Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-30
LIBERTY IN SMALL DOSES
Negroes Natives Could Not Stand Prac-
tical Self Government-Try on
Smaller Scale.
(By Associated Press.)


Islands, March 24.-The three days STAY
of the United States Philippine commits.
sion party at this rather remotely stu
ated capital of great island has been
particularly notable for the various
forms of entertainment provided. Tn.
with an Illuminated procession, remark
able for it's beauty and variety. More
than hundred novel and handsome i.lu-
minated designs We're carried about the
plaza and to the home of the governc.,
where reception was held. Next da,'
the feasting began with a banquet, the
like of which the commissioners hal
never seen before in all their Philippine
Journeys. 1t was given at the splendid
country home of Anisado Lacson, fivs
miles south of Bacolod, on a sugar
plantation five miles in area, and Scii
to be productive, in years OF good crops.
of profit of upwards of sac. 900 annualii.
hundred people were served witt,
menu, the choicenesS and variety o.
which would have done credit to a ci-'
establishment in the United States, and
the outlook was upon charming scene
of field, woodland and sea. Today the
commissioners We're entertained iii a
similar manner by Severino, the civil
governor of the province.
The political situation in Negroes since
American occupation has been unil' ..
| Under a special order OF General Otis
| the people had practical self government
for nearly two years, the only limit being
/ the absolute veto power vested in the
military governor
The people elected their governor. Sec
retaries of state, treasury and interio".
auditor and attorney general. besides an
advisory or legislative council. They
took most active interest III the elect 9ns
and were net slow to criticise the otfic :,
who were paid salaries of from s., 500 t.,
$4,000 tMeXican) annually.
| The public sessions of the commiss N
developed the fact that free popular gov
eminent had not been an unqualiti ~
success. The art Of the politician in vote
getting had been quickly grasped by Il. !:
leading spirits. who in some instances
made combinations which would have
/ done credit or discredlt to a city pcliti
cal boss in America. and according to
| the natives testimony improvements in
/ the island had been commensurate Mieh
the taxes paid.
7 The delegates seemed disappointed on
! learning that the new general law for
the provinces was much more simpl :
and limited than the previous forms Of
! government For the first time during
! the organization of provincial govern .
ments We're heard suggestions that all
the officers be elected by the people, or q :.
least those whose positions did not re-
/ xNs,st no1,,
| President Taft, replying, questioned
1 one of the native speakers as to whet. o,
the Negroes civil government establish i
| by General Otis had been really success
full. The man declined to answer VIII 1t
! he charact erized 80 delicate cues
ton
Judge Taft said that the committee,
enactng the provincial government law,
| had, to save expense provided that thu
! governors be elected by the council Of
| the town. as election of United States
| senators by legislatures. but that if the
Orle of Negroes desi ed to elect their
| provincial governors direct the commits
sion would consider the proposition and
| probably assent to it.
AS to the complaint that the proposed
provincial government would be narrow
err, and in fact curtailment of the peo-
Pies former private way of self govern
mcnt. Pres ident Taft said that general
central government of the Philippines
would be established in which the people
of Negroes would have representa-
tons: that there was no purpose on the
part of the United States to give less
voice in the government than the pro.
gress entitled them to and that all the
governments We're practically provincial
n.
replaced by law of greater scope and lib
erality. Some Visayan speakers argued
that it would be better to make all the
provincial officers appOntlve by the com
mission for the reason that where evil
such as exto.tion and mismanagemen
existed they would be best stamped GU
by the use of another system.
I The official result of the three days Wis
it in Bacolod was the adoption of a reso
luton declaring the advisa bility of estab
fishing two provincial governments Il
Negroes in the territories separated by tn
chain of mountains running lengthwis
of the island, called respectively Occiden
tai and Oriental Negroes; but, the appli
cation of the provincial law be deferre'
until the eastern district was visited an
it's condition more actually determined
The resolution included several prov
isions as to carrying over the government
and for adapting certain provisions o
laws (enacted by the island counciD t
the new and simple conditions of the pro
vincial governments. 1t also directe
that the Negroes officials enter into n
agreement pending the campaign. TIL
Negroes country is the richest agricuitur
ally and the most industriOusly titled i
the archipelago. The sugar planters ar
not inclined to be nggardly about take.
but they insist upon good government
The experiences related by the native
about the difficulties, petty drawback
and alleged injustices which seemed
have followed the self government
scheme applied solely to Negroes and whic
appeared to have extended even into the
social relations, was considered as i'm