Arizona republican., 1902-06-28
FORGIVENESS
 FOR FIL|PIN0S
Discussion of Terms of the
 Amnesty Proclamation
Which Will Be Issued as Soon as the Philippines Government Bill Be- comes a Law-The First Step in the Change From Military to Civil Rule.

Washington, June 21.-At a meeting of the cabinet today the terms ot the amnesty proclamation to the FilipinCs, which it is contemplated will be issued On the fourth of July, were agreed upon The war department for some time past has had under consideration the draft of the proclamation, and has found it necessary to make a number of changes in the text. In it's modified state it was agreed to by the cabinet today and Secretary Root will cable it to Acting Governor Wright for his inspection. If it meets the latter's ap- proval nothing will remain but for the president. if the Philippine government bill is law on that day, as it is now expected it will be. to issue on Indepen- dence Day a formal proclamation set ting fcrth the terms of amnesty for all political offenders in the islands, in cluding Aguinaldo and those held in Guam.
 The proclamation is based on the general objects Of the Philippine gov crnment bill, namely, to restore peace in the archipelago and substitute a civil for military administration. That bill is now in conference, and the proclamation will not be issued until { the Philippine government measure has been agreed upon by both houses and the president has affixed his sigma tlire to it.
 The proclamation will declare that q state of peace now exists in the Philip pine islands, save in parts of the archi- pelagc where pagan tribes are giving the United States great amount of trouble, and it will. declare in effect that with the transfer of the govern ment of the archipelago from a mili- tary to civil status all those arrested 1 and held for political offenses shall be restored to liberty. granted full ann nesty and allowed to participate ill the 1 civil government that is to be estab- i iishcd in the islands. While the pro- 1 clamation is subject to changes in the l text. the general language of the docu- ment is pretty well maprei out. l There was a general elscussion today l of the treatment thaf should be ac- corded the political prisoners of the 1 islands. There is no intention. it is said ! tc release prisoners convicted of other 1 than political Cffenses, the benefits Ci amnesty being limited to those in GUS tody as q result of breaches of mili- ! tary law. leaving criminal offenders tC i the acticn of the proper authorities un- der the coming civil government. The purpose is tC demonstrate that motives l of huma lity and generosity dictate our course toward the Philippines
 When the islands are turned over tC 1 the civil authorities they will not be ! left without adequate military protec- tion, as no more troops will be ordered home for the present. and every pre- caution will be taken for a military safeguarding Of the new civil admin
 istration.
 Another subject under discussion al
 the cabinet meeting today was the ne
 gotiatiOns for the purchase of the
 "friars lands in the Philippines. Sec
 retary Root took with him to the meet ing all the correspondence which has
 passed between himself and Governor
 Taft while the latter has been carry ing on his negotiations at Rome. It i'
 understood that Secretary Root feels
 great confidence in the successful out
 come Of Governor Taft's efforts.
 Tt,o cabinet also took up the questio-
 cf naming the naval vessels provided
 in the naval appropriation bill, and i
 is stated that a decision was reached
 on that case. but it is desired not tt
 make the names public until the vessel:
 are actually authorized.
 The cabinet meeting was held in the
 presidents temporary quarters. on La
 fayette square, and it was the first
 time in eighty-eight years that a reg
 uiar session of the cabinet has beer
 held outside the white house.