The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-26

NM sion made it's partial report
lust before the November cleo
tons, it fell very fat and was receiv-
ed with only on Indifferent degree of
confidence.
There was a strong feeling that the
commission should have made a full
report, or none at all Just at that time.
Rumors were rife that there was dl-
vision of opinion among the members,
and that it required strong persuasive
influence to induce Two of them to Join
in the report that was actually made.
In the nature Of things par
Z tial report would contain a very in
complete statement of facts, and would
consist mainly Of conclusions. Con-
4 gress was not In session, full report
was not needed for the information or
that b3dy, and an incomplete one was
practically without real value to any
one.
Nothing could be more unfair than
to attempt to mold public opinion by
means of a report which as5u.neG- to
cover the entire case 50 far as conclu-
sions are concerned, but with only
partial statement of the facts which the
Investigation had brought to light be-
cause the facts not disclosed might
modify very essentially the Significance
of those which were given. With all
the details before them, the people
might draw very different conclusions
from what they would be If based upon
only a part of the details. They would
iF, fn n
facts which the commission assumed
to give were altogether of general
character, being themselves rather In
the nature of conclusions, and mani
fesly intended to sustain the opinions
expressed in the report
There could have been but one pur-
pose in bringing out such report, at
that time. which was to influence the
elections in favor of the administra-
ton by an official Endorsement of MIR.
McKinley's Philippine policy. The re-
port probably had some effect, al
though it had been discounted in ad-
vance to a very considerable extent,
while subsequent events have dis
credited it stfl more.
The commission attempted to show
first, that the Filipinos were not en-
titled to independence, and second, that
the most of them didn't want 1t. The
Standard pointed out at the time the
pettifogging character of the argu-
rnents by which the first contention
was supported, and the unsatisfactory
character Of the evidence upon which
the second one was based AT thai
very time the insurgents were in pos
session of ninety nine-one hundredths
of the island of Luzon, and it was ut
terly impossible for the commissioner
to know what the real sentiments O
the people were. Their opinions reste(
upon what they saw at Manila and in 1t
immediate vicinity, where the peopl
were living and speaking under tn
eonstraint Of the presence Of a power
full American army.
So far as the other islands were con
cerned the United States officials hat
merely touched their coast lines. 1t il
entirely safe to say that the commits
sioners were not in a position TO know
the actual sentiments Of onr person Il
fifty of the native population.
The report spoke of a force of Taga
los having been Landed in Pamay, bu
1t was claimed that many of tn
Visayans of that island were opposer
20 them. That may be 20, but Their
certainly was not much evidence I
show that they were in favor Of tn
United States. And now the dispatch
es inform Us that the insurgents ar
in possession of practically the Who'll
island Of Panay except the city of lie
lilo, and have been all the time. Thi
island is larger than Porto Rico. TIL