The Portland daily press., 1899-09-29
President Schurman's Views on
Great Problem.
Colonies Are Not For a
Profit.
First Thing Is To Pat Down
the Insurrection.

Ithaca, New York. September 2S AT
the opening of Cornell University today
President Schurman addressed the stu
dents on the Philippine question.
The treaty-makiug pnwer of the United
States, backed. he admitted, by an over
party, took the Philippine islands from
Spain. Some people were still discussing
the theorstio expsdisnoy of expansion.
rhis had not been an open question
since last winter. The only question
today open was this: 'sfhe United States
having taken the Philippine Islands from
Spain, what shall be done with themp"
This grave issue must be decided by
the President and Congress of the United
States.
In the case of the United States there
was one important difference between the
overflow of the population of our origi-
nal thirteen states and that OF the
British Isles. Wherever thu American
went he set up a. new state. which vas
vital part of the Union. Great Britain
and her colonies each maintain their
own Individual identity; not being or
ganized into single whole.
| Our assumption of sovereignty over tine
Philippine islands was altogether unlike
the previous phases OF our national ex-
pansion. He pointed out that whereas In
the Developments of the United States
from Atlantic to Pacific practically unin-
habited territories were found, the Phil
ippins islands were already well peopled
with Malayans who had long made IL
their Come. who resented the intrusion of
other races, and to whom the physical
environment was far better adapted
than it is to white men.
The most obvious, but also the most
fundamental lesson drawn from the COL
onial history Of Europe was q warming:
"Let no ruling race ever treat its colon
les or dependencies as its possessions.
Yet there were those who speak of the
Philippine islands as our possessions and
calmly conclude we may do what we
like with them. This was too barbarous
to be taken seriously; it was not callous-
ness OF heart. 1t was only muddls headed
ness. The sovereign power owned moth
ing, but there was som ethins 1t owed.
IL was charged with the responsibility
Of government.
He drew from the history Of COLOMBIA
ton another lesson, the following: ''Jhe
government of colonies or dependencies
is not a money-making enterprise for the
sovereign power or its citizens" But
there was no instance in history of the
successful government of colony where
profit to the parent state or It's citizens
had been a leading consideration. On the
other hand there were many examples of
disasters and rebelliens from such un-
worthy greed and exploitation.
He laid 1t down as a cardinal princi-
pal that the way to get profit from colon
les was not to seek it at their expense.
On the contrary a colonization power
should aim at nothing but the welfare of
its colonies. And by far the largest
element in their welfare was good gov
eminent.
/. There was another principle Of ooloni-
zation namely: Colonies and dependen-
oies should be self-supporting. If the
ruling POWER got nothing from them
neither should 1t be called upon to give
anything to them. States. like individu-
ais, must pay their own way. A fourth
principle of sound colonial policy was:
$50 authorities established in the colon
les and dependencies the sovereign power
should delegate all the functions Of gov
ernment." This rule held good whether
the colonies were Of the same race as the
people of the sovereign nation or differ
emit.
Nor was 1t different with dependencies
peopled by alien races incapable of govern
ing themselves. Government must be
adapted to the governed.
The fifth principle called for men to
run the machinery of government "To
colonies and dependencies not capable of
Icomplete self-goyernment, the sovereign
power must send some or all of the
higher officials; but the number Of this
ruling class should be small and the char
acter, ability and aptitude of each official
not only above the average. but exosp-
tionally high; and, in order to attract
high and positions permanent.
Continuing he said, 81 was often
asked In the Philippines II our civil SER
vioe was better than that of Spsins Here
is point where the Filipinos suspect
and fear us. We must allay their anxiety
and suspicion by q splendid Philippine
civil service. / repeat, however, that the
success Of our administration In the Phil
ippines will depend upon tho men we
send out to conduct 1t much more than
upon acts of Congress or any other cir
cuMstanca
In conclusion Mr. Echurman said I:
sWhat Is the emu OF colsnizationf Why
should we extend our soversisnty over
remote countries and alien psopIsss I
answer that ths only jnskifiabls object
of such expansion u the sstablizhnsnt q