New-York tribune., 1901-10-26
MANILA CITY COURTS.
GOVERNOR TAFTS INSTRUCTIONS TO
THE NEWLY APPOINTED MUNICH
PAL JUDGES.

Washington. Oct 25 (SpeciaD.-To show how
closely the civil government Of the Philippine
Islands is safeguarding the liberties of the island
ers along the lines of President Mc[inleys order
TO the Philippine Commission. the Division of In
sular Affairs Of the War Department makes public
the following extract from letter of Instructions
from Governor Taft 70 the municipal judges recent
ly appointed in Manila:
AS you upon your judicial duties as Judges
of the two municipal courts OF the city venture
10 explain 10 you the purpose which the commits
Manila IL has oesfs said and il is true. that in
pocs Judge has been able 10 discbaree tbe d,tses
which are now placed uDOn you. and It has been
lacking in economy. 10 provide two judges here
The commission is very clear however that the
The dispatch of business in police court in
slant procession before the court Of vagrants.
drunkardS and petty thieves. with whose faces.
familiar The hearings are all in one language.
and there is therefore generally no necessity for
sons, and frequently of the witnesses. enables him
wonderful accuracy and justfces but certainly as
one sits in police court in America and observes
prisonments are imposed he must think, if he does
not know the circumstances 7 have explained. that
there may be many cases IN which gross injustice
Is done under such procedure. The military
eenrS G tbs erovos % courts of b ctT bIt o
that civil government is established and the course
the risk Of Injustice, different course is entirely
The judges of the municipal courts those
officers who come closer than any other officers.
not only TO the criminal classes. but also to the
poor and humble and IT is from their adnlinistra-
ton OF the law that the poor and lOwly derive their
Impressions or the character of justice which the
government Is administering. Therefore it is more
important In municipal courts than In any other
offence before them should not only have Justice
dealt to him. but also should receive the impress
sion that ne is being dealt justly with. To accom-
pIish both these ends time must be taken to look
into the merits OF each case; the defendant must
be given an opportunity have counsel II he de-
s1es it, and to have his witnesses called Il he
knows OF any that can support his defence. Many
OF the offences which Will be brought before your
courts mere violations of municipal ordinances
or of health regulations u IS quite possible thar
offence may not know or understand what the
regulations or ordinances are, and IL Is most essen
tial that the trial should bring clearly before their
minds that they are In court Of justice that
they being tried for an offence against the law
and exactly what that offence is. Such cases call
for Da+erpaI cIeu1encv uptfI bv repetftOn of the
offences II IS demonstrated that the Offenders are
intentional Iawbreakers. of course YOU viii have
not a few instances of hardened criminals. TO whom
must be meted out severe penalties; but the great
number of the defendants who come before you
will be OF the Character / have described. Many
who stand up before you will hardly understand
what II IL that ls being done. and will feel II part
OF their formal duty to acGuiesce in the charges.
instead OF meeting them by a denial supported ny
of Justice In yCur courts what their rights de-
PENDANTS are. The possibility that interested per-
sons may have inundated or terrorized defendants
into n0n-resistance 10 the charges is that the
experience Of the last two or three wears requires
the judges to have constantly in mind You should
make the municipal courts institutions which the
humber classes shall not regard with fear and as
before them. You should make them tribunals
which the people will look upon as Protectors
against the possible fraud. malice Overzeal OF
prosecutors the hand. and indicators
OF tNe law and Of peace and good order on the
other
peope this double character you must regulate
every case and this will take all the time Of two
judges especially when everything that is said In
court. because OF the varieties OF language spoken
mi be interpreted.