Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-12-06
III PHILIPPINES.
Full Measures of Local S~elf-Govern-
ment Are Promised.

THE PHILIPPINES.
Full Measures of Local seIf-Govern-
ment Are Promised.
In my last annual message / dwelt at
some length upon the condition of ahairs
in the Philippines. While seeking to i'm
press upon YOU that the -raye r';sponsihll-
ity OF the future government Of those
islands rests with The congress CT the
United States, | abstained 1,cm recon-.
mending at that time "a specific and final
actually held by the United States forces
aud in which, as long as insurrection
continues, the military arm nsust neces-
until the congress shall nave - lad known
the formal expression of Its will, TO use
the authority vested in me by the Con-
sovereignty IF the United States in those
distant lands, as IN all Jt:icr places where
our nag rightfully tloi 5, placing, to that
end, at the disposal of the army sad 10 Y
all the nlears within the llberality Of the
congress and the people have provided.
No contrary expression of the will of the
congress having been made, l have stead
lastly pursued the purpose so declared,
employing the civil arm as we'll toward
the accomplishments of pacification and
the institution OF local governments with
in the lines Of authority and aw.
Progress in the hoped for direction has
been favorable. Our forces have success
FULLY controlled the greater part of the
islands, overcoming the organized forces
or the insurgents and carrying order and
administrative regularity to all quarters,
what opposition remains is for the most
part scattered, obeying no concerted plan
OF strategic action, operating only by the
methods common to the traditions OF
guerrilla warfare, which, while ineffec-
tive to alter the general control now es-
tablished, are still sufficient to beget in
security among the populations that have
felt the good results of our control and
thus delay the. conferment upon them OF
the fuller measures of local self-govern-
nient. of education and of industrial and
ARFlnIIit N rAI EkrDl N Want NH Ia mo 4 M
ready 10 give to them.
Stable Administration.
By the spring of his year the effective
opposition of the dissatisfied Tagals to
the athority of the United States was
virtually ended. thus opening the door
for the extension of a stable administra-
archipelago. Desiring to bring this about,
] appointed in March last a civil commits
sion, composed of Hon. William Fl. Taft
of Ohio. Prof. Dea G. Worcester OF
Michigan, Hon. Luke f.. Wright of Ten
nessee, Hon. Henry G. Ide Of Vermont,
and Prof. Bernard Moses of California.
The aims of their mission and the hope
of their authority are clearly set forth In
my Instructions of April Z, 1900, addressed
to the secretary of war, to be transmitted
to them:
The articles of %capitulation of the city
of Manila, on the 18th of August, 1898,
concluded with these words:
This city, its inhabitants, its churches
and religious worship; its educational es-
Establishments and It's private property OF
all descriptions are placed under the spe-
cial safeguard of the faith and honor OF
the American army"
/ believe that this pledge has been faith
fully kept. AS high and sacred an obliga-
ton rests upon the government of the
United States, TO give protection for prop"
erty and life, civil and religious freedom,
and wise, firm, and unselfish guidance 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
its labors, all the Inhabitants of the
Philippine Stands may come to look back
with gratitude to the day when God gave
victory to American arms at Manila, and
set their land under the sovereignty and
the protection of the people of the Unit
ed States.
Coincidentally with the entrance of the
commission upon it's labors. / caused to
be issued by Gen. Macarthur. the military
governor of the Philippines. on June Il,
1900, a proclamation of amnesty in gem
erous terms, of which many of the insur-
gents took advantage. among them a
number of important leaders.
This commission, composed of eminent
citizens, representing the diverse geo.
graphical and political interests of the
country and bringing to Its task the
in educational, administrative and judi
cial careers, made great progress from the
outset. As early as Aug. Il, 1900. IT sub
mitted a preliminary report, which will be
laid before the congress, and from which
1t appears that already the good effects
of returning order are felt; that business,
interrupted by hostilities. is improving as
peace extends: that a larger area is I'M
der sugar cultivation than ever before;
that the customs revenues are greater
than at any time during the Spanish rule;
that economy and efficiency in the mill
tary administrator have created a sur
plus u Of S6,0oo,o0o, available for need
ed public improvements; that a stringent
civil service law Is In prepa nLtion; that
railroad communications are expanding,
opening. up rich districts, and that a com.
prehensive scheme of education Is being
organized. Later reports from the COM
mission
vance
toward i~nsuring the benefits OF liberty
and good government to the Filipinos In
the interest Of humanity and with the aim
of building, up an enduring. s~elf-support-
those Far Eastern SEES. ] would impress
upon the congress that whatever legtsla-
ton may be enacted IN respect to the
generous lines. The fortune of war has
thrown upon this nation an unsought
trust, which should be unselishly dis
charged, and devolved upon this govern
ment a moral as well as material respon-
sibility toward these millions whom we
have freed from an oppressive yoke.
j have upon another occasion, called the
Filipinos 'the wards OF the nation Our
obligation as guardian was not lightly as
sumed; it must not be otherwise ina
1 IOIEtStly III dIitiAtS hioAH VI ai w
benefit those who have come under our
fostering care. IL is our duty so to treat
them that our flag may be no less be-
loved in the mountains of Luzon and the
fertile zones of Mindanao and Negroes,
than IL Is at home. hat there, as here, II
shall be the revered symbol of liberty, en-
lightenment and progress In every ave.
nue. Of devlopmnt.
Th Filipinos are a race quick TO learn
and TO profit by knowledge. He would be
rash who, with the teachings OF contem.
noranaous history In view. would fix a
limit to the degree OF culture and ad.
vancement yet within the reach of those
people IL our duty toward them be faith
fully performed.