[No. 244.] An act authorizing the purchase of a tract of land for provincial, insular, and military purposes in Tacloban, Leyte [No. 245.] An act to amend section 19 of act No. 83, providing for the organi- zation of provincial governments.... [No. 246.] An act amending in several particulars act No. 185, which regu- lates the salaries of officers and employés in the municipal service of Manila. [No. 247.] An act providing for the establishment of a civil hospital at Manila. [No. 248.] An act appropriating one thousand, one hundred and seventeen dollars and thirty cents ($1,117.30), in Mexican currency, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining schools in the island of Luban....... [No. 249.] An act requiring all officers and employés who shall receive and have custody of money in the discharge of their official duties to give bond.. [No. 250.] An act authorizing an increase in the number of employés in the office of the collector of customs of the islands and of the chief port.. [No. 251.] An act prohibiting the sale of intoxicating beverages in the munic- ipality of Iligan, province of Misamis, and providing the conditions under which prospectors may visit territory in that province inhabited by Moros.. [No. 252.] An act providing for the incorporation of the pueblo of La Villa- nueva, province of Pangasinan, as a barrio of the municipality of Bautista, [No. 254.] An act organizing the office of the insular purchasing agent ..... [No. 255.] An act amending act No. 175 by changing the name of the insular constabulary to the Philippines constabulary and providing for a section of [No. 256.] An act to amend section 1 of act No. 228, relating to the salaries of emergency clerks needed for the assessment of real estate in Manila.................... [No. 257.] An act providing that checks given to civil employés of the gov- ernment and to other persons for salaries and other amounts due from the government in different parts of the islands, shall be cashed by provincial [No. 258.] An act amending section 3 of act No. 88, increasing the bond of the provincial treasurer of the province of Bulacan to fifteen thousand dollars [No. 259.] An act providing that hereafter the official title of "The collector of customs of the Philippine Islands and of the chief port" shall be "col- [No. 260.] An act providing that all salaries paid to officers and employees in the civil service shall be paid in insular currency or in money of the United States as the appropriating authority shall determine, and repealing act [No. 262.] An act providing for the interment or burning of the bodies of animals which die having rinderpest, and prohibiting the sale or use of any List of Executive appointments made by resolution of the United States Phil- ippine Commission during the period from September 1, 1900, to February ANNOUNCEMENT. On this, the 1st day of September, 1900, the United States Philippine Commission begins the exercise of certain governmental powers in the Philippine Islands which are described in instructions issued by the President of the United States to the Secretary of War. The powers and duties now assumed are set forth in said instructions in the words following: Beginning with the 1st day of September, 1900, the authority to exercise, subject to my approval, through the Secretary of War, that part of the power of government in the Philippine Islands which is of a legislative nature is to be transferred from the military governor of the islands to this commission, to be thereafter exercised by them in the place and stead of the military governor, under such rules and regulations as you (i. e., the Secretary of War) shall prescribe, until the establishment of the civil central government for the islands contemplated in the last foregoing paragraph, or until Congress shall otherwise provide. Exercise of this legislative authority will include the making of rules and orders, having the effect of law, for the raising of revenue by taxes, customs duties, and imposts; the appropriation and expenditure of public funds of the islands; the establishment of an educational system throughout the islands; the establishment of a system to secure an efficient civil service; the organization and establishment of courts; the organization and establishment of municipal and departmental governments, and all other matters of a civil nature for which the military governor is now competent to provide by rules or orders of a legislative character. The commission will also have power, during the same period, to appoint to office such officers under the judicial, educational, and civil-service systems and in the municipal and departmental governments, as shall be provided for. Until the complete transfer of control the military governor will remain the chief executive head of the government of the islands and will exercise the executive authority_now possessed by him and not herein expressly assigned to the commission, subject, however, to the rules and orders enacted by the commission in the exercise of the legislative powers conferred upon them. In the meantime the municipal and departmental governments will continue to report to the military governor and be subject to his administrative supervision and control under your (i. e., the Secretary of War) direction, but that supervision and control will be confined within the narrowest limits consistent with the requirement that the powers of government in the municipalities and departments shall be honest and effectively exercised and that law and order and individual freedom shall be maintained. All legislative rules and orders, establishments of government, and appointments to office by the commission will take effect immediately, or at such times as they shall designate, subject to your (i. e., the Secretary of War) approval and action upon the coming in of the commission's reports, which are to be made from time to time as their action is taken. Wherever civil governments are constituted under the direction of the commission such military posts, garrisons, and forces will be continued for the suppression of insurrection and brigandage and the maintenance of law and order as the military commander shall deem requisite, and the military forces shall be at all times subject under his orders to the call of the civil authorities for the maintenance of law and order and the enforcement of their authority. The policy of the commission will be to give the fullest opportunity for public consideration and criticism of proposed measures of legislation affecting the people of these islands. Printed copies of introduced bills will be on file at the office of the secretary of the commission immediately after their introduction and may be had upon application. The commission will hold public meetings at its offices at 10 o'clock a. m. on Wednesdays and Fridays of each week for the consideration of proposed bills, and at such meetings citizens of the Philippines and others interested will be given opportunity to make suggestions and criticism in respect to the proposed measures if, upon the day previous to the meeting, application be made to the president for assignment of time. WM. H. TAFT. DEAN C. WORCESTER. BERNARD MOSES. A. W. FERGUSSON, Secretary. EXECUTIVE MANSION, April 7, 1900. SIR: In the message transmitted to the Congress on the 5th of December, 1899, I said, speaking of the Philippine Islands: "As long as the insurrection continues the military arm must necessarily be supreme. But there is no reason why steps should not be taken from time to time to inaugurate governments essentially popular in their form as fast as territory is held and controlled by our troops. To this end I am considering the advisability of the return of the commission, or such of the members thereof as can be secured, to aid the existing authorities and facilitate this work throughout the islands." To give effect to the intention thus expressed, I have appointed Hon. William H. Taft, of Ohio, Prof. Dean C. Worcester, of Michigan, Hon. Luke E. Wright, of Tennessee, Hon. Henry C. Ide, of Vermont, and Prof. Bernard Moses, of California, commissioners to the Philippine Islands, to continue and perfect the work of organizing and establishing civil government already commenced by the military authorities, subject in all respects to any laws which Congress may hereafter enact. The commissioners named will meet and act as a board, and the Hon. William H. Taft is designated as president of the board. It is probable that the transfer of authority from military commanders to civil officers will be gradual and will occupy a considerable period. Its successful accomplishment and the maintenance of peace and order in the meantime will require the most perfect cooperation between the civil and military authorities in the islands, and both should be directed during the transition period by the same executive department. The commission will therefore report to the Secretary of War, and all their actions will be subject to your approval and control. You will instruct the commission to proceed to the city of Manila, where they will make their principal office, and to communicate with |