Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-15

BUT A REVOLT OF THE TAGA-
LoS-oTHER TRIBES ARE NEU-
TRIAL WHERE THEY ARE NOT
COERCED.
ITHACA. n. Y, September A.
President Schurman. OF the Philippines
commission. has returned here and
given out a statement in which he
says;
1T requires some effort to realize
the vastness of the archipelago, which
extends in triangular form from For
mosa to Borneo and Celebes through
Is degrees of latitude. Never going out
in the Pacific ocean on the east nor the
China sea on the west, | made a circuit
of 1900 miles, all south of Manila.
This gives some idea of the difficulty
of maintaining an effective blockade,
as the coast line of all the islands en-
braced In the archipelago is many more
thousands of miles.
THE multiplicity and heterogeneous
nature of the tribes is something as
founding. Over sixty different Ian
guages are spoken in the archipelago,
and though the majority of the tritIs
are small, there are at least hal;
dozen, each having over a quarter of a
million members. The languages of
.hese people are as distinct from one
another as French and Spanish or Ital-
ian, so that the speech of any one tribe
is unintelligible to its neighbors. These
tribes are all civilized and Christians
lied, but small uncivilized tribes,
among whom the Igorotes seem best
known in America, inhabit the noun
tains in Luzon and form a large part
OF the population of Mindanao. In
this island also there is large Mo-
hammedan population, which IS indie
pendent of the Mohammedans in the
neighboring Sulu archipelago.
1T Is the Tagalos, inhabiting some
of the provinces about Manila, who are
resisting the authority of the United
States. Other civilized Filipinos are
neutral, except where they are coerced
by armed bands of Tagalos, who seized
upon their governments during the
making and the ratification OF our
treaty OF peace with Spain. 1t would
be incorrect To assume, however. that
these tribes are allies Of ours. They
are not Indeed, they are not without
suspicion of the white race. of which
they have had experience only through
Spain. But there are men OF intelli-
gence and property, and the masses,
when not stirred up by the Tagalo6.
recognize the advantage to them Of
American sovereignty and so remain
neutral, although robber bands from
time to time descend from the noun
tains to plumber and burn the estates
of the peaceful inhabitants Of the
plains
THE instruction, though serious
enough. as experience has proved, is
not a national uprising. Indeed. there
Is no Philippine nation. The inhabi-
tants Of the archipelago no more con-
stitute a nation than the inhabitants
of the continent OF Europe do.
"The United States, having assumed
by a treaty Of peace with Spain soyer-
eighty over the archipelago, became
responsible for the maintenance Of
peace and order the administration Of
justice. the sscurity Of life and prop
erty among all the tribes Of the arch
ipelago. This is an obligation which
intelligent Filipinos, not less than for
eign nations expect us TO fulfill. Nor
will the national honor permit us 20
turn back. In taking the Philippine
Islands we annexed great responsible
ity. The fact that the responsibility
is heavier than most people supposed
it would be is no excuse for failure
to discharge IL. repeat that the Phil
ippine question is essentially ques-
ton Of national honor and obhga-
ton.
IN ~ opinion. much good would be
done by a declaration on the part OF
Congress OF the form Of government
To be established ia the islands, or bet
Ger STILL lat Congress Is ablish q gov
eminent for the Philippine Islands and
have it put in force in all parts and
among all tribes nor hostile % the Uni
tod States. This would serve several
tween our friends and orr enemies
and treat the former according 70 their
deserts 1t would also give 70 our en-
emles demonstration 81 free govern
ment on the American plan, very I'M
pe-tant point when it j. remembered
that the Tagalos claim to be fighting
for their liberty. And I had better cal
attention to the fact that the govern
ment which is well adapted 70 one
tribe may need considerable modinca-
tion 10 be available for another
Asked about the capacity q the FIJI
iplno peoples 10 govern themselves
President gehurman replied that the5
mad had no experience IN self-goFern-
ment. except IN municipal affairs. AMI
even these we're subject 70 the control
II the Spanish authorities He thought
however. that each tribe might, sub
feet 10 the supervision Of wise gen.
era1 government. manage in the main
ffs own municipal and provincial az
fairs. Supervision from Manila wouli
varv with the position which the d.
ferent tribes occupied in the scale o.
civilization
President Scnurman Seemed hFfn 10
sha conviction that some form Of home
rule for each Of the tribes. and undef