The record-union., 1899-08-21
WOULD NOT TALK.
Commissioner Schurman Will Re-
port to the President First.

CHICAGO, Aug. 20 Jacob Gould
Schurman, United States Commissioner
to the Philippines, arrived in Chicago
to-day from the islands of which he has
just completed a six months study at
the instance of President Mckinley. He
left for his home in Ithaca, n. Y, and
will report to the President as soon as
a meeting can be arranged. In an in
terview he said: $50 far as the results
of my official negotiations with the rep
resentatives of Aguinaldo or other FIJI
ipino officials were concerned, l am not
at liberty to talk Of them until
1 have made my report TO the President
concerning the islands in general. How
ever, there is much to be told. In my
opinion the rebellion, which we are try
ing to suppress, was due in the first
place to several causes, the principal
of which were tyranny of some of the
religious orders, the exercise of arbi-
trary power by the Governor General
and the delay and corruption Of justice.
The leaders of the rebellion tell their
followers the most astounding tales of
the Americans and the common people
believe that the priests under American
rule would subject them TO the same
tyranny. That the American army
killed priests or otherwise maltreated
churchmen or church property, is, it
self, utterly without foundation.
"Aguinaldo is believed to be honest,
and l think he is acting honestly in
money matters but whether from NOR
al or political reasons l would not say
While I don't care to discuss the real
motives behind the rebellion at this
time, 1 think that if it were suppressed
there would be many prominent native
officials out of an occupation"
Mr.. Schurman declined to answer the
question as to whether he had been
the subject of any anti-imperialistic
communications, saying that on that
question he would not speak. He said
that the resources of the islands We're
great, but declined TO commit himself
on the subject of making them part of
this country.
CHICAGO, Aug 20. = Mr.. Schurman
told how the Tagalos who outnum-
bered. all the other tribes in the yicin-
ity Of Manila, kept the natives of other
races from showing their friendliness
toward the United States when it was
impossible to secure their active par
ticipation in the war against the United
States.
The Tagalos,'' he said, "have sent
out little bands of men to the chief
towns of many of the islands. They
send 10 or 100 armed men and it is
easy for them to keep the unarmed
population of several thousand in a
passive state. The principle is the
same as three or four armed men hold
ing UP a passenger train. By sheer
force Of nerve and guns they make
the passengers al submit to being
I. robbed The Tagalos are equally high
handed in their methods"
One observation which Mr.. Schurman
made of hopeful nature concerning
the increased respect which the Tagalos
have felt for the Americans since the
fighting was before the first battle he
!. said: The Filipinos teased, tormented
and insulted our men at will and be-
cause there was no fighting they
thought the Americans were all cow
ards. There have been no strong, stand
up fights and 1 think they have come to
have a. wholesome respect for the
Americans"