The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-01
After Voting Down n Democratic Sub
stitute That Proposed ReIinquish-
ing the Archipelago.
CENSUS is PROVIDED FOR
AND on 1T THE COMMISSION MUST
BASE RECOMMENDATIONS,
Provision Made for n Mint and the
Coinage of "A Special silver Trade
Dollar and Small Coins.

WASHINGTON March 0.-1ne senate
committee on the Philippines to-day COM
pleted consideration of the bill prescribing
a form of government for the Philippine
islands and authorized Senator Lodge TO
report il TO the Senate after voting down
the Democratic substitute by a party vote.
An amendment providing for a census of
the population of the islands was adopted.
1t is as follows:
That whenever the existing insurrection
in the Philippine islands shall have ceased
and a condition of general and complete
peace shall have been established therein
and the facts shall be certified TO the Pres
ident by the Philippine Commission, the
President, on being satisfied thereof, snail
order a census of the Philippine islands 10
be taken; such census, in its inquiries re-
lating to the populatiin shall take and
make, so far as practicable, full report for
all the inhabitants of name, age, SEX, race
or tribe, whether native or foreign born,
literacy in Spanish. native dialect or Ian
guage, or in English, school attendance and
ownership of homes and such other in
formation separately for each island, eacn
province and municipality or other civil di-
vision, needful to inform the President and
Congress concerning the capacity, fitness
and readiness of all the people of the Phil
ippine islands, and of particular Islands,
provinces and municipalities and other
civil divisions for the establishment and
maintenance in the Philippine islands or
certain of them of a permanent popular
representative government
After the completion of the census the
Philippines Commission is requested fully
to report TO the President and to Con-
gress their recommendations based on
such census and upon the operation
of the local governments provided for
whether or not all or certain of the
Philippine Stands are capable, fit and ready
for the establishment of a permanent pop
ular representative government.
The Philippines Commission is continued
in effect and there is no further hint than
that above quoted of a possible change.
The following provision is made for the ex-
tension of the commissions authority:
THAT the Philippine Commission mean
time is hereby authorized and directed. in
their discretion, TO continue to establish
additional municipal and provincial govern
ments in the Philippine islands with pop
ular representative government so far and
so fast as communities in such civil divi-
sions are capable, fit and ready for the
same, the qualifications of electors in cleo
tions in municipalities and provinces TO be
the same as now provided by law for cleo
tors in municipal elections; and said Phil
ippine Commission whenever they find other
male inhabitants of lawful age in such
municipalities and provinces capable, fit
and ready for such extension, shall include
the same among the electors, with the pur-
pose OF gradually eKlSnulnR 10 munlclpdl-
tiles and provinces permanent popular rep
resentative government"
Other features of the bill relate to the de-
tails of the commissions administration,
and have been from time TO time published.
The provision concerning the currency to
be used in the islands covers six pages of
the bill. After authorizing the Philippines
government to establish a mint at Manila
and extending the coinage laws of the
United states, so far as applicable to the
islands, the following is inserted as a sec
ton:
THE said Philippines government is au-
thorized to coin a silver dollar which shall
contain four hundred and sixteen grains
of standard silver. and the standard OF
said silver coins shall be such that of
one-thousand parts by weight, nine
hundred shall be of pure metal and one
hundred of alloy, and the alloy shall be
of copper. And upon the said silver dol
lar there shall be devices and inscriptions
TO be prescribed by the government of the
Philippine islands, with the approval of
the Secretary of War Of the United States,
which devices and inscriptions shall express
or symbolic the sovereignty of the United
States. and that il IS coin of the Philip
pine islands together with denomination
of the coin expressed in English, Filipino
and Chinese characters, and the date of
its coinage. That any owner of silver
bullion may deposit the same at the mint
in the Philippine islands to be coined as
hereinbefore provided. Silver bullion
brought to the mint of the Philippine
islands for coinage shall be received and
coined by the proper officers for the benefit
of the depositors. Provided, that il shall
be lawful to refuse at the mint any deposit
of less than 800, and also any bullion so
base as to be unsuitable for the opera
tons of the mint; and provided. also. that
when gold is combined with said bullion in
such proportion that it cannot be sepa-
rated advantageously, no allowance shall
be made for such gold TO the depositor."
The silver dollar is made a legal tender
in the Philippines.
There is a further requirement that the
depositor of bullion to be coined shall be
required to pay 1 cent for each piece
coined.
Authority is given for the coinage at San
Francisco, at the request OF the Philippine
government. of silver dollars authorized by
the act, but it is required that the silver
coined at the San Francisco mint shall
nave been produced i4 the United States.
Silver certificates of not less thar SO I'm
denomination are authorized
Authority is also given for the coinage
of a subsidiary Philippine coinage consist
ing of half dollars and OF 20-cent and 10
cent pieces. The coinage is to be conducted
under the authority of the Philippine gov
eminent with the approval of the Secre-
tary of War of the United States, and there
is a provision that the dollars and sub
sidiary coins issued under Spanish author
ity may be recoined into subsidiary coins
by the Philippine government without con-
sulting the Secretary of War. Minor coins
of n cent and of l cent in copper and Of !
cents In nickel are also authorized.
Provision is made for the mintage of the
subsidiary coinage at any mint in the
United States. Existing provisions i'm force
in the islands making any form of money
legal tender are repealed after Dee. 81,
1906.