The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-07
THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
WHAT An EXPERT on THEM TOLD
OUR COMMISSIONERS.
Commerce, Produce, Agriculture,
Fiscal Arrangements. Religious
Systems and Character of Natives
-Inaptitude for Self Government.

~
pears an article by John Foreman, giving
q synopsis OF information furnished 70 the
American peace commissioners IN PARIS oy
AN expert or the Philippines summone.:
20 advise on all matters concerning them.
He was consulted after rhe commission mad
listened 20 Gen. Merritt. Who the expert IS
and COW Mr.. Foreman learned wha< ne
sad are not disclosed IN the article, ous
from the way In which the writer uinsles
hts own knowledge OF the islands with has
account Of the commissions inquiry it Is a
FAIR inference that Mr.. Foreman himself Is
the expert In question. He says:
The inquiry chiefly related 10 the
commerce. produce, agriculture, Hscd! ar
fragments. religious question, status u
the church. monks and the secular clergy,
the character OF the natives in the different
islands, the property rights or claims. ma
tive aptitude for seE-goyernment. the An
Iexation OF the whole Archipelago. or re-
tention OF Luzon only. and on what coIdI-
lions the remaining islands could be re-
inquished. The expert opinion on these
many points was as follows:
The natives are decidedly incapable OF
forming a stable, satisfactory, and peace
fu.y working government. Not q score of
individuals could be- found today with Ideas
sufficiently expansive and far reaching 10
successfully administer for the real inter-
ests or the common ealfh. taking into ac-
count the rights OF the large minorities.
The Tagalog politicians would always
sent N!saya cooperation. and vice versa.
lie naIl-cdstes would undoubtedly try 10
get, and probably succeed In getting the
Whole government machinery into their
hands 10 the exclusion of the poor natives.
w3o form the vast majority. Under the
Old regime the Spanish half-castes have
been considered the most enlightened OF in
suiar classes. but their apparent superiority
to The thoroughbred natives only consists
n the fact that they have adopted many Of
sneiF European fathers ways. Hence IL
they were permitted to pun the political
wires In so-calied native government the
system would never represent native ideas.
but simply assume a still more corrupt
spanish colonial fra Inn
Inc results would be as in Mexico and
South America, long period OF anarchy.
Amongst the many liberated states which
were once Spanish colonies there Is no in
stance on record of any one of them having
emancipated Itself. within the first genera
ton of freedom. from the evil influence of
vice, lethargy and msrule. No thinking
man would wish 10 see change OF masters
without change OF governmental system
either In the Philippines or in the West In
dian islands
Although the insurgents have formed
revolutionary government under the mill
tary dictatorship OF Gen. Aguinaldo tthe ex-
schoolmaster or SLAM. the man elected to
the presidency of the native assembly is'a
mestizo named Pedro Palermo. II the in
rention is to emancipate the natives not
only from Spanish misrule but also from
the impractical Spanish form OF govern
ment- then the antecedents of this man BIZ
no means tend TO facilitate the task He is
the son OF Maxine Palermo, highly re-
spected landowner and middeman in Ma
Mia. who was prosecuted by the Spanlards
after the Cavite rising Of is72 Pedro, his;
son was sent TO Spain 70 study law. and
resided so many years IN Madrid (and no.
where else in Europe) that he returned TO
Manila thoroughly imbued with Spanish no
tons. II vas he who acted as the agent Of
the governor general Primo de Rivera
when the treaty of Biacnahato was signed
with Aguinaldo on the lith Of December
last, under which AgtIinaldo and other
Leaders retired 10 Hongkong condltionally.
