The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1902-10-02
THE PHILIPPINES.
The Civil Government Law Clear
~ Explained.

Senator Lodge contributes fine
article to the September National
Magazine, which win perhaps do more
to make clear the Philippine situation,
to the average comprehension than
anything else that has been said there
on Mr.. Lodge more than any other
man shaped the Philippine civil gov
eminent law He was the personal
representative of the administration
in the Senate discussions of Philippine
affairs, and to this measure creating a
precedent in American government,
he gave his attention chiefly during
the last session of congress. In his
article the Senator says:
So much has been said during the
past few years about the Philippine
Islands, both for and against our re-
tention of them what our purposes
were in holding them, and the chances
Of our successful government there,
that it may be of interest to look, in
some detail, at the actual progress we
have already made toward setting
these people upon the path to repre-
sent government. The cry, raised for
political purposes, has gone out from
many quarters that we have done
nothing for the natives of these is
lands, except kill great numbers of
them; and the democratic party, to-
gether with some other far less num-
erous but highly vocal organizations
opposed to our rule there, have tried
to give the impression that it was the
intention of the administration to keep
the inhabitants of the Philippines in
practical slavery for an indefinite
number of years if not for all time.
Four years ago we made our first
acquaintance with the Philippine is
lands, and since then one of the great
naval battles of history has been
fought there, our army and navy to-
gether have taken the islands from the
Spaniards and we have suppressed a
serious insurrection followed by say
age and protracted guerrilla warfare.
We have done all this in four years;
peace has now come and with it we
the last session of congress and ap-
proved by the President, civil govern
ment in all the archipelago except
those portions occupied by the Moro
and other non-Chr1stian tribes. 1t
must also be remembered that, even
during the time of the insurrection,
civil government, by order of the
President, was inaugurated in many
provinces of the islands. Let us now
look at the bill which has recently be-
come law, after great deal of oppos-
sition on the part of those who say
we are doing nothing to advance the
interests of the natives of the Philip
pines. 1t is a curious thing, be it said
in passing, that the bill providing for
civil government in these islands
should have met with such strenuous
resistance from so many persons in
and out of congress who say they are
opposed to military rule and are cry
ing out so loudly about the injustice
we have dealt out to the Filipino.
The Philippine act declares in the
first section that the action of the
President of the United States in Gre
ating the Philippine commission and
authorizing said commission to exer-
else it's powers of government is ap-
proved, that future appointments of
governor, vice-governor, members OF
the commission and the heads of exc
cutive. departments shall be made by
the President, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate Of the Unit
ed States, and that the tariff and Gus
toms levied and collected in the is
lands, from the beginning of the
American occupation up to the pas
sage by congress of the tariff law now
in force, are also approved. Then
follows a section defining. the status OF
the inhabitants of the Philippine Is
lands who are entitled to the protec-
ton of the United STATES.
The bill of rights occupies the next
section and is similar to, that embodied
in the amendments OF our constitus
ton, emitting only the right to bear
arms and to have trial by jury, for
which the pople are not yet ready or
fit.
When it shall have been certified to
the President by the Philippine cem-
mission that a condition of general
and complete peace exists in the is
lands, the law provides that the Presi-
dent shall order census to be taken,
which shall in form the President and
Congress and the Philippine commits
sion as to the numbers, age, sex, race
or tribe, whether native or foreign
born, literacy in Spanish, native dia'
lect or language, or in English, school
attendance, ownership of homes, and
Industrial and social statistics. Two
years after the completion of the cen.
sus, if complete peace has in the
meantime Deen maintained through
out the islands, exclusive of the terri
tory inhabited by Moros or other non
Christian tribes, the President is au
thorized to direct the Philippine com
| mission to call a general election fol
the choice of the delegates to a popu
lar assembly of the people in the is
lands which is to be known as the
Philippine assembly, and this body
4 nth tho T0hiIippina communication az ar