The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1902-07-03
amnesty FOR F|L|P|NOS.
Cabinet Agrees on Terms Of Proclar
nation to Be Issued on the
Fourth Of July.

nation to Be Issued on the
Fourth Of July.
TO BE. cABLEoE TO AcIlx6 GOV. WRl6HT
Contemplates Only the Liberatlon Of
Nstives Who Have Been Convicted
ofPolitical Crlmes-Agninaldo and
the Prisoners Held at Guam In
claded I'm Terms Of Proclamation.
Washington, June 3O.-The cabinet
has agreed upon the terms of an am
nesty proclamation to the Filipinos,
which it is contemplated to issue on
the 4th of July. The war depart
ment for some time past has had I'M
der consideration the draft Of proc
lamation and has found It necessary
to make a number Of changes In it's
text In its modified state it was
agreed to by the cabinet, and secre-
tary Root will cable it to Acting Gov.
Wright for his Inspection II it
meets the latter's approval Moth
ing will remain but for. the pres
ident, if the Philippine civil govern
ment bill is law on that day, as is
now expected it will be, to issue on
Independence day a formal proclama-
tion setting forth terms Of amnesty
for all political offenders in the is
lands, including Aguinaldo and those
held at Guam.
The proclamation is based on the
general objects of the Philippine gov
eminent bill, namely, to restore
peace in the archipelago and substi-
tute civil for military administra-
ton. That bill is now in conference
and the proclamation will not be is
sued until the Philippine government
measure has been agreed upon by
both houses and the president has
affixed his signature to it.
The Proclamation.
The proclamation will declare that
q state of peace now exists in the Phil
ippine islands, save in the parts Of the
archipelago where the Mindanao or
Pagan tribes are giving the United
States a great amount of trouble and,
will declare in effect that with
the transfer of the government of the
archipelago from a military to civil
status all those arrested and held for
political offenses shall be restored to
liberty, granted full amnesty, and al
lowed to participate in the civil gov
eminent that is to be inaugurated on
the islands. While the proclamation
IS subject to- changes in text, the gem
eral language Of the document is pref
tywell mapped out.
There was general discussion Fri
day of the treatment that should be
accorded. the political prisoners Of the
islands. There is no intention, it is
stated, orelease those prisoners con-
victed sof other.::than.poitical offenses,
the benefits of the amnesty being linn
tied to those in custody as result Of
breaches of military law, leaving Grim
inal offenders to. the action of the
! proper authorities under the coming
civil government. The purpose is to
demonstrate that motives Of human
ity 'and generosity dictate our course
toward the Filipin6s. When the is
lands are turned over to the civil au-
thorities they will not be left with
out adequate military protection, as
no more. troops will be ordered home
from the present, and every precau-
| ton will .bg taken for the military
safeguarding of the islands under the
new civil administration. W
| Conference Over Philippine Bill.
Washington, June 30.-The confer
ees on the Philippine bill reassembled
Saturday morning and then took re-
cess at one o'clock.
It became evident at the mornings
meeting that no agreement would
! be reached Saturday and that the
matter would 60 over until Monday.
In fact plans were made for future
meetings carrying the matter over
until Monday. The important issues
on the house provision for legisla-
ture and between the senate silver
system and the house gold system
are still open, as is also the section
as to granting franchises.
The house conferees will make q
determined stand for their civil gov
eminent plan, claiming that it fol-
lows recommendations by the Schur-
man and the Taft commissions and
by President Mckinley. It appears
that the intimation that all legisla-
tion will fail unless the senate silver
system is accepted was conveyed d.
rectly to. one of the house conferees
by a senator. The conference was
resumed at two o'clock.
Rathbone Appeals TO Congress-.
Washington, June 30.-When the
senate convened Saturday partial
>conference report on the general de-
ficiency appropriation bill was agreed
to and Senator's Hale, Allison and
Teller appointed conferees.
Senator Teller (Col.) presented a
petition from Estes g. Rathbone,
praying for full investigation into
his performance of duties as director
of posts of Cuba during the occupa-
ton of Cuba. He maintained in his
tpetition that he was unjustly tried
and unfairly convicted and that he is