The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-09

COMMISSIONS METHODS.
The commissions methods and ways
of entering upon those duties of govern
ment clearly outlined In it's instructions
from President Mckinley, have been dis
appointing to those Filipinos ana for
e1gners who expected the miIlan:um on
the first of September In the adminisra-
ton of Filipino civil affairs by the army
there has always been noticeable the
fact that the army has known it's civil
duties to be incidental and temporary;
that IS would sooner or later be relieved
from these duties by a properly conStitut-
ed civil authority and consequently the
army Is said to have INDUCED in ex-
pedient and make-shift. AS an example
of this, reference is made to the Philip
pine Municipal Code and the revision
of the criminal code, issued by Gen
OTIS, Just prior to his departure for the
United States, and made law by stroke
of his pen. Both these revisions bear
trace of hasty and temporary work OF
being makeshiftS, and it is now evident
that Gen. Otis hammered them out hast
lily at the last moment in order to get
on record as having taken, on his own
initiative, these radical steps toward the
establishment of civil Philippine gov
eminent. These two codes of Gen Otis's
are today being thoroughly revised by
the commission, which is the properly
representing the army, knew would sue
coed him in civil administration. army
measures IN the past, having been more
or less In the nature of temporary eX-
pedient and without wise considera ton
of future effect are distinctly opposed
TO the course of action now being rur-
sued by the commission The measures
taken by the commission consider the
eventual establishment of a Central Phil
1pp1ne civil Government, with the needed
details of provincial administration, and
they are as lasting as anything that can
De done In these Islands until the time
when congress shall determine the f1-
lure of the Philippines. The commission
IN taxing the specific action consider
It's ACCESSIBILITY and its effect upon the
completed fabric Of government they are
instructed to erect.
LAWMAKING POWER.
They build for all time. and hence thew
pulld carefully and with the due consid-
erauon OF the effect of every stone thew
put INTO their structure; nor can thew af-
Iord 10 indulge in eXpedient and make
shift, The commission became the su-
preme IaW-making power in the archi-
Pelago sept. i and there is no one to
question the propriety of the measures
they adopt nor their right to enact laws
rms Is their beginning, and thus thew
nave put themselves upon a firm footing
Tor their future work. BY this action OF
Sept. 1 the commissioners have establish
ed the beginning of government in which
they are empowered to determine and
settle the questions of Oriental complex
lty which will constitute the good govern
ment OF the Philippines. If the commits
sion is TO do good work, 1t is but right
they should begin their work we'll. Vet
some people, Fflipinos as we'll as foreign
ers ana Americans, claim the commission
mas not reduced taxation and custom
imposts, permitted the people of MoniIa
to be abroad after IL o'clock at NIGHT
or opened up some narrow street to noar'
ket vendors.
In a Philippine newspaper of Sent z
there appears the following:
we had all of us hoped that a commits
sion OF civilians, free from the prenos-
session imposed by the very nature of
military obligations, would have easily
S found solution of the peace problems.
And this pretty we'll expresses the disap-
pointment of the Filipinos at large. They
persist in seeing problems to be solved.
and they still seem to hope the United
States government will treat with the
men who are opposed to 1t by force of
arms.
certain statement, remarkably clear
and exact, as to what the commission
purposes, has been made public; and, al
though the commissioners have shown a
most concilatory desire to permit the
t1lipinos to ask for notifications, and are
always ready to hear their wants as re-
CARDS certain minor points, it does not
appear at all likely at present that the
primary condition of Surrender first and
then TALK will be departed from to any
great degree.