The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-04
Complete Story OF
Filipino Revolt
concluded from Page 81

concluded from Page 81
commission were on the way to the
Philippines bearing the instructions of
the president to make known to the
inhabitants the peaceful and beneficent
intentions of the United States. The
insurgents rash and wholly unjustifi-
able appeal to arms did not prevent the
commission from entering upon their
labors, though it greatly restricted the
area of their operations. On the 4th
OF April they issued a proclamation
setting forth the principles by which
the United States would be guided in
exercising the sovereignty which Spain
had ceded to us over the Philippine Is
lands. and assuring the people not only
of their rights and privileges, but also
of the largest participation in govern
ment which might be found compatible
with the sovereign rights and obliga
tions of the United States. The pro-
clamation had a good effect in Manila
and the adjacent parts of Luzon, and
in the island of Negros and such other
places as were open to it's reception.
Indeed the public sentiment of Manila,
which in March had been strongly anti
American, underwent a palpable
change, and currents of peace and con-
ciliation were set in motion until they
found a response in the ranks of the
insurgents themselves.
Aguinaldo sent a delegation to Ma
Mia to confer with the commission;
and while the commission steadfastly
refused to discuss his proposal to sus-
pend hostilitieS, as being a military
matter, assurances were given of the
beneficent purposes of the United
States and the presidents readiness to
grant the Philippine peoples as large
a measure of home rule and as ample
liberties as were consistent with the
ends Of government, subject only to
the recOPnition of the sovereignty of
the United States-a point which, being
established, the commission invariably
refused even to discuss.
The so-called congress of Aguinaldo
voted for a peaceful settlement on the
basis of the commissions proclama-
ton, and Mabini, the irreconcilable
head of the sO-called cabinet. was re-
placed by Palermo, the former media
tor between the Spanish government
and AguinaldO. But nothing came of
negotiations. as Aguinaldo's emissari IS
were without powers and merely came
and came again for information. Tho
courteous reception accorded to them
by the commission, the fullness of the
information communicated to them.
the assurances Of a liberal form of
government when they laid down their
arms, and the earnest appeals TO them
to stop further bloOdshed in a struggle
which could only end in their defeat
ell witness to the spirit OF patient
conciliation exhibited by the commits
sion in endeavoring to reach an ami
cable adjustment with the insurgents,
and the obduracY of AEunaldo in COM
tinuing forcble resistance and in re-
fusinS even TO outline terms which
might be compared with the terms Of
fered CT with the concessions which
the superior power might have been
willing to make. No better proof could
be furnished that the primary object
of his struggle is not, as is pretended,
the liberty of the Filipino peoples, bur
the continuance of his own arbitrary
and dcspotic power In any event, the
American people may feel confident that
no effort was omitted by the commits
sion to secure peaceful end of the
struggle, but the opportunities they
offered and urged were all neglected, If
not, indeed, spurned.
CAPACITY FOR SELF-GOVERN-
MENT.
To what extent the Filipinos are cap-
able of governing themselves is a prob
lem which occupied the diligent and
earnest attention of the commission for
several months, in the course of which
a great number of witnesses were ex-
alnined. These witnesses represented
all shades of political thought. all
classes of the population, all varieties
of occupation, and all important diff
fcrenrcS of tribe and locality, The
commission also made n careful study
; or spanish governmental institutions
both in Luzon and in the southern ISL
ands as well as of the organic laws
under which they We're established and
by which their operations were reglIl
lated and controlled. At the same
time the commission, by mingling free.
ly with the FilipinOs in Iuzon and
. other parts Of the archipelago, endeav-
ored to understand their character and
aptitrdes and to appreciate the needs
ana aspirations of the people for whose
Deneht a new system OF government
was to be framed.
The most striking and perhaps this
most significant fact i'm the entire sit.
uation is the multiplicity of tribes in
habiting the archipelago. the diversity
OF thelr languages (Which are mutually
/ unlntelligible). and the multifariOus
I phases Of civiliZation--ranging all the
way from the highest 20 the lowest
/ e&hlDited by the natives of the sew,
/ eral provinces and islands In spitr
/ OF the general use Of the Spanish Ian.
/ guage by the educated classes. and the
| considerable similarity of economic and
! social conditions prevalent in Luxor
| and the Nisayan islands. the masses o.
| the people are without a commn-
! speech and they lack the sentiment
! of nationality. The Filipinos are no
, a nation, but varlegated assemblagt
| OF different tribes, and their loyalty
! is still of the tribal tyne.
As to the general intellectual capaci
| ties of the Filininos. the commission I.
| disposed to rate them high. But. ex
| cepting in limited number OF persons
! those capacities have not been devcI
! oped by education or experience. TIL,
masses of the people are uneducated
! That intelligent public opinion on
| which popular government rests doe
not exist in the Philippines. And /
| cannot exist until education has elevat
| ed the masses, broadeneed their intel
lectual horizon, and disciplined thei
faculty of judgment. And even thel
the power of government canno
be assumed without considerable pre
viaus training and experience, unde
the guidance and tutelage OF an en-
lightened and liberal sovereign mower
For the bald fact is that the FilipIno
L.