Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-11-23
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Philippine Commissions Report.

philippine Commissions Report.
The report of Philippine commits
sion is interesting reading. AS to
the capacity of tho people for self
government the report says: AS
to the general intellectual capacities
of tho Filipinos, tho commission is
disposed to rate them high. But,
excepting in limited number of
persons, these capacities have not
been developed by education or cx-
perience. The masses of tho people
arc uneducated. That intelligent
public opinion on which popular gov
ernment rests docs not exist in the
Philippines. And it cannot exist
until education has elevated the
masses, broadencd their intellectual
horizon and disciplined their faculty
Of judgment. And even then the
power of sclf-governmcnt cannot be
assumed without considerable pre-
vious training and experience under
the guidance and tutelage Of All ell
lightencd and liberal foreign power.
For tho bald fact is that the Ifilipinos
have never had any experience in
governing themselves. Their lack
of education and political experience,
combined with their radical and
linguistic divcrsitics, disqualifying
them i'll spite Of their mental gifts
and domestic virtues, to undertake
the task of governing the archipelago
ut the present time. Tho most that
can be expected of them is to CO. opo-
rate with the Americans in the ad-
ministration of general affairs, from
Manila rs a center, and to undertake,
subject to American control or guild
ance Gas may be found necessary
the administration of provincial and
municipal affairs. Fortunately there
arc educated Filipinos, though they
do not constitute large proportion
Of the entire population, and their
support and services will be of in
calculable value in inaugurating and
maintaining the new government.
AS education advances and expert
cncc ripcns, the natives may be in
intrustcd with n larger and more in
dependents share of government sell
government, as the American ideal,
being constantly kept in view as the
goal. In this way American SOW
crcignty over the archipelago will
prove great political boon to the
people. Should our power by any
fatality be Withdrawn the commission
believes that the government of the
Philippines would speedily lapse into
anarchy, which would excuse, if it did
not nccessitate, the intervention of
other powers and the eventual divi-
sion of the islands among them.
Only through American occupation,
therefore, is the idea Of frec-self-
governing and united Philippine
commonwealth at all conceivable.
And the indispensable need from the
Filipino point of view of maintain
ing American sovereignty over tho
archipelago is recognized by all in
telligent Filipinos, and oven by those
insurgents who desire an American
protectorate. The latter, it is true,
would take the revenues and leave
us the responsibilities. Ncvortho-
loss, they recognize the indubitablo
fact that the Filipinos cannot stand
alopo. Thus tho welfare of tho
Filipinos comedies with the dictates
of national honor in forbidding our
abandonment of tho archipelago.
Tho report closes with these words:
"Our control means to the inhabi-
tants of the Philippines internal
peace and order, n guarantee against
foreign aggression and against the
dismemhcrmcnt of their country,
commercial and industrial nrosnority,
and as large a share of tho affairs Of
government as they prove fit to take.
When peace and prosperity shall
have been established throughout
the archipelago, whom education
shall have become general, then, in
the language of q leading Filipino,
his people will, under our guidance,
Become more Americans than the
Americans themsclyes.1n R
The report is signed by J. G..
Schuman, George Dove, Charles
Denby and Dean G. Wnrcester.