y of the Commission to make a thorough investigation
into the titles to the large tracts of land held or claimed by
individuals or by religious orders; into the justice of the claims and
complaints made against such landholders by the people of the island or
any part of the people, and to seek by wise and peaceable measures a
just settlement of the controversies and redress of wrongs which have
caused strife and bloodshed in the past. In the performance of this duty
the Commission is enjoined to see that no injustice is done; to have
regard for substantial rights and equity, disregarding technicalities so
far as substantial right permits, and to observe the following rules:

That the provision of the Treaty of Paris pledging the United States
to the protection of all rights of property in the islands, and as
well the principle of our own Government which prohibits the taking of
private property without due process of law, shall not be violated;
that the welfare of the people of the islands, which should be a
paramount consideration, shall be attained consistently with this rule
of property right; that if it becomes necessary for the public interest
of the people of the islands to dispose of claims to property which the
Commission finds to be not lawfully acquired and held disposition shall
be made thereof by due legal procedure, in which there shall be full
opportunity for fair and impartial hearing and judgment; that if the
same public interests require the extinguishment of property rights
lawfully acquired and held due compensation shall be made out of the
public treasury therefor; that no form of religion and no minister of
religion shall be forced upon any community or upon any citizen of the
islands; that, upon the other hand, no minister of religion shall be
interfered with or molested in following his calling, and that the
separation between State and Church shall be real, entire, and absolute.

It will be the duty of the Commission to promote and extend, and,
as they find occasion, to improve the system of education already
inaugurated by the military authorities. In doing this they should
regard as of first importance the extension of a system of primary
education which shall be free to all, and which shall tend to fit the
people for the duties of citizenship and for the ordinary avocations of
a civilized community. This instruction should be g