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The Bureau of Insular Affairs was a division of the United States Department of War that oversaw civil aspects of the administration of several territories from 1898 until 1939.

History

The bureau was created 13 December 1898 as the Division of Customs and Insular Affairs within the Office of the Secretary of War.^[1] This followed the Spanish–American War, which resulted in the transfer of several areas from Spain to the United States, including the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. The bureau supervised the customs and civil affairs of these areas. The word "insular" was already associated with Cuba and Puerto Rico because Spain had created autonomous "insular" governments for both islands in February 1898.

In 1900, the name was changed to Division of Insular Affairs. In 1902, it became the Bureau of Insular Affairs.^[2] As a result of the Insular Cases, the U.S. Attorney General issued an opinion in 1915 stating that the insular areas were unincorporated territories of the United States. In 1939, the bureau was replaced by the Division of Territories and Island Possessions in the Department of the Interior.^[1] This division was later renamed the Office of Insular Affairs.

Puerto Rico

From 1898–1900 and again in 1909–1934, the bureau was responsible for the administration of Puerto Rico, called "Porto Rico" in official U.S. government documents until 1932. Puerto Rico, also an unincorporated territory of the United States, was administered under a civil government created by the Foraker Act of 1900, amended by the Jones–Shafroth Act of 1917. In 1934, the bureau's functions for Puerto Rico were transferred to the Division of Territories and Island Possessions (later the Office of Territories and still later the Office of Territorial Affairs) within the Department of the Interior.

Cuba

The bureau's other responsibilities included oversight of Cuba, although those responsibilities were not clearly defined. From 1906–1909, it administered the sovereign Republic of Cuba during the Second Occupation of Cuba. In 1904–1905, it briefly had oversight of the Panama Canal. From 1905–1939, it administered the Dominican customs receivership. In 1920–1924, it administered the Haitian customs receivership.

However, the bureau was never responsible for Hawaii, which was administered pursuant to the Hawaiian Organic Act that gave it the status of an incorporated territory. American Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands were all administered during these years by the United States Navy Department.

Philippines

The bureau was responsible for civil aspects of the Philippine government from 1898–1935. The United States Military Government of the Philippine Islands was replaced by the Insular Government following the Spooner Amendment of 1901.

Befitting its organization within the War Department, the chief of the bureau was always an army general. The longest-tenured chiefs were Brig. Gen. Clarence R. Edwards, who served from 1902–1912, and Maj. Gen. Frank McIntyre, who served from 1912–1929. Future Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter served briefly as a law officer for the bureau beginning in 1911.

