The times., 1901-06-07
DUAL FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
Civil and Military Rule for the Pres
cnt in the Philippines

The decision Of the President and his
Cabinet at their last meeting to continue
| the administration of affairs in the Philip
pines along the same lines as have hither-
! TO been followed is now conceded to mean
that the President VIII henceforth act
under the war making power vested in
! hln' and as Command. -in-Chicf of the
| military forces OF the United States.
! his will be the plea and defence made by
! the Government when test cases are
brought in the courts, as they no doubt
| Will be, to decide the validity of his acts
and those of the Taft Commission in the
establishment of civil government and
the imposition Of tariff duties.
So far as the Spooner amendment is
concerned. it is admitted to be little more
than a dead letter or the statute books,
and is only of consequence in carrying
out the Administrations plans in that
while it probably does not add anything
to the Presidents powers it does not
take any authority away from him, in the
matter of dealing with the islands.
Attention has been called by Admin
istration leaders to what seems to have
been an anticipation OF the present situa-
tion on the part of the President when
instead of saying in his last inaugural
tain powers upon the Executive, he de-
clared that Congress had sanctioned what
had been done in the Philippines.
According to the statement made from
an official source yesterday, the Taft
Commission will continue it's work of es-
tablishiag a civil government in the ISL
ands, as heretofore. and when it is finally
set up and a governor appointed, there
will be. as matter of fact, until Con-
gress takes action in conformity to the
decision Of the Supreme Court-whatever
1t may be-two sources Of authority in
the Philippines. One will be the mill
tary authority, which will be little more
than nominal, and the other viii be the
civil authority. To avoid any clashes it
has been already determined that the one
shall have Jurisdiction in military matters
only and the other in civil affairs. which,
in peaceful state of the islands, will
perform the principal duties and func-
UpnS of government.
This Is in brief the plan which has been
outlined as the best method of continuing
the policy Of the President in the absence
of the Supreme Court s decision as to the
exact status Of the islands. So that while
there viii be civil government, it will in
reality be under military authority as
paradoXical as that may appear to be.
Ii Is pointed out that a condition some
what similar TO this. and which is cited
as precedent, existed in New Mexico
for a time shortly after that Territory
became a part of the territory of the
United States. There both a civil and
military authority were in existence. The
appointment Of provisional governors in
the Southern States directly after the
close Of the civil war while military
authority was supreme in that section is
also referred to as being somewhat akin
10 what is to be done in the Philippines
OF course, this plan carries with it all
Of the unlimited power in the hands of
the President as was contemplated by
the SpOoner amendment. and does not
give the Ftlipiuos any more assurance of
the protection of the Constitution than
the President in his option sees fit to al
low them.
There is little doubt but that Judge
Of the islands a. soon as the Commission
has concluded it's work and is in readi-
ness to put the system Of government
which il is preparing into operation.