Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-25
NEW |NSULAR BUREAU
Has Been Expanded From a
Division.
RESULT OF RECENT ACT
ITS RELATION TO OUR ISLAND
POSSESSIONS.
Will Have Charge of Matters Subject
to the Jurisdiction of the
War Department.
RESULT OF RECENT ACT

Under authority Of the Philippine govern
ment act the former division OF insular az
fairs of the War Department has been or
ganized into full-fleGged bureau Oh that
department, and will hereafter pear the
designation of the bureau of insular al
fairs of the War Department. Captain
Clarence r. Edwards, 10th Infantry, re-
mains at the head of the newly established
office under a special detail by the Secre-
tary Of War, and while so acting he Will
have the rank, pay and allowance OF
colonel. The act contains special pro-
vision to that effect.
The business assigned to the bureau en-
braces all matters pertaining to CIVIL gov
eminent in the island possessions OF the
United States subject to the jurisdiction OF
the War Department.
Philippine Records.
The bureau is the repository of all CIVIL
records of the government of the Philip
pines that do not remain at the island capt.
tai. Similar records for the period In which
the War Department exercised Jurlsdlction
over Cuba and Porto Rico are on file here.
For the present these records interpret the
purpose and intent of orders, laws ana rui-
ings, and furnish the data for the determl-
nation by the Secretary of War OF civil
the islands. In the future they will fur
nish valuable data for the government In
respect of certain classes of claims that
may arise In those islands, and in adjusting
our relations with the governments of cuba
and the Philippines. The bureau transmits
the instructions and orders of the Secretary
of War to the insular governments, and
handles their correspondence with him
and through him to the other departments
of this government, and through the State
Department when communication with for
eign nations is necessary. 1t may be truly
said that every question involved in the
conduct of governmental affairs lies within
the possible scope of examination by this
bureau.
Functions of the Bureau.
Many matters referred to the bureau in
volve questions of law. These questions are
of such diverse character as to require ex-
tended research, being questions of consti-
tutional Interpretation, international law
and relations, military and martial law, the
political and municipal laws of both Spain
and the United States, as well as the gen.
eral principles and established customs
which ordinarily regulate and control the
action of public officers and private citizens
1t acts for the insular governments in the
procurement and transportation of person
mel, supplies and equipment that have to be
obtained in the United StateS-a notable
example being the employment and trans
portatlon of a thousand teachers and the
purchase and shipment of a complete gov
eminent printing plant for the Philippine
Islands. 1t is also the medium through
which the vast commercial interests of the
United States are furnished with trade sta
ustics, tariffs, duties and laws of the
Islands, and are made acquainted with their
present and prospective commercial needs
and desires, and conserves the interests of
American trade in said islands in as far as
is permitted by our international obliga-
tons.
Personnel of the Bureau.
Colonel Edwards has as his chief assis-
tants in the conduct CT the affairs of the
bureau Capt j. Van Ness Philip, formerly
of the volunteers; Capt. j. r. NJ. Taylor
14th Infantry, and Judge Charles E. Ma
COON. Captain Philip is assistant chief and
Captain Taylor is special assistant while
Judge Magoon is the law officer of the bu-
reau.
AS organized the bureau consists Of sixty
one clerks, whose aggregate compensation
Is $66,O6O There are five divisions, as fol-
lows:
Record-A. D. Wilcox, chief: disbursing
and accounting, James G. Jester, chief
compilations, NJ. E. Beall, chief; statistics
H. c. Lewis, chief, and correspondence, NJ
A. Woodson. Mr.. Frank Steinhart, who is
now in Havana as the agent Of the gov
eminent in closing up the accounts of the
military government, has been selected as
chief clerk of the new bureau, and will take
hold of affairs as soon as he can be re-
lieved Of his present duties.
Division of Statistics.
The division of statistics and accounting
has been located in a rented building at the
corner of 18th and streets, in charge of
Capt. Taylor, who Is engaged with a small
force in the compilation of captured insur-
gent documents and recent Filipino insur-
rectionary history
The clerical force of the bureau is CLASH
fled as follows: Chief clerk one; clerks of
class four five; class three, FIVE; class two.
seven: class one, eleven class E, ten: class
ID, eleven; class c, three; class B, none; to-
tai clerks, fifty three messengers six; la
borers, two; grand total, sixty-one This is
an increase of eleven over the preceding
divisional organization, and includes seven
expert stenographers and typewriters Of the
force previously employed in Cuba under
the military regime
1t is proposed to employ all the Cuban
clerical force that Is practicable from the
$4,000 fund provided to rush the Cuban
and Philippine account emergency work
This employment will be but temporary.
1t will, however. give employment to sew
eral deserving clerks, who afterward will
be eligible to the various vacancies In pub
lie offices here and in the Philippines