The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-05
so DECIDES THE CABINET
Thus an Extra Session of Congress is
Unnecessary
FULL CIVIL GOVERNMENT NEXT MONTH
1t Will be Set Up in the Philippines Exactly as
Prrcted by the Commission. Moth
ing Said as TO the fiIipino's
Legal Status.
CBy the Associated Press.>

Washington, June 1.-The Cabinet to-
day unanimously decided that existing
conditions do not warrant the calling Of
an extra session of Congress this summer +.
Secretary Root and Attorney General
Knox both rendered opinions to the Cf-
feet that the authority to govern the
Philippines vested in The President by the
spooner amendment was ample. These
opinions were concurred in by all the
members of the Cabinet.
The decision of the Cabinet was an
nounced after the Cabinet meeting in the
following statement issued by Secretary
Cortelyou:
THE President has determined that Cx-
listing conditions do not require or war
rant calling Congress togetker during5the
present summer or making any change in
the policy hitherto pursued Il: announced
in regard to the Philippine Islands"
About the first of next month, full civil
government will be set up in the Phil
ippine Islands, exactly as projected by
the Philippine Commission. AS soon after
that date as the Adminis-r / i've ministry
can be made ready for it the new Philip
pine tariff will be proclaimed, al.o fol-
lowing out the original plan formed before
the announcement of the decisions of the
Supreme Court last week. These dete-m-
nations followed a careful study of the
decisions of the court, the results OF
which were made known a; the Cabinet
meeting today Secretary Root has had
little doubt at any time since the courts
action, of the feasibility of continuing 'he
II
without violating any of the principles
enunciated by the court, ard his study
was mainly to make sure that he mad
not overlooked anything in the decision
that might qualify that belief Oh his p;lt.
He has not found in any of the opinions
delivered by the Justices anything TO
shake his original idea and having so
advised the Cabinet, and that view being
hared by the Attorney General the origi-
nal programme is to be carried out.
AS to the legal status Of the islands
tho officials have nothing to say. They
do not indicate whether the tenure is to
be regarded as one purely military or
whether they have found in the decisions
warrant for taking the Spopncr act as
quite sufficient in itself to justly ,hc es-
tablishment of purely civil government
in the Philippine Islands, accompanied by
the taxing power. as exhibited 10 tariff
schedules The general statement is
made that the exercise of authority is TO
be by virtue of the Supreme Court 1ep0sed
in the President; it may be either IS
commander in chief of the United States
military establishment or by virtue of
the special designation in the Sp0oner
law, perhaps either would sufficient.
The collector at San Francisco viii go
on taking up Dingley 1Ities oil impol is
from the Philippines for the Cabinet has
assured itself that the practice IS legal,
rat any rate they are no. bound TO
otherwise declare in the absence o.
decision by the highest judicial authority.
The failure of the court to announce a
decision in the fourteen diamond rings
case-the one involving the legality of the
imposition of Dingley duties cn goods
coming from the Philippines regarded
as warranting the belief that the oouIt
did not find in this case a lrallel to the
De Lima case.
The report of the Philippine Commits
sion setting out in vast detail the COM
plete scheme of civil government devised
by them is now in Washington and the
legal difficulty being passed consideration
will now be given to this report. 1t
would not be feasible to notify Judge Taft
by mail of his appointment as the first
civil governor of the Philippines in time
for him to assume office July 1sJ so this
must be done by cable.