Evening star., 1901-01-26
Report Of the Taft Commission Sent
to the Senate.
LEGISLATION URGEDBY THEPRESIDENf
Grant Of Authority Required from
Congress.
PROGRESS OF PACIFICATION

The President has sent message to the
Senate, incloslng report from the secre-
tary of War, forwarding another from the
Taft Philippine commission, bearing upon
the latter's acts Of legislation ''and other
important Information relating to the con-
ditions and immediate wants Of the Philip
pine islands,
One section of the report Of the COM
mission bears upon the friar question. and
of this the commission says the political
question will be eliminated If the friars
are not sent back.
Concluding, the President says: Il ear
nestly recommend legislation under which
| the government of the islands may have
authority to assist in their peaceful indus
trial development in the directions indi-
Gated by the Secretary of War"
Secretary Roots letter to the President
| is supplementary to his annual report. He
| says conditions now in the Philippines indi-
| cate that the development of that country
| along the lines of peaceful industrial prog
| ress requires the exercise of powers of civil
| government not vested In the War Depart
| ment or in the President as military COM
mander, but requiring grant OF authority
| from Congress.
The Progress Of Publication.
| Further Secretary Root says:
1.-The commission gives a gratifying ac-
count Of the progress made in the paciflca-
ton Of the country and the gradual subsi-
| dence of guerrilla warfare. Information
received subsequent to the date Of the re-
port confirms the favorable anticipations
of the commission. A personal letter re-
celved by me from Judge Taft, dated De-
cember IA, 1900, says:
Since writing you about 5000 insurgents
In 1locos Norte have surrendered and 10000
persons who were not well affected toward
| us in Panay have taken the oath Of allie
glance. L have already received two pa
pers from native priests, eighteen in num-
ber, and l am told that there will be
great many other papers signed by great
many more native priests, rendering their
allegiance to the United States and prom
Using fidelity without mental reserve. The
native priests are those who have held out
| longest in favor of the insurgents and
against the Americans, and 1 deem this ac-
ton as OF great Importance The army is
hitting small, but hard knocks against the
insurgents everywhere. Since the election
there has been great falling off in the
activity of the insurgents in aggressiveness
and their sole activity has been displayed
in avoiding the fights which small detach-
ments of our troops have brought about -
Passage of SpoOner Bill Urged.
On January 2 the commission, as body,
reinforced the views contained in its re-
| port by the following dispatch from Ma
| Mia: III .p
Root, Secretary of War. Washington: II
you approve ask transmission to proper
| senators and representatives of following:
Passage of SpQoner bill at present ses
sion greatly needed to secure best result
| from improvi ing conditions. Until its pas
sage no purely central civil government
can be established, no public franchises of
any kind granted and no substantial IN
vestment of private capital in internal inn
provements possible. ALI L. are needed as
most important steps in complete pacifica-
ton Strong. peace party organized with
| defined purpose of securing civil govern
ment under United States, and reasonably
expect civil government and relief from in
eVltable. but annoying, restraints of mill
tary rule long before subject can be taken
up by new Congress. Time near at hand,
in our opinion, when disturbances exist
ing can better be suppressed by native po-
lice of civil government with an army as
auxiliary force, than by continuance of
complete military control. Power to make
change should be put in hands of President
to act promptly when time arrives to give
Filipino people an object lesson In adyan-
tages of peace. Quasi civil government un-
der way; power most restricted and unsat-
isfying. Commission embarrassed in Sc
curing good material for judicial and other
service by necessarily provisional charac-
ter of military government and uncertain
ty of tenure.
Sale of public lands and allowance of
mining claims impossible until Spooner bill
Is passed Hundreds Of American miners
on ground awaiting law to perfect claims
More coming. Good element in pacifica-
ton. Urgently recommend amendment of
Spooner bill so that its operation be not
postponed until complete suppression of all
insurrection. but only until in Presidents
Judgment civil government may be safely
established. Conditions rapidly improving
to point where civil government with aid
of army, will be more efficient to secure
peace than military control.
"'CoMA1Iss1oN' "
Conditions Reported Better.
A dispatch from Judge Taft, dated Janu-
ary 8, 1901, says:
conditions rapidly improving. Rifles, Of
f1cers and privates are being captured or
surrendered daily in considerable numbers
in North and South Luzon. Same condi-
tions in Panay, where more than $4,000 have
taken oath of allegiance. Insurgent forces
completely scattered, and Leader Delgabo
negotiating for surrender. Work in Samar
slow because Of insurgent band, long uncon-
tested occupation Of interior and swollen
streams early in campaign. Campaign IN
Samar has driven bands into Leyte produc-
ing disturbance, but information is that
condition there is favorable Federal party
for peace; direct result Of election Well
organized and rapidly increasing in Manila;
preparing to extend organization to many
provinces on pressing and numerous invita-
tons from leading citizens"
Adequate Laws Necessary.
1.-The report shows" continues Secretary
contain about seventy-three million acres
Of land, Of which less than five millions are
held In private ownership leaving in public
lands over sixty-eight million acres. The
army has brought the Philippines to the
point where they offer ready and attract
I've field for investment and enterprise, but
to make this possible there must be mining
laws. homestead and land laws general
Transportation laws, banking and currency
laws. d:
such laws the military government can
not supply Broad and peremptory as are
its powers for the time. it is temporary in
its character, and cannot project its author
ity into the fnturssi 1t cannot give title to
the settler or the miner or corporate rights
to the bank or the railroad.
..'rhe section, of the report on the liquor
traffic in Manila Indicates that the powers
of the commission are ample to deal with
that subject, that, fhey have devoted great
attention to il and that the difficulties
which they experience are the same as
those which confrant Congress In govern
ing the city Of Washington and our state
legislatures in dealing with the same sub
iect, while the success which they have
attained will compare favorably with the
results here Many false and misleading
statements have been made regarding the
t;pG ~,