The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-03

and pubic order is better in the island
today than at ANY time during the last
twenty wears. Summarizing the failure
ar fine native form of Government, and
the success of the American control the
commission says:
THE fat failure of this attempt to es-
tablish an independent native govern
ment in Negros, conducted as it was
under the most favorable circumstances.
makes it apparent that here, as well as
in the less favored provinces, a large
amount of American control is at present
absolutely essential to successful adj
ninistration of public affairs.
The efforts Mt Cancellation with Aguin-
aldo and his various commissions are
SET forth in detail. These commission
ers were assured of the beneticent pur-
pases of the United States and the Presi-
dents readiness to grant the Filipino
neoule as large Il measure of home rule
and as ample liberty was consistent with
the ends of governments subject only
to the recognition of the sovereignty Of
the United States-a point which, being
established the commission invariably
refused even to discuss.
mo better proof" says the commits
sion. could be furnished that the prim-
ary object of Aguinaldo's struggle is not,
as is pretended, the liberty of the Fill
pino people. but the continuance of his,
(Aguinaldo's) own arbitrary and deSpotic
power. In any event, the American peo-
ple may feel confident that 10 effort was
omitted by the commission to secure
peaceful end OF the struggle, but the op-
portunities they offered and urged were
all neglect ID, if not indeed spuned."
In the chapter devoted to Capacity
for Self Government, the reiort says:
The Filipinos are not nation, but
vlarigated assemblage OF different tribes
and peoples. AMI their lovaty is still oe
the tribal type.
las to their general intellectual ca
pacities, the commission is disposed to
rate them high. But excepting in
limited number of persons those capaci-
ties have not been developed by educa-
tion or experience. The masses of the
people are uneducated. THAT intelligent
public opinion ON which popular govern
ment rests does not exist in the Philip
pines. And it cannot exist until educa-
ton has elevated the masses, broadened
their intellectual horizon, and disciplined
their faculty of Judgment. They need
training under an enlightened, liberal
sovereign power.
The report shows that this inability
for self government is due to the old
Spanish regime, which gave the FilipinOs
little or no part in governing themselves.
"'Their lack of education and political
experience. combined with their racial
and linguistic diversitieS. disquality
them. in spite of their mental gifts and
4 a. .f.RT~ fbs t1Gi
of governing the archipelago at the pres
ent time"
The commission says that anarchy
would follow speedily the withdrawal of
our troops from the islands and that their
seizure and division among some of the
European powers would soon result.
They speak in the highest terms of the
skill, patience and endurance of our sol
diers, dismiss the reports of the desc
Grating of churches the numbering of
prisoners and the committing of un-
mentionable crimes, and say they are
glad to express the belief that a war
was never more humanely conducted.
The commission gives general view
of the value of the islands, their richness
in agricultural and forest products, their
mineral wealth, and their commanding
geographical position. They state that
the Philippine Islands should soon be-
come one of the great trade centers Of
the East Manila is already connected
by new steamship lines with Australia,
India and Japan, and she will become
the natural terminus of many other lines
when ship canal connects the Atlantic
and the Pacific. 1t cannot be doubted
that commerce will greatly increase, and
the United States will obtain a large
share in this increment Manila with
the immunity that it has thus far en-
joyed from that terrible pest, the buboni.
plague, should become a distributing
center for China, Siam, the Straits set
Elements, Tonquin, AMMAN and Austria
lia The reports concludes:
"0ur control means to the inhabitants
of the Philippines internal peace and or
der, guarantee against foreign aggres
sion and against the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of
their country, commercial and industrial
prosperity and as large a share of affairs
Of government as they shall prove fit to
take. When peace and prosperity shall
have been established throughout the
archipelago, when education shall have
become general, then in the language of
a leading Filipino, his people will under
our guidance become more Amefcan
than the Americans themselves
The report is signed by j. G. Schur-
man, George Dewey, Charles DENLY and
Dean Worcester.