The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-29
HOW TO GOVERN COLONIES.
PRECEDENT SCHURMIN,S ADDRESS
AT TIE OPENING OF CORNELL.

Mission II to Educate and Elevate tho
Fiiipinos and Aid Thorn In Governing
Observation-Disclosures Sovereignty Must
First Bs Established, Even by Force.
ITHACA. Sept. 2S.-President Sohurman. at
the opening OF Cornell University to-day. de-
hvered an address in which he set forth what
, should be our Colonial policy especially as APP
piled to the Philippines. TWAS an explanation OF
Mr.. Schurman's views after study OF the stu
alton as President OF tho Philippines Commits
sion and aftor several conferences with Presi-
ident Mckinley on the subject. Mr.. Schurman
said:
when addressed you In this place at the
opening Of the University year ago. after deal
ing with domestic topics OF common in
terest to the members Of our academic fra
ternity. thought II proper. II no,
indeed. incumbent on as a public
toachor. to give some con Iteration TO ques ton
OF transeendont national Importance which was
then agitating tho thought OF the AmerL
can poople In all parts OF tho Union
blic-spritcd and patriotic citizens were
asking in perplexity: Shall wo take
the Philippine Islands from Spain1 This In.
auiry answered with emphatic neg ative,
supper ting my view by appeals TO our tradi.
uonal national policy and those considorat ions
OF expcdiency which justin cd It, looked at the
matter solely from tho American point OF view
This. admit, was purely selfish view OF
the casa But ia not national self in Ter est
regulated by right tho first principle OF
politiosf However, We had lust finished
. war for the emancipation OF Cuba !;
and IL would no W doubt have been
anomalous 10 have left the Fipnos, who
were already In rebellion. victims to that
Spanish oppression which in Cuba, after
An appeal Of a hundred years, had at
last reused us 10 forcible intervention
But as the Fill rinos were not within tho
scope Of ths Monroe do ctrine. my own view was
that, however deep and sincere our sympathios
with them might be. We were rot called upon
as o nation TO rectify any OF tho tyrannies
81 the Old World. long at least
as no national interest was at stake
Recommended. therefore, that the Philippines
be left with Spain. But my poor opinions did
not commend themselves to the public: in
deed. while theyEecitod no note OF APP
prevail in any quarter. they brought upon
mo no little condemnation. Whether they wero
sound or not tho rapid march OF events renders
II unnecessary TO consider. The treaty making
power OF the United States backed admit by
an overwhelming public opinion, which was irre
spective Of party. took tho Philippine Islands
from Spain. And now the question Is. having
taken tho archipelago. how shall VIC fulHl our
oblig cations to its Inhabitants. to ourselves aud
TO tho civilized world
Some people are still discussing tho theoretic
expediency OF expansion. This has not
been open question since last winter.
Tho act and fact OF expansion was COM
plete whom the treaty Of peace was : rati-
fed You might indeed. as an academic
matter, discuss tho desirablity OF contract ton.
But towering over and overshadowing all merely
speculativeitsuss is tho mighty Il had almost
said tho tdvfuD fact OF our actual
sovereignty over and responsibility
for the Philippine islands You can
escape the consequences OF some deeds by I'm
doing Thorn. But treaties cannot DO made and
unmade at will, nor international oblig atoms
laid down because they are burdonsome /,
does not matter what wero your views on the
previous question Of annexation; tho only ques-
ton to-day open TO you Is this: The United
States having taken the Philippine Islands from
Spain. what shall wo do with them?
This grave issu, must be decided by the
President and Congress OF tho United States
With them. think. We may leave 1t. in tho con-
fdent expectation that wise solution will be
reached L al least have nothing to say oil
II now. Perhaps at another time and
place I may have opportunity OF con,
tributing my mite to tho total result Bu
to-day I desire to call your minds from
this specific Philippine problem and invite
your attention TO some observations on
tho general subject Of National Expansion
II history DO philosophy teaching by experience
as has been said. she should instruct US how &c
be wise. not only after tho event but before IL
And It may we'll DO that our Philippine problem
now as 1t 10 70 us. Is only another phi ass OF
subj ect In which the world has had much OK
peIienSe.
the United States pres ents picture OF expan
sion on the grandes. scale tho world has eve
the Atlantic tho tim0 OF the Re-
h. f|a par, II:
ard II. s,,, Ms ,ss %n,Il leaving ,h'
on which long before '~ cor,es had gaze gaze
with dumb surprise This IS EXPANSION on q
done in so large way in the United States. The
% oash Asa snd ssss has B SSn sher'
10 ono important difference between the overflow
Snd h nSPSaS s B.n hs
ssan wso az he Sc on whh
were carried Into tho new domains. out o
iITsa .Ss Ohio anG ss
IS s.n.J y. YSF TS, s sS5
Great Britain and her Colonies may, form VIVA
the mother country and tho daughter common
Wealths each maintain their own separate place
and support thsir own yidual industry; they
arc not org anized into single whole. But tn
United States has not only annexed contnen Ia
territories: Il has organized them into self gov
erning States which are at the same time eq VA
sharers in the life OF The great Republic Polit
ical org anization has kept pace with territorial
expansion.
our assumption OF sovereignty over the Philip
pine Islands Is altogether unlike the prevlou
phases OF our national expansion OF cours
that does not prove II TO he either good or bad
But I am not now discussing the value
Of the new a a; in't am making oEi
whereas in our developmen, from A!!enti
TO Pacific We found practically uninhas
took possession. tho Philippine Island
are already well peopled with MalayAn
who have long made It their home who resen
the intrusion of other races. and to whom III
physical environment II far better adApte
than IL is to white men. There
nothing in our national e1perenco
Their case Is entirely different from that OF tn
Indians and others who were scattered here an
~. tNnrt I, ,lk 49,.