New-York tribune., 1902-05-06

tentative arrangement. II is desisned 70 leave
the government of the islands in the hands OF
the present commission until the provisions OF
eff CT.
Those sectors provide fer taking a census OF
the islands getting not only the number OF the
people, but all the information that can poss-
bly, be desired. i'm order 20 enable to establish
there permanent popular representative govern
ment II viii require. in the nature OF things.
some time to take such census. and il is I'm
possible. II seemed to the committee. 70 enter
suddenly upon the establishment Of representa-
tive government until We know the numbers
or the people, until we have Differentiated the
Wild tribes. who said TO number nearly a
million, from the Christianized FflipinOs. and
also to determine relations with the Ma
hOmetan tribes of The south. The object is to
enable Congress to lesislate intellgently. with
view 10 giving those people popular repre-
sentative government; in the mean time 70 take
the census to which refer. TO instruct the COM
mission TO continue, and To extend as 1ar as
possible the municipal and provincial govern
mentS to be chosen by the people. with tne SUI
frage to be enlarged rapidly as they think II
safe. and 70 continue TO bullG up IN mat way
the self government of the people u the lslanos-
THE PUBLIC LANDS QUESTION
We provide also for the public lands That
again is temporary provision. There IS
vast body of public land in the Philippine ISL
lands The total area of the islands is estimated
at T2,OOO,OOO acres and il is believed that not
more than jOOOOfO Of those I2.OO0.OOO acres
are now in private ownership That leaves IN
the hands of the United states. as the heir OF
Spain some 81. 100000 acres of public land The
committee felt that it was necessary to have a
Of the islands. 1t has been left TO the comnlis-
sion to prepare such law, 10 he transmitted 70
Congress for its consideration and approval
Until that land law is enacted We give 20 the
commission only power TO make leases Of the
public lands.
We also provide that they shall give good
titles to the Occupiers of public lands, of whOrl
there are great many among the natives, who
have never been able 10 secure from Spain any
title 20 the little hOmesteads farms which
they live on and cultivate. which in many cases
they have lived and cultivated for genera
/
and benehCent provisions Of the bill
There are a number Of sections which pro
vide and give authority for the issuance CT
municipal loans. intended for municipal i'm
provements. which are greatly needed, especial
ly in the city OF Manila We also have provf-
siOns in the bill in regard TO timber lands. and
we have followed the same careful policy In
gard to those lands that have passed in
regard 20 the pubic lands We permit the COM
mission only TO issue licenses 10 cut timber. not
esta bltshment of a sawmill or the opening Of a
road 10 give access 20 The forests
DEALING WITH THE FRIARs.
We have also made provision Cor the purchase
OF the friars' lands. they called That -
a difficult and unusual question. We authorize
| the commission buy the lands Of the friars
for the purpose OF selling them Immediately TO
the people who now occupy them However
witnesses or experts may differ in regard to af-
fairs in the Philippine Islands. there is but one
opinion as - the necessity of taking those
friars' lands and giving them over TO the people
WHO actually live upon them and cultivate
them. The possession of the lands by the friars
l q
pino people against Spain The testimony IS
universal TO their desire TO have those lands
restored to them The sections in regard TO
that, OF course, IN the nature OF things, give a
large power to the commission. but there is no
other way that I have seen suggested to get
those lands out of the hands OF this religious
corporation and back into the hands Of the
people who cultivate them.
We have also clauses in the bill providing for
franchises. They are guarded with the utmost
care. l cannot now undertake to read. and
shall not detain the Senate bv reading those
fran ola hrIT I iUV~i 70 al N
anime them with the utmost care They are
guarded in every way compatible with giving
any reasonable opening TO capital 70 enter into
the islands with the hope Of profitable invest
mint.
The main object Of the bill. Mr. President. IS
to replace military by civil government-to ad-
vance self government; and yet it is delayed in
this chamber and opposed oy those who pro-
claim themselves the especial foes Of military
government.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLANDS.
The second object of the bill is to help the
development of the islands, and yet. as the
committee felt TO help that development only
by taking the utmost pains that there should
be opportunity given for undue or selfish
exploitation The opponents Of this legislation
have dwelt almost continuously. when they have
spoken this bill. on the point that IL is in
tended to open the islands to eXploiters. TO syn
dicates and to carpcthaggers. Why, Mr.. Presi-
dent II we go the proposition that il is a
crime for American 70 make money, IN
dOubtedly there Is opportunity in this bill for
men or associations OF men 10 enter INTO the
islands and 10 make money in a legitimate way.
I aware. after many years or experience.
of the hostility OF the Democratic party TO any
man who has made money or tO any man maxi
ing money. and il was that one OF their prtn-
ciples which waS-I think the only One-car-
ried out with complete success during their
last tenure Of power Few. il any, Americans
at that time made money. But these expIoiters
those svDdicates these Carpetba ggers march
back and forth through the speeches OF Demo-
cratic Senators. like the scene-shifters' army.
and they have as little reality as the air-draWn
dagger Of Macbeth.
1t Is continually reiterated that they are 20
opposition are declaiming against this bill as
throwing the islands open to improper exploit
tation and speculation, have had many gentle
men come to me who desire 10 invest money in
the Philippine Islands and say that the bill
was so drawn that IL was impossible for capital
TO go in there to any large amount When gen
tIennen who desire TO invest take that view. and
the Democratic party takes the view that the
hin is simply for purposes of exploitation my
own conclusion 5 that we have got pretty
good bill
EXCLUSION OF THE CHINESE
We are told that the Chinese are 10 be poured
in there Mr.. President. We have excluded the
Chinese from the Philippines by legislation al
reody mas ssed The dismal picture is then drawn
of what will happen the islands if we do
not let the Chinese in The testimony is very
clear 10 my mind. that the Filipino people. II
they have an opportunity to earn good wages
and TO have them paid regulariy-sOmethins
which has never happened 10 them under Span
ish rule-will be found quite capable or doing
all the work that is needed IN the islands They
are skiIfuI workers in the factories they have
there such as the cigarette factories they are
noted as good machinists; they are deIr and
Ingenious with their hands; they work in the
rice fields under sun which is even too much
for Cinnamon, and they carry on all the cuiti-
vatfOn Of the islands If give them
OppOrtunitv TO perform this work and receive
regular wages and be properly paid, am sure
we shall find that the labor Is there, so Ihat the
FiIfDinO people can develop their own territory
IL may be slower than II we should throw the
islands open now TO sudden eXploltat.on N lsrs
masses of territory and with great bodies or
capital and with Chinese labor, but that IL IS