The conditions We're of course. not fulfilled
ny the Spanish government. and Aguinallo
and his party returned 10 the Islands with
the Americans. However. Pedro Palermo.
mad done MS work, and In letter addressed
70 a political parsonage In Madrid dated
February y last. and read before parlia-
ment, he incorporates his bin for services
rendered. He states that in his island he Is
The great magutnoo. or prince Of Luton and
recognized az such by his countrymen' He
would accept as payment for his intcrven-
ton In the treaty the modest sum OF 81 600
op'. dukedom of CASTLE with the patent Of
nobility delivered free OF all expense 10
MN: and q CastIiian title of count for bis
brother. For the purpose of hoister1nsr IN
his vain pretensfons which the Madrid saT
eminent Justly ignored he issued n mari
festo. teeming with untruths 70 urge tn.
islanders 10 cast in their 10; with SnaIn
against the invader Now. despalring OF
his duketom and his million he seeks a
refuge for MS ambition IN the revolutionary
party.
ward total annexation is backed UP nv tha
growing Discrimination in Spain to tha re
possession Of the islands. minus Luzen:
hence Ire offer of them would nrot,,hiv b.,
declined. Insiee3 these Islands would h. al
most worthless 10 Spain. They could no
longer serve as a happy hunting ground
Tor the friars. and Spain's moral .lree.Ice
among the ISLANDERS being DESTROYED ~,
Squeezing OF the civil and military for
tune seekers would no longer be tolerated
Moreover, there would be the incnr t.st, iar,.,
Of having 10 establish new canifal-to az
tempt the conquest OF Mindanao ard -
Keep clear OF complications with the Amer
can Luzon colony Subjected 70 American
preponder9nce and conditional tenure
SPANS position In the far east would no
come tutoleTabe- However pending fha
celebrations in Paris Spanish sovereignty
Is represented III the archipelago hy thr
governor general. Rios resident ar Tlofyo
in panay island. ard Gen. Rizxo as com.
nangiant general Of the Spanish forces In
Luzon.
Although the iniqui;y of th. frlars has
been the main<pring OF discomfort ana rev
olutlonary movement IN the islands nj an
tines tire American com nlissiauers a 70 lis
posed 10 treat them with extreme henev,-
isnce. They are inclnes. 70 INDEMNIFY ~.
religious corporations for the t!enriyati0y,
Of their tiilabls lands OF which ,hay holi
ah0uI per cent OF the total in Ilfzar, NJ
coed iitle deeds 500 IN to exist hui tire c~srn-
missto0evz are disposed ~ cous:ie~ thAr \
eo0ple ~ centuries or more u uadisfurbed
possession % real estate constitutes a ttl.
although originally defective sufIlcien. ~
merit their recognition.
Tas position taken by Con. Aguinalh, is
aaeatiy receive from his bosom friend thar
the Independence proclaimed by hin, Is IL
rected oHly aga.ns; the Standards Ills
hope . that II America viii not ouet ~.
SpanI5ras from lsixou. he viii. Tutn th.,
treaty Is signed ana made puagc b., mas ~
certainty that the evacuation Of Tsfizou Mil
- = fa3t acconrh The United Stats go
erals Ca0 give aim no positive aRsllrer|.s r.,
advance 81 tha treaty 80 he ho3s}x h ,,,ssfe
in armed readiness % expe4 ne Syarf7rr}.
simply As a means ~ fulfilling m. vstIf ~
tie people, who crave To be ria q tae -
raruzcal w0Dastic orders The "a hf,5,. -
In" lowlan.i interior CT IUzoG is .ractlca1:,-
under ysbel control.
have before me the 1857 q roy.rsf...,
presidents many of whom / have t.arse,.
ally known for Years. Tsse commit ssfsr,s,.4,
have essn rightly advised that AE7i4n,Is,
Iae resels in arms ami the civilian {rhsS
UaD.s ~ T.uzou are ~ nature a .s..s<,s.f.,.
people, easily Golds8 s03 easy 10 s.pxer~,
" 20 MI very soon accept American or auy.
osasS foreign daniuion fou ad4ss en- t4,ztt-,
aHd respect fnr Individual Nherrv 7~hr
f~>ors@ - me NisagsS. ~ central ie,s~.5e
fnay prove 70 - a little more turf.fl. sa,,. a.
FIRST. nut theF, too VII. ere long a.,r,~r
cf'ts :he change ~ masters Destined >,
orGur g1en fs%vs mai freedom order 49,