilization
and varieties of custom and capacity
among the people of the different islands
preclude very definite instruction to the
part which the people shall take in the Sc
lection of their own officers; but these gen.
eral rules are to be observed: That III all
cases the municipal officers, who administer
the local affairs of the people, are to be
selected by the people, and that wherever
officers Of more extended jurisdiction are to
be selected in any way, natives Of ,he is
lands are to be preferred, and if they can
be found competent and willing to perform
the duties. they are to receive the offices in