Evening star., 1901-06-01
RIGHTS OF FIHPINOS
IMPORTANT RULING By THE STATE
DEPARTMENT.
Inhabitants of the Islands Entitled to
Passports and the Protection of
This Government.

In answer to his application for instruc-
tions, Secretary Hay has directed Ambas-
sador Choate at London to issue passports
to two Filipinos who appeared at the en-
bassy yesterday "as residents of the Phil
ippine Islands and as such entitled to the
protection of the United States.''
The decision upon this paint is of i'm
portance, as having perhaps some bearing
upon the status of the peolIe of the Phil
ippines, Porto Rico and Guam. A year
ago the decision was reached to regard
the Porto Ricans as entitled to the protec-
tion conveyed by an American passport,
but formal decision of tile test case was
prevented through the withdrawal of the
applfcation The Foraker act determined
the right of the Porto Ricans as "citizens
or Porto Rico to the protection of the
United States government. 1t Is now held
that the Spooner law conveyed the same
privilege to the inhabitants Of the Philip
pines. That act vests power in the Pres
ldent and his appointees for the establish
ment OF civil government and for maintain
ing and protecting the inhabitants of said
islands in the free enjoyment of their lib.
erty, property and religion" 1t is held
tnat TINS requirement carries with it the
obllgatlon to protect these people in their
travel abroad. =
Prohibition in the Statutes.
The United States statutes prohibit the
issue of passports to any but American
citizens, but these later acts, the Foraker
act and the Spooner act, impose obliga-
t1ons in their turn which may be regarded
as qualifying the original act and NAV
enable the government to avoid a decision
upon the question of the American citizen
ship of the islanders. AT any rate, the
circular OF instructions now in formulation
which will be sent out to all United States
diplomatic and consular representatives
will direct them to issue. not certificates
but genuine American passports to the
islanders.
The Application.
A London dispatch sent yesterday says:
Two men representing there@5etves to be
Filipnos called at the United States en-
bassy here today and applied to Ambas-
sador Choate for passports. These the
ambassador declined to issue, giving as
reason that they furnished him with nc
evidence that they were American citizens.
The applicants persisted. Mr.. Choate
then told them that it was impossible for
him to comply with their request unless
evidence was submitted that they were en-
titled to the privileges of American citizen
ship.
LONDON, June 1.-The sfieials of the
United States embassy inform the Asso-
ciated Press that the matter of granting
passports to the Filipinos who applied for
them yesterday had to be referred to
Washington, as it was the first time such
an application had been made by person
of this nationality. The F'ilipinos desired
to travel in Russia, and though the appli-
cants took the oath OF allesistr e to the
United States in Spanish 7i.'i,l ngl'sh the
embassy considered it vis.,G;c 10 submit
the matter by cable to, Washington, as it
has frequently done when PASSPORTS were
requested. The embassy is now awaiting
a reply. The applicants were quite con-
tented and thanked the officials OF the
embassy for the action taken.
Another Passport Case.
The State Department, which has been
looking into the merits of the case for
some time past. has instructed Ambassa-
dor Tower at st. Petersburg that he may
issue an American passport to Simon
James Gordon. upon satisfactory assurance
that the man intends to return to the
United States from Russia and that he
does not intend to use passport to break
his bail bond of 25,0OO rubles and avoid
legal proceedings against him now pend
ing in Russia
Gordon was born In Russia, but natu-
raliZed In New Jersey, where he has a
brother residing at Gutenberg. He went
to Russia nearly quarter OF a century
ago as a business agent Of an American
locomotive concern, but his connection
with that company ceased some time ago.
Upon the death of his first wife he married
Russian woman, and has now become in
volved in family difficulties through sep
aration. His wife's family has brought
suit against him, and he is under a bail
bond to await the result Of that suit, which
grows out Of bitter family quarrel. and.
SO far as is known here, his detention is
not connected with any political or bus-
ness affair. The United States law does
not allow passports to be issued to natu
rallied citizens who return to reside in
their native country without purpose to go
back to the United States within reason
able time and resume the full duties of
citizenship, and this test must be applied
by Mr.. Tower to Gordon. The case has
been pending before the department for
several months and if Gordon is unable to
comply with the requirements, it must be
her considered