Evening star., 1901-12-19

he lives and one-half into the provincial
treasury. In addition, the municipal coun-
Gil has power to license saloons and other
business requiring police supervision and
mentioned in the municipal code. During
the spring of 1902 win be collected for the
first time an ad valorem land tax for the
governments. The provincial board Is re-
CURED to levy one-eighth of 1 per cent on
the assessable land Of the province for
roads and bridges, and may levy two
municipal council is required to levy one
fourth of per cent for schools, and may
levy one-fourth of per cent more for gen.
eral purposes. We have not sufficient data
at hand to say how much revenue these
sources are likely to afford. but so far as
we have been able to judge we think the
provinces and towns Will be self-support-
ing. If deficiency should arise 1t can be
met by an increase Of the land tax. which
as at present provided Is very small.
I'VE have made an advance to each prov
ince of $500 gold, to be repaid January 1,
1903 AS the governments all began with
out any money whatever, this seemed nee
essary to give them start, though several
provinces have declined the loan. No COM
plaint has been made to the commission
from any province that Is running behind.
In Ambos Camarines, CapiZ and Iloilo
danger of suffering from starvation was
reported to be imminent because Of the
death of the carabaos. Accordingly, we
have authorized each Of those provinces to
borrow from the insular treasury $4,000
gold to build needed roads in the vicinity
of towns where suffering was greatest, so
as to furnish money to the people, the
money to be paid back in five annual in
StallmentS. beginning in two years.
THE provincial board Of Iloilo has since
advised the commission that it will not
revenues are large enough to do the work
without it. The other two provinces have
drawn the money!
Political Future.
Taking up the question Of the political
future of the Filipinos, 1t is declared that
the theory upon which the commission is
proceeding is that the only possible method
of instructing the Filipino people in
methods of free institutions and self-gov-
ernment is to make a government partly
of Americans and partly Of Filipinos. with
ultimate control in American hands for
some time to come. Less than 10 per cent
of the people speak Spanish, and the edu-
Gated people, under the influence of Span
ish teaching, have but faint conception
restraints required for its maintenance.
The commission has already, however. es-
tablished municipal suffrage in the paci-
fled parts of the islands and has limited
the suffrage to those who can read and
write English or Spanish. or who own
property. of the value of $3.50, pay an an
nual tax of $15 or have been municipal
officers. Thus far only 1883 electors have
II
population of 2.695, ,SO1 in 800 municipali-
ties. showing only 1897 electors per 1000
inhabitants. This is only about 10 per cent
Of the number which would qualify with
a similar population under American law.
Many of the common people, the COM
mission believes, will be brought within
these qualifications in one generation by
the widespread system Of education which
Is being inaugurated, and the electorate
will thus be gradually enlarged. Mean
time it is proposed by practical lessons to
eliminate from the minds of the more in
teligent part of the community those
ideas of abSolutiSm in government which
now control and to impress upon them the
division of powers prevailing under the
American system. The commission out
lines project for the purpose Of carrying
out these views.
Action Asked by Congress.
/ I'VE respectfully urge" says the commits
sion, "that Congress be requested to con-
firm the legislation Of the commission al
ready enacted and vest by congressional
act In the civil governor and commission,
and their successors by appointment Of the
President. the powers and authority here
tofore exercised by them under the in
structions of the President, and that pro-
vision be made in such legislation for
popular assembly. to begin its life January
1, 1904.
I'VE further recommend that by the act
made for the selection. after January 1904,
by a joint vote of the popular assembly
and the executive council, of two delegates
to represent the interests of these islands
and the Filipino people before Congress
and the executive at Washington"
Reference is made by the commission to
the beneficial effects expected from the
new tariff which took effect on November
res of life and on machinery and railway
equipment needed for the development Of
the islands. 1t is then declared:
''If Congress will reduce by 30 per cent
the United States duty on tobacco, hemp
and sugar, and other merchandise coming
from these islands, 1t is certain that the
trade between them and the United States
under the new tariff will increase by leaps
strengthen the bonds between the Filipino
and American people, and it is earnestly
recommended"
Other Important Recommendation.
Other important recommendations made
by the commission for legislation by Con-
gress are as follows:
That the commission be authorized to
issue bonds Of the insular government with
which to buy up the agricultural holdings
and other property Of the religious orders.
to purchase the same, and to sell lands thus
required, preferably to the present tenants,
on easy payments, and be required to use
the proceeds Of the sales as a sinking fund
with which to meet the bonds issued
That authority be given to the commission
to pass general public land law, making
provision for the acquisition of homestead
rights, the perfecting of titles to those who
have in good faith settled upon public lands
and improved the same, and public auction
sales Of the public lands at a fixed mini
mum price per acre in tracts Of compare
lively large extent, and upon such other
conditions as the commission may impose,
and that this authority shall include the
right Of the commission to grant to the
pueblos commons from the public lands
That the commission be authorized to con-
tinue the present regulations of the cutting
of timber, with such notifications as ex-
perience may show to be WISE
That the commission be authorized to
pass mining law having a general re-
semblance to the United States mining
| laws, with such notifications as the local
conditions require.
That power be given to the commission
to pass a general incorporation law for the
conducting Of legitimate businesses by cor
porations.
That the commission receive special au-
thority to issue charters to commercial rail-
roads, with power to make donations of
lands, or guarantee the interest on the In
yestmentS or both such grants to he sub-