Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-06-07
SECRETARY FOR COLONIES.
Promoters and syndicates "FixinE"
to Get Things Under Their
Control.

The reports which are proceeding
from Washington regarding the flu
ture of government in the Philippines
plainly carry with them the earmarks
of their administration origin. Read
between the lines they reveal pos
sible changes of far-reaching signifi-
canoe in the prevailing notions as to
the division of powers among the
several departments of the federal
government.
From time to time we have heard
suggestions offered of new depart
ments to be added to those existing,
and represented in the cabinet coun-
ellis of the president. But the only
addition made to the established di-
visions since the foundation of the
government has been that of secre-
tary of agriculture. The elaboration
of the statements of the administra-
ton officials involved in so-called
press dispatches as to the needs of
the government of the Philippines
leave little doubt that there is in
process of incubation a scheme to
spring new federal secretary on the
country and establish new depart
ment of federal governments
The war department has now sole
control of the details of administra-
ton at Manila. There is the Taft
commission, of course; but up to
within a few days nobody paid the
slightest attention to that admins
tration tender. Since Gen. Funston
brought the Philippine insurection to
a virtual close the Taft commission
looms up into prominence, and with
it the question of the enduring basis
on which the conduct of the Philip
pine affairs shall be handled from
Washington. II there is no war there
can be no use for the war depart
ment in connection with the affairs
of the Tagalogs and the other Of our
political brethren in the east.
What then can be more rational thar
the creation of colonial secretary
They have one in England, you know
and he is by no means small admin
istrative potato. If we have to indulge
ourselves in the possession of colonies,
we will necessarily need colonial
secretary in our business. This is evil
IDENTIFY the covert reasoning of our
rulers. They are plainly not yet in q
position to show their hands; and SO
the enormity of having the business Of
such vast aggregation of new lands
as the Philippines managed from the
war department after peace has beer
declared is forcing itself on the officia
mind with terrible pressure.
While the plans are being laid TO,
this new evolution in American consti
tutional government 1t might be worth
the while of our great men at Wash
fngton to reflect that the little opera
lions carried on some time in the d
rection of fixing" the supreme cour
by the appointment of those in WHOM
the members of that court have
natural interest, may not prove as sue
cessful as some are disposed to antici
pate. It is still among the possibilitie
that in spite of the promoters an,
their syndicates the Philippines an
Porto Rico may be found to be in pre-
cisely the same constitutional classic
cation as the Hawaiian islands, an
entitled to have their governors az
pointed otherwise than under the e1
ercise of the dictatorial powers cor
ferred on the president in connectie
with the government of those place!
st. Paul Globe.