The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-07
FOR the PHILIPPINES
TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT BILL
NOW READY.
LODGE WILL INTRODUCE 1T.
THE PUBLIC LANDS TO BE LEASED
OR SOLD.

Temporary scheme for the Gov
eminent of the Islands which
Seems to Have i'm View Their EN-
pIOitntiOn and DeVeIOpm
Usual Governmental Powers Con-
ferred UpOn the Island Govern
ment With Special Provisions as
to the Sale and Lease of Lands.
Lands of Friars 10 BE Purchased
and Disposed of to Actual Occu-
pants.
Washington. Jan. 6.-Senator Lodge,
chairman of the Committee on Philip
for a temporary government of the
Philippines. This bill has been drawn
after many consultations with the War
Department officials, who have been
directly interested in insular affairs
and the government of the Philippines.
The bill will not be made part of
the Philippine revenue bill which has
passed the House, but will be an in
dependent measure.
The bill is entitled as one to tempo
rarily provide for the administration
of affairs of civil government in the
Philippine Islands and for other pur-
poses" 1t does not attempt to estab-
fish a new form of government in the
Philippines. but simply begins by con-
firming the action of President Nc
Kinley in creating a commission and
ratifying the acts of that commission
under the instructions of the President,
dated April Z, 1900. 1t also gives the
President authority. while there is
armed resistance in any part of the
islands to the United States. to regu
late and control inter-island COM
merce.
Section L. following the Porto Rican
act, gives the government of the Phil
ippines power to improve the harbors
and other Instruments Of commerce.
and Section 3. also following the Porto
Rican act, turns over to the govern
ment of the Philippines all lands de-
voted now to public use, bridges, high
ways, etc.
Under section the government of
the Philippines is empowered 60 make
rules and regulations for the dlsrcsi-
ton of public lands other than timber
rand mineral lands. such regulations 10
| have the force and effect of law only
after they have been approved by the
President and Congress. Then follows
a series of provisions to enable the
commission to perfect the title Of per-
sons now occupying public lands and to
lease and sell lands to such persons or
give them to occupants without COM
pensation. This is to provide for the
small native land holders who are oc-
cuping and for "a long time have oc-
cupied lands, but who have 70 titles
to protect them in their holdings.
Then comes provisions in regard to
timber lands which are not 20 be sold
or leased by the commissions who
have power only to issue licenses to
cut timber under the forestry rcgula-
lions now in force in the islands. The
provisions in regard TO timber iands
are followed by a number of sections
as to mineral lands. These are very
elaborate and embody the mineral
laws contained in the report of the
commission and which have been pre-
pared by them with great care
SO that they shall be in harmony with
the existing Spanish laws. The min
eral land sections cover also coal lands
and saline lands. One of the most i'm
portant provisions in the bill is that
empowering the Philippine commission
to purchase the lands of the religious
orders and dispose of them ON proper
terms to the actual occupants.
The succeeding section gives an ap-
peal from the Supreme Court of the
islands to the Supreme Court of the
United States in certain cases and
then come a series of sections author
izing municipalities and the city of
Manila to borrow money and issue
bonds for municipal improvements
There are two sections which provide
for the granting of franchises, so that
individuals or corporations can go into
the islands and construct electric and
steam railroads and engage in indus
trials and manufactures. Provisions
for granting the franchises are guard
ed, being based on the corporation laws
of Massachusetts.
There are provisions for establish
ing a coinage system. which already
have been presented in Special Agent
Commits report, and the final sections
of the bill make provisions for a bank
ing system and enable national banks
of the United States to be established
in the PHILIPPINES