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+{{Short description|Division of the U.S. Dept. of War which administered several U.S. territories (1898-1939)}}
-{{nofootnotes|date=February 2010}}
+{{more footnotes|date=February 2010}}
-[[Image:US-BureauOfInsularAffairs-Insignia.svg|thumb|right|Branch insignia]]
+[[File:US-BureauOfInsularAffairs-Insignia.svg|thumb|right|Branch insignia]]
-The '''Bureau of Insular Affairs''' was a division of the [[United States War Department]] that oversaw United States administration of certain [[territory (country subdivision)|territories]] from 1902 until 1939.
+The '''Bureau of Insular Affairs''' was a division of the [[United States Department of War]] that oversaw civil aspects of the administration of several [[Territories of the United States|territories]] from 1898 until 1939.
+==History==
-The bureau was created 13 December 1898 as the Division of Customs and Insular Affairs within the Office of the Secretary of War.<ref>"[http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/350.html Records of the Bureau of Insular Affairs]"</ref> This followed the [[Spanish-American War]], which resulted in the transfer from Spain to the United States of several areas, including the [[Philippines]], [[Puerto Rico]], and [[Cuba]]. The bureau supervised the customs and civil affairs of these areas. The placement of the bureau within the War Department reflected the manner in which the territories had been acquired, as well as the view that these areas could be of strategic military importance. In 1900, the name was changed to Division of Insular Affairs. The name "Bureau of Insular Affairs" was adopted in 1902.<ref>"[http://www.chanrobles.com/philippinebillof1902.htm The Philippine Bill of July 1, 1902]"</ref>
+The bureau was created 13 December 1898 as the '''Division of Customs and Insular Affairs''' within the Office of the Secretary of War.<ref name="Records">"[https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/350.html Records of the Bureau of Insular Affairs]"</ref> This followed the [[Spanish–American War]], which resulted in the transfer of several areas from Spain to the United States, including the [[Philippines]], [[Puerto Rico]], and [[Cuba]]. The bureau supervised the customs and civil affairs of these areas. The word "insular" was already associated with Cuba and Puerto Rico because Spain had created autonomous "insular" governments for both islands in February 1898.
-The various governments established under the bureau's authority were referred to as insular governments. As a result of the [[Insular cases]], the U.S. Attorney General issued an opinion in 1915 stating that the insular areas were [[unincorporated territories]] of the United States.
+In 1900, the name was changed to '''Division of Insular Affairs'''. In 1902, it became the '''Bureau of Insular Affairs'''.<ref>"[http://www.chanrobles.com/philippinebillof1902.htm The Philippine Bill of July 1, 1902]"</ref> As a result of the [[Insular Cases]], the U.S. Attorney General issued an opinion in 1915 stating that the insular areas were [[unincorporated territories]] of the United States. In 1939, the bureau was replaced by the [[Division of Territories and Island Possessions]] in the [[Department of the Interior]].<ref name="Records" /> This division was later renamed the [[Office of Insular Affairs]].
+==Puerto Rico==
-From 1898 to 1900 and again in 1909-1934, the Bureau was also responsible for federal administration of Puerto Rico (which was called "Porto Rico" in official U.S. Government documents until 1932). Puerto Rico, also an unincorporated territory, was administered under a civil government created by the [[Foraker Act]] of 1900, as later amended by the [[Jones-Shafroth Act]] of 1917. In 1934, the Bureau's functions for Puerto Rico were transferred to the Division of Territories and Island Possessions (later the Office of Territories and still later the [[Office of Territorial Affairs]]) within the [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of the Interior]].
+From 1898–1900 and again in 1909–1934, the bureau was responsible for the administration of Puerto Rico, called "Porto Rico" in official U.S. government documents until 1932. Puerto Rico, also an [[unincorporated territory of the United States]], was administered under a civil government created by the [[Foraker Act]] of 1900, amended by the [[Jones–Shafroth Act]] of 1917. In 1934, the bureau's functions for Puerto Rico were transferred to the Division of Territories and Island Possessions (later the Office of Territories and still later the [[Office of Territorial Affairs]]) within the [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of the Interior]].
+==Cuba==
-The bureau's other responsibilities included oversight of the United States' role in Cuba, although those responsibilities were sometimes not clearly defined; briefly in 1904-05, some oversight of the Panama Canal; and administration of the [[Dominican Republic|Dominican]] customs receivership from 1905 to 1939 and the [[Haiti|Haitian]] customs receivership from 1920 to 1924.  However, the bureau was never responsible for [[Hawaii]], which was administered pursuant to an [[Organic Act]] giving it the status of an [[incorporated territory]], or for [[American Samoa]], [[Guam]], or the [[United States Virgin Islands]], all of which were administered during these years by the [[United States Navy Department]].
+The bureau's other responsibilities included oversight of Cuba, although those responsibilities were not clearly defined. From 1906–1909, it administered the sovereign Republic of Cuba during the [[Second Occupation of Cuba]]. In 1904–1905, it briefly had oversight of the [[Panama Canal]]. From 1905–1939, it administered the [[Dominican Republic|Dominican]] customs receivership. In 1920–1924, it administered the [[Haiti]]an customs receivership.
+However, the bureau was never responsible for [[Hawaii]], which was administered pursuant to the [[Hawaiian Organic Act]] that gave it the status of an [[incorporated territory]]. [[American Samoa]], [[Guam]], and the [[United States Virgin Islands]] were all administered during these years by the [[United States Navy Department]].
-The bureau was responsible for civil aspects of the Philippine government from 1898 to 1935. A U.S. Military Government was replaced by an Insular Government in 1901.
+==Philippines==
-Befitting its organization within the War Department, the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs was always an army general. The longest-tenured Chiefs were Brig. Gen. [[Clarence Ransom Edwards|Clarence R. Edwards]], who served from 1902 to 1912, and Maj. Gen. [[Frank McIntyre]], who served from 1912 to 1929. Future Supreme Court justice [[Felix Frankfurter]] served briefly as a law officer for the bureau beginning in 1911.
+The bureau was responsible for civil aspects of the Philippine government from 1898–1935. The [[United States Military Government of the Philippine Islands]] was replaced by the [[Insular Government]] following the [[Spooner Amendment]] of 1901.
+Befitting its organization within the War Department, the chief of the bureau was always an army general. The longest-tenured chiefs were Brig. Gen. [[Clarence Ransom Edwards|Clarence R. Edwards]], who served from 1902–1912, and Maj. Gen. [[Frank McIntyre (military officer)|Frank McIntyre]], who served from 1912–1929. Future Supreme Court Justice [[Felix Frankfurter]] served briefly as a law officer for the bureau beginning in 1911.
-In 1939, the bureau was replaced by the Division of Territories and Island Possessions in the Department of the Interior.
 ==References==
-{{reflist|2}}
+{{Reflist|1}}
 ==Further reading==
-*National Archives & Records Service, ''Inventory No. 3: Records of the Bureau of Insular Affairs (Record Group 350)'' (1971).
+* National Archives & Records Service, ''Inventory No. 3: Records of the Bureau of Insular Affairs (Record Group 350)'' (1971).
-*Pomery, Earl S., "The American Colonial Office," ''Mississippi Valley Historical Review,'' vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 521-532 (March 1944).
+* Pomery, Earl S., "The American Colonial Office," ''Mississippi Valley Historical Review'', vol. 30, no. 4, pp.&nbsp;521–532 (March 1944).
-*Pratt, Julius W., ''America's Colonial Experiment'' (New York 1950).
+* Pratt, Julius W., ''America's Colonial Experiment'' (New York 1950).
+{{Authority control}}
 [[Category:United States Department of War]]
+[[Category:Government agencies established in 1898]]