The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-08-13
NEW BUREAU STARTED
INSULAR AFFAIRS OF THE WAE
,.. DEPARTMENT
New Office to Handle All Matters i'm the
Island Possessions of United States.
Under War Department

Under authority of the Philippine
government act the former division of
nsular affairs of the War Department
has been organized into a full-heuged
bureau Of that department. and va
hereafter bear the designation of the
bureau of insular affairs of the War
Department" Captain Clarence r.. 4-u-
wards. 10th Infantry, remains at the
head of the newly established office un-
der a special detail by the secretary OF
war, and while so acting he will have
the rank, pay and allowance of "a col
onel. The act contains a special prOvl-
sion to that effect
The business assigned to the bureau
embraces all matters pertaining to
civil records of the government of the
sions of the United States. subject to
the jurisdiction of the War Department.
The bureau is the repository of all
civil records o fthe government of the
Philippines that do not remain at the
island capital. Similar records for tie
period in which the War Department
exercised jurisdiction over cuba and
Porto Rico are on&iile here. For the
present these records interpret the pur-
pose and intent of orders, laws and
rulings, and furnish the data for the de-
| termination by the Secretary of Wan
government of the islands. In the flu
ture they will furnish valuable data
for the government in respect of certain
classes of claims that may arise in
those islands, and in adjusting our rela-
tons with the governments Of Cuba ami
the Philippines. The bureau transmits
the instructions and orders of the Sc
cretary of War to the insular govern
ments, and handles their correspond
ence with him and through him to the
other departments of this government
and through the State Department
when communication with foreign ma
tions is necessary. 1t may be truly said
that every question involved in the
conduct of government affairs lies with
in the possible scope of examination by
this bureau.
Many matters referred to the bureau
! involve questions of law. These ques-
tiOns are of such diverse character as
to require extended research, being
questions of constitutional interpreta-
ton, 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
personnel, supplies and equipment that
have to be obtained in the United
States-a notable example being the
employment and transportation of a
thousand teachers and the purchase
and shipment of a complete government
printing plant for the Philippine ISL
ands. 1t is also the medium through
which the vast commercial interests of
the United States are furnished with
trade statistics, tariffs, duuIes and
laws of the islands and are made ac-
quainted with their present and pros
pective commercial needs and desires,
and conserves the interests of Ameri-
can trade in said islands in as far as
cations.