The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-28
THE NEEDS OF THE
FILIPINO PEOPLE
DR. Schurnan Urges the Immediate Es-
tablishment OF Civil Governments
in All the Provinces.

article by Jacob G. Schurman, presi-
dent of Cornell university, chairman of
the United States commission to the
Philippines, entitled Our Duty to the
Philippines
Following is an abstract:
I'VE have 40 to SO tribes to civilize
and seven or eight of the tribes have
some 100000 members each. On the ISL
and of Luzon there is one tribe of
million and a. half people. who speak
one language as totally distinct from
the other languages as Spanish is from
English. Another tribe on the same
island, which numbers about 100000, is
as distinct from the others in language
and characteristics as they are from
the Spaniards themselves. Then, on the
great island of Mindanao, there are
many tribes that are entirely different
from one another. In the Sulu archi-
pelago We come to another class Of ma
tives about whose customs of slavery
so much has been said recently. They
are all Mohammedans, while in Luzon
the natives are all Catholic Christians.
THE priests have ruled in Luzon SO
long that their influence is widespread,
and the natives know of no other form
of Christianity. The Roman Catholic
church has been established there for
800 years, and the archipelago was real
ly governed by the priests, and not by
the Spanish civil or military command
ers- OF the $13, 100000 raised on the
| island annually, about 81, 100000 was
| used for the church's support Each
| small church would receive about $500
| for its support and the priests an all
| lowance of $500. We must credit the
church with having done great deal
of good work among the natives. We
must reckon with these facts when we
| send missionaries to the Philippines
| Missionaries are needed in the ISL
ands. and I hope they will be sent there
| in large numbers. There is plenty of
! work for them to do, and I hope they
| will go with complete understanding
of the situation to accomplish good.
They must realize that they are con-
tending with a Catholic educated peo-
| Pile, that knows nothing about the fine
| differences between Protestant sects
and denominations. Therefore, it would
| be highly impolitic to send missionaries
| of different denominations to confuse
| the minds of the people.
Think the island of Mindanao is a
more promising field for missionaries to
| begin their work in than Luzon. The
| influence of the Catholic church has
| not been extended to Mindanao and
the simple natives would readily accept
| the type of faith which the Americans
| would teach them.
| "One reason for the stubborn opposi-
| tion to our occupation of the islands
| is a legacy of suspicion and hatred for
the white man which Spain bequeathed
| to us. The Filipinos know the white
race only by one specimen. Spain to
! them represents the whole world of
Europeans-the whole white race-and
| her authorities made promises repeat
| edly to them and broke them They
| will not to-day trust Americans or
| Spaniards, or any other Europeans.
| Nor is 1t strange that they distrust the
| promises of the Americans. This dis
| trust of the white race Is one of the
| problems that will require years of la
1t with words. 1t must be dissipated
| by actual works; they must have ocular
| demonstration that the word of the
| Americans can be relied upon.
| mot until then will they begin to
| believe us. Consequently I have urged
| it on congress and the president to set
up civil government in the Philippines
| it. Simple government is what is need
| ed, and every province should have it
| so the people can learn the meaning Of
our promises and intentions. The presi-
dent is in possession of the fullest in
| formation about the needs and condi-
tions of the island and he can judge
better than we can what is the best
| thing to do. But as soon as a province
| is subdued some civil government
| should be set UP, so that its operations
| before their eyes will teach them Of it's
benefits
81 regret that the Americans allowed
| the saloon to get a foothold on the
islands. That has hurt the Americans
more than anything else, and the spec
| tacle of Americans drunk awakens dis
| gust in the Filipinos. We suppressed
| the cock fights there, and permitted
the tavern to flourish. One emphasized
the Filipino frailty and the other the
| American vice. l have never seen a
Filipino drunkard.
| "In Manila, which Is really a cosmo-
politan city, in Iloilo and other cities
of the islands you will find educated
Filipinos who are bright and pleasing
to meet socially. 1t is a good thing
that we have such nucleus of educa-
| tion to begin with. The great masses,
of course, are ignorant, but one good
thing in their favor is that they thirst
| for knowledge With good American
schools on the islands the leaven Of
general education will produce results
| for the masses that will develop the
| race rapidly. The Filipinos have many
other good characteristics. They are
honest by nature and show it in their
dealings. although suspicious of the
white man.
| "But one thing ] wish to emphasize
more than any other point that ] have
dwelt upon. We must make an honest
| civil service permanent institution
| on the islands Spain established the
| spoils system, and the corruption which
| has followed from it has made three
centuries of evil government for the
people and finally resulted in her own
overthrow. The best man in the Unit
| ed States is none too good to go to
the Philippines as governor general
He must mete out justice to all and
teach the Filipinos by his decisions and
example that he is their friend. By
sending out such man we will sue
ceed, but If we send an ordinary politi-
| cal appointee we shall fail. I am con-
fident that the right man will be sent
and then our experiment will be a ma
tiofal success"