Mesa free press., 1901-02-08
THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION
Files a Report on the Condition of Al
fairs in the Islands.

President Mckinley submitted a re-
port to the senate last week from the
Taft Philippine Commission. Among
other suggestions of the president, he
concluded:
Il earnestly recommend legislation
under which the government of the
islands may have authority to assist
in their peaceful Industrial develop
ment in the directions indicated by
the secretary of war"
The report adds: Amy statement of
the conditions prevailing in the islands
during the last six months which ig-
nores the effect of the American cleo
tion as controlling element in the sit
uation is necessarily inadequate Since
the result was announced there has
been a great decrease in insurgent ac-
tivity and the intensest disappoint-
ment, which will certainly effect the
collapse of the insurrection in the near
future. From now on, conditions in
these islands will grow steadily better"
One of the longest chapters in the re-
port concerns the friars in the Philip
pines 1t gives the history of the ex-
pulsion of these friars from their places
by the rebels, and declares that the
burning question agitating the Fill
spinos is whether they shall be per-
mitted to return. AS to the mooted
question Of the immortality of the friars.
the commission says that the evidences
on this point is so strong that it seems
to establish clearly that there were
enough instances in each province to
give considerable ground for the gem
eral report.
The report shows that the total
amount Of land in the island owned
by the Augustinians, the Dominicans.
approximately 100000 acres, besides
which they have large sums Of money
to loan. Most Of this property has been
transferred by the Dominicans to a
man named Andrews, and by the Au-
gistinians and by the Recolletos to
English corporations, but the commits
sion says these transfers are not genu-
inc, and the friars remain the owners.
It declares, however, that the United
States government is bound by treaty
to protect these interests, and sug
gests that they be purchased for pub
lie lands out of the island revenues and
by condemnation, if need be, though
the orders have expressed a willing
ness to sell at a satisfactory price.
THE FRIARs.
Regarding the return Of the friars,
the commission says that the deep
seated hatred Of the people must be
reckoned with. 1t would be of assist
ance to the American cause If the Cath
olic church were to substitute Ameri-
can priests, but this is question of
church policy with which the commits
sion has nothing to do. Says the re-
port: ut is enough to say that the
political question will be eliminated if
the friars are not sent back.
Reference is made to the subject Of
religious exercises in schools, which
has since been decided in favor of the
church, on the basis Of the Faribault
plan. The commission says: 1T is
not certain that this would completely
meet the views Of the Catholic hier-
archy. but it is likely it will avoid that
active hostility to a public school sys-
tenn which might be a formidable OBJ
stacle in spreading education among
these Catholic people"
The question Of establishing ade-
q11ate means of communication between
and throughout all the ISLANDS is
deemed secondary in Importance only
to the primary schools as an educator
of the people The commission states
that it has no authority to grant fran
chises for the construction of railways,
and advises this government to en-
power it with this right, believing that
the construction Of a number of roads
backed by foreign capital would ensue
Immediately.
The report says that all the courts
are performing their regular func-
tions, though in a provisional way. In
the Supreme Court the justices are
mostly all Filipinos, and the justices
of the peace are all natives. The COM
mission says that the judicial salaries
are miserably inadequate, and it is not
surprising therefore that charges of
bribery and corruption have arisen.
The commission hopes to reorganize the
judiciary early this year, but declares
that the establishment of a Federal
court is not within it's jurisdiction. The
Civil Code is said to be adequate for
the solution of commercial controver-
sizes and the regulations of all civil
conduct.