Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-23


WASHINGTON. Jan. 22-Secretary Taft
today sent to the senate = statement in re-
sponse TO q resolution calling on min for
information ss 20 whether any member OF
the Philippine commission or any ofhcer OF
the army or navy Of the United States, di-
rectly or indirectly, owned on December /.
1905, now owns, any land in the Philip
pine islands. or had al any time or now had
any interest or right in. such land Of any
character. and II 50, what such ownership.
interest or right is, where the land Is stu
ated, particularly with reference to the To-
cation of proposed railroads in said Islands.
and who said officers ART.
MI Taft said When I was civil gov
ernor OF the Philippine islands an article
was published in a Manila newspaper CON
tanning an intimation that some member
Of the commission was interested in invest
ments in the islands. This was the occasion
Of an investigation which was instituted TO
ascertain where any member Of the COM
mission had made any investment in land
or otherwise in the Philippines at that
time, ana it was learned by personal in
CURRY and investigation that no American
member of the Scommis sion had any such
investment in the Philippine islands. OF
course the Filipino members of the com.
mission were known when appointed to be
the owners of landed estates.
with reference to the question whether
any officer of the army has any interest IN
lands or has obtained an option for the pur.
chase of them along the line of projected
railways or elsewhere, i beg 20 say that
certainly 20 per cent OF all the oficers OF
the army have been, at some time or an.
other since American occupation, on dut!
in the Philippines and that inquiry directed
to the question whether any OF these on
GERS, who number some 1900. have the in
terests mentioned in the resolution of tn,
senate, could not be answered by persona
statements from each oficer of the arm,
under four months
The secretary quoted a circular by Gene a
Macarthur at Manila in May. 1900. whii'
commanding the army in the islands durinl
military government. saying it is presumed
| that it's Injunction was obeyed.
General Macarthur in the circular quote,
the following article from instruction
| for the government Of armies In the field ;:
Neither officers nor soldiers are allowe
| to make use of their position or power Il
! the hostile country for private gain. no
| even for commercial transactions otherwis
legal. Ofenses TO the contrary committe
by commissioned officers will be punished.
Mr., Tart said in conclusion;
In view of the very burdensome characte
of the investigation necessary to discove
whether among 5000 persons there may b
any one who has an interest in land 4
the Philippine islands, ! respectfully reques
! the further instruction OF the senate with
view TO possibly narrowing the scope G
the inquiry in accordance with the repor
on which the resolution vas presume bl
based so that full answer may be mad
IN shorter time than four months. S
IN he "a
Of lands in the Philippines by officers {
the navy Is concerned, l beg TO point OF
that have no jurisdiction TO make inqulr
with respect to them and / have accord
ingly forwarded copy OF the resolutio
TO the secretary of the navy for sue
action as may be deemer proper.