Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-12-26
THE PHILIPPINES.
Annual Report Of the American
Commissioners.
IL Describes the Progress Made In Es-
tablishing Civil Government and
la the Matter of Education
Suffrage Qualifications are
Described at Length.

Washington, Deg. 19.-Provisions
for permanent civil government and
for much important legislation re-
garding the industrial development
of the Philippines is embodied in the
annual report of the Philippine COM
mission.
1T is declared that the federal party
spread like wldfire throughout the
archipelago, and that there are few
towns in any of the provinces which
have not their federal committees.
The members of the party were active
and effective in inducing insurgent
leaders to surrender. 1t is declared
by the commission that:
"Outside of the five provinces
named (Batangas, Cebu, Bohol, Sa-
mar and Mindoro) there is peace in
the remainder of the archipelago. All
insurrectos have surrendered and, in
most of the provinces except among
the lake Moros, it is entirely safe dur
ing the day for travellers unattended
to go from one town to another. In
other provinces, recent war condi-
tions and suffering and hardship from
cattle pest and locusts have developed
ladronism. The people are friendly
to the civil government and manifest
no desire for continuance of the
war, but only desire for peace and
protection"
Taking up the question of the po-
litical future of the Filpinos, it is
declared that the theory upon which
the commission is proceeding is that
the only possible method of instruct
ing the Filipino people in methods of
free institutions and sef-government
is to make government partly of
Americans and partly of Filipinos,
with ultimate control in American
hands for some time to come. Less
than 10 per cent. of the people speak
Spanish and the educated people, un-
der the influence of Spanish teaching,
have but a faint conception of real
civil liberty and the mutual self-re-
straints required for its maninten-
ance.
The commission has already, how
ever, established municipal suffrage
in the pacitied parts of the islands
and limited the suffrage to those
who can read and write English or
Spanish, or who own property of the
value of $3.50, pay an annual tax of
SIS, or have been municipal officers.
Thus far only 49,523 electors have
qualified under these provisions out
of a population of $685. in 800 mu-
inequalities, showing only 1897 elect
ors per 1000 inhabitants. This is
only about 10 per cent. of the number
which would qualify with similar pop
ulation under American law. The
commission declare that in fixing
these qualifications they followed the
recommendations of all the Filipinos
who were consulted, except that
there were many who advocated
higher qualification.
The commission proposes to settle
the veXed question of land titles by
legislation providing for the sale of
public lands upon the homestead prin-
ciple and the payment through bond
issue of the price of the lands now
held by the religious orders. so
per cent. reduction in the tariff on
Philippine imports into the United
States would, it is said, increase our
trade by leaps and bounds. Other
recommendation are that the pres
ent system of timber cutting under
license be continued; that mining and
incorporation laws be passed; that
the commission be permitted to con-
fer charters upon railways and to aid
them by grants of lands or guarantee
ing low interest upon the investments
(probably the total obligation would
not exceed $1,650,000); that laws be
passed providing for coinage, on the
gold standard with local silver cur
rency and for system of national
banks and land mortgage banks.
A full account is given by the COM
mission of the organization of the
system of education which has been
going on so vigorously under DR.. At
k;lson, the general superintendent.
The English language is the basis of
all public instruction, and nearly 1000
trained teachers from the United
States already have been put to work
in the towns and cities of the pacified
provinces. Applications for teachers
have been received from many towns
where it has not yet been possible to
send them. The greatest eagerness
is shown among the natives to obtain
a knowledge of English and general
primary education. In Manila sec
ondary schools have been established,
a normal school is engaged in the
instruction of Filipino teachers, and
night schools are holding regular ses-
sions with 1,S00 pupils.
Will be Tried a Third Time.
Cnrinn6aI1 I'll Dec 10-The Su-