The record-union., 1899-11-03

veloped by education or experience. The
mass of the people are uneducated.
| Their lack of education and political
experience, combined with their racial
and linguistic diversities, disqualify
! them in spite of their mental gifts and
/ democratic virtues, to undertake the
/ task of governing the archipelago at
the present time. The most that can
| be expected of them is to cooperate
with the Americans in the administra-
! tion of general affairs from Manila as
a CENTER and to undertake, subject to
American contrib or guidance Gas may
be found necessary, the administra-
tion of provincial and municipal affairs.
| Fortunately there are educated Fill
pinos, though they do not constitute a
| large proportion of the entire popula-
ton, and their support and services will
be of incalculable value in inaugurating
and maintaining the new government.
AS education advances and experience
ripens, the natives may be entrusted
with a large and more independent
share of government, government
as the American ideal being constantly
kept in view as the goal In this way
American sovereignty of the archipela-
q ~
the people.
Should our power by any fatality
be withdrawn, the Commission believes
the government of the Philippines
would speedily lapse into anarchy,
which would excuse, if it did not nee
essitate, the Intervention of other Pow
ers and the eventual division of the
islands among them.
,"Only through 9American occupation,
therefore is the idea of a free self
governing and united Philippine COM
monwealth at all conceivable. And the
Indispensable need from the Filipino
point of view of maintaining American
sovereignty over the archipelago is
recognized by all intelligent Filipinos,
and even by those insurgents who de-
sire an American protectorate. The
latter, is true, would take the reve-
nues and leave US the responsibilities.
Nevertheless, they recognize the indu-
bitable fact that the Filipinos cannot
stand alone. Thus the welfare of the
Filipinos comedies with the dictates of
national honor in forbidding our aban-
donment of the archipelago. We can
not, from any point of view, escape the
ItSpOHoiplItlcS Ol SOVClHIIIC WAA-SiA
our sovereignty entails, and the Com
mission is strongly persuaded that the
performance of our national duty will
prove the greatest blessing to the peo-
pies of the Philippine Islands"
One of the closing chapters of the
report is devoted to a tribute to "our
soldiers and sailors in the war"
The Commissioners dismiss the re-
ports of the desecrating of churches,
the numbering of prisoners and the
committing of unmentionable crimes.
and say they are glad to express the
belief that war was never more hu-
namely conducted. saying:
'If churches were occupied, it was
only as military necessity, and fire.
quently after their uses as forts by
the insurgents had made it necessary
to train. our artillery on them. Prison
ers were taken whenever opportunity
afforded, often to be set at liberty
the time of our departure, although
numerous spies had been captured, not
a single Filipino had been executed
The Commission gives a general view
of the value of the islands, their gen.
eral richness in agricultural and for
est products their mineral wealth and
their commanding geographical posi-
tions. They state that the Philippines
should soon become one of the great
traders of the East. Manila is already
connected by new steamship Lines whit