Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-23
To Senate as to Philippine
Land Ownership.
No Officials Holdings Affected
by Proposed Railroads.
And None Of American Officials Own AEy
Of the Island Lands.

response 10 resolution calling upon
him for information us to whether any
member OF the Philippine commission
or any officer Of The army or navy of
the United States, directly or Indirect
ly, owned on Dec l, 1905, or now owns
any land i'll the Philippine islands or
had any time or now has any interest
or right III such land of any character
and if 50, what such ownership, inter
est OF right is, where the land is stu
ated, particularly with reference to To-
cation OF proposed railroads i'll said is
lands and Nho said officers are.
| The secretary stated that he brought
the resolution to the attention of Gov
lornor-General Wright and Commission
Ter Forbes. both Of whim are now i'll
| Washington and cabled to the members
OF The commission in Manila for state
ments the replies from all being
| transmitted.
Mr.. Taft then said:
| Il may add that when | was civil
| governor of the islands, an article was
| published in a Manila newspaper coii-
tanning an insinuation that some menu
berS of the commission We're interested
Iii Investments i'll the Philippine is
| lands, which would be affected by leg
| islation of the commission On the pub
LEGATION of this article, l challenged the
| truth of its statements by letter and
| asked for specifications. The insinua-
. ton was withdrawn by formal rctrac-
| ton in the newspaper. This was the
| cause of an investigation which | insti-
| tutcd to ascertain whether any member
of the then commission, which was con-
Stitutcd at that time of Luke t..
| Wri ,ht. Henry G. Ide. Dean G. W0rce5-
| ter. Bernard Moses and myself, had
| made any investment in land or other
wise in the Philippine islands at that
time, and learned by personal inquiry
| and investigation that no American
] member of the commission had made
| any such Investment in the Philippine
| islanl Is. OF course the Filipino MEM
bers Of the commission were known
when appointed to be the owners of
| landed estates.
| with reference to the question
whether any officers OF the army have
any interests in lands or have obtained
option for the purchase Of them along
the line of any projected railways or
| elsewhere. [ beg to say that certainly
| pei cent. VI al llltf tiiittlS VI tHN
| army have been at sometime or anoth-
cr since American occupation, on duty
| in the Philippines. and that inquiry di
| rectcd to the question whether any OF
thesr officers who number some 5000
| have the interests mentioned in the
| resolution of the Senate could not be
answered ny personal statements from
| each officer of the army under four
months. If it be suggested that land
records i'll the Philippines might be con-
| suited | beg to say that tho land rec
| orls are to he found in 30 or Sc PROV
inces Of the archipelago. and that il
would require further investigation to
identify the land owners shown there
| as army OilCCr..'
| The secretary then quoted y circular is
| sued by Gen. Macarthur at Manila in
| May 1890, while commanding the army in
| the islands during military government
| saying it is presumed that its Injunction
| was obcy"d. Gen. Macarthur in the
circular quoted the following article
| from Constructions for the government of
| armies in the field.
| Neither officers nor soldiers are allow
J ed to make MS Of their positions or pow
+, er in the hostile country for private gain
not even for commercial Transactions 9TH
erwiSc legitimate. Offences to the con
trary committed by commanding officers
| will he punished with cashiering or such
! punishment as tho nature of the offence
may require: if by soldiers, they shall be
punished according to the nature of Of
fence.
/ Mr.. Taft said in conclusion:
IN view of the very bUrdensome char
acter of the investigation necessary to
discover whether among 5000 persons
there may be anyone who has an interest
in land in the Philippine islands, | re
SprCtfully request the further instruction.
of the Senate with 4 view to possibly
narrowing the scope of the inquiry in ac-
cOrdanCe with the information or report
upon which the resolution was nreS'lm-
ably based, that full answer may De-
made in quicker time than four months
So far rs the investigation into the own
crship Of lands in the Philippines by Off
GERS of the navy is cone, rncd. | beg to
point out that ! lave no jurisdiction to
make inquiry with Respect to them and
| have accordingly forwarded a copy Of
the resolution to the secretary of the
navy for such action as may be deemed
proper.
In his reply Gov. Gen. Wright says;
II have not now and never have had t
any time any interest. direct or indirect.
in lands or any other property in the
Philippine islands, or any option for the
purchase thereof. except household. pcr-
sonally necessary to the comfort of my
self and family"
''Th" propr;ety of any member of the
Philippine commission owning property lin
the Philippine islands in lands or other
than moln household effects, including
horses and carriages. WAS At an early dat"
considered by the commission and it was
unanimously agreed that under Ill ctr-
cumStanccS ii WAS manifest improperly
for any of Us to have any such interest
and 50 far as know and believe this has
been rcligiously lived up to from that time
to this There are three Filipino mem
bcrS of the commission, each OF whom
is man Of considerable property and
as I happen to know. all three of them
are large land owners. Tho lands owned
by them, however, as | am informed
have not been recently acquired and |
should be very much astoniShcd if they
have recently acquired any land along
the line of the projected railroads. In
deed while the terminals of the road nave
been fixed and their general direction
they have not been SO located that 1t
would be possible for anyone to acquire
land with the expectation of having them
benefited by the projected railroads.
Commissioners Ide, worcester ana
Smith each cabled that he does rot and
never did own land in the islands nor had
any interest in such lands OF any char
acter. directly or indirectly. or any op-
tons to buy lands.
Commissioner Forbes declared that he
Hln q it