The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-02-20
WHAT THEY WANT,
,,p,NO MEMORIAL TRANSMIT
TED TO THE SENATE.
-, fl, Annexation to the United States
and for a Territorial Form Of Govern
msnt-WouId Also Have . Remedy tor
.b, Ancient Evil Known a the friar-
Amnesty Also Asked.

M
II the Federal party of the Philippine
Islands was transmitted to the senate by
,bo secretary of war, together with q
Latter of transnittal by Gov. Taft, in
those charge the document was given.
The memorial was adopted at an extra
ordinary session Of the Federal party held
in Manila in November. 1t sets forth
that the performance of that obligation
Of the treaty of Paris which gave the
limited States congress authority to fix
the status of the Philippine islands has
heen deferred to this time because of
tho attack by the Filipinos upon the
sovereignty OF the United States, an act
brouoht about, the memorial says,
through misunderstanding, and not
through hatred of the American sover-
signty. 1t further states that out of the
SStv provinces and districts war exists
in only two-Batangas and Samar. 1t
also asserts that it is demonstrated
fact that the pueblos or towns anxiously
desire "a definite civil rule" and say
hat those wi are still in arms allege
that the lack of civil regime, agreed
mon and promulgated by the congress
Of the United States is weighty pre-
text for their belligerent attitude, which
regime shall determine at once The polit-
ical status and civil rights of the inhab-
itants of the archipelago, in accordance
with the treaty of Paris"
ton of the deduction of the Federal
party that congress should proceed to
carry into effect its determination of
defining the future of the Philippines in
their relations to the United States, and
ass rts that there is no reason for not
replacing the military regime "by a civil
rule of a popular character, in conform
ity with the decisive words of the never
to-be-forgotten President Mckinley"
Want Territorial Rights.
The memorialists pray declaration
by the congress of the United States to
the effect that the Philippine islands
are an integral part of the United States,
the said Philippine islands const ituting
a territory with the rights and privileges
which the constitution of the United
States grants to the other territories,
such as that Of becoming a state of the
Union.
A preliminary form of government
similar to that of the territories of the
United States is outlined as suitable for
the Philippines. The memorial asks
that the islands be represented in the
United States house of representatives
by two delegates.
The second part of the memorial sets
forth the aspirations of a social and eco
nomical character, the principal OF which
the memorial represents to be the secur-
ing of a remedy of the "ancient evil
known as the friar." Under this desig-
nation the memorial includes all the re-
ligious orders now existing in the islands.
Complete and general amnesty to the
Philippine people is asked. In the pacific
portions of the islands, the memorial
says, there are thousands of prosecutions
brought against the revolutionists who
have surrendered to American sovereign
ty for acts of violence committed while
they were in the field and prior to their
surrender. In this connection the me-
mortal asserts that there are many revO-
iutionists who have thus submitted who
have been now deported to distant
islands or who are undergoing sentences
In Jails and prisons, while their families
suffer the greatest sorrow and want.
This condition of affairs the memorialistr
consider great obstacle to complete
pacifcation.