CO129-302 - Public Offices - 1900 — Page 462

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Secretary of the Treasury and vests the legisla-

tive power in a council appointed annually by the

President. The Commission however believes it

desirable to give to the Filipinos a larger measure

of self-government than Jefferson approved of

for the inhabitants of Louisana, assuming that in

the Sulu Archipelago and such Islands as are inhabi-

ted by savages the Government will be conducted

through the Agency of the Chiefs.

The Commission believes that the people of

the remainder of the Islands should have the power

to elect members of the lower branch of the terri-

torial legislature and that at least half the mem-

bers of the Upper House should be appointed by

the President.

Strese is laid upon the necessity of introdu-

cing the merit system into the Government of the

Iɛlande, and declares that the patronage or

spoile system would prove fatal to good Government.

The American Officials required would be the Gover-

nor, Secretary, Attorney-General, certain Judges,

and Officials of the Territorial Governmer ande

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heads of Postal, Custom, and other Departments. The

important Officials should be named by the Preef-

dent.

The Commission declares that the task of govern-

ing the Islands will be easier than is generally

supposed, the Filipinos being of unusually promising

material and being naturally peaceful, docile and

deferential to constituted authority.

Attention is drawn to the question of permit-

bing the Chinese to immigrate into the Islands with

the conclusion that in some parts of the Island and

in some employments their presence is desirable.

The conclusions arrived at with regard to the

Government of the Islands are as follows:-

1.

The United States cannot withdraw from the

Philippines, there is no escape from their responsi-

bility to the Philippines and to mankind for the

Government of the Archipelago.

2.

The Filipinos would not maintain their in-

dependence

and