The evening times., 1899-01-17
FILIPINOS UNFIT TO
GOVERN THEMSELVES
PROFESSOR woRcEsrER's VIEW
Member of the Commission Thinks
America Will Not Have Much
Trouble in the Islands.

Ann Arbor, Mich, Jan. 17.-Prof. Dean
c. Worcester, head of the geological de-
partment of the University of Michigan.
selected as the fifth member Of the Phil
ippine Commission by President Mckinley,
knows the islands thoroughly, having Wis
tied them in 1SS78S and 1890-93. He Wis
tied nearly every one of the larger and
more important islands of the group and
came into contact with the natives of both
the higher and lower classes. He was
careful scientific observer, and took nu-
merous notes and observations, as well as
quantity of photographs. His explora-
tionS have made him an expert on condi-
ton of the natives, their living and Gus
toms, etc. He left for the East last night
and will notify the President personally of
his acceptance.
1T has been several years since ! left
| the Philippines" said Professor Worces-
! ter ''and many details of the situation
puzzle me- I'm keeping still because
| do not want to talk nonsense. However
there are some things that seem certain.
| One is that we shall not have any great
| trouble. The natives are tickle. AT one
! time they will be up in arms and ready TO
! fight. If they are left to themselves they
I get tired of this. want to do something else
! and leave the army. That makes me think
! tudl IL We give II lillt tut W III
( fall of it's own weight through the deser-
! tion of the people.
What would happen If We were not to
/ take control and the islands were to have
| their freedom?
That's impossible.
| But suppose such situation
| There would be one name then in the
north and another in the centre. They
| would eat each other up until the MORO
! pirates came up from the MindanaO and
| ate up all the rest. The Morros are one
| OF the fercest races in the world. They
are pirates, and fight as desperately as tha
| Fuzzy -WuzZy' of the Soudan."
How can we civilize them
We'll they have a Mohammedan c.vili-
| cation now, but that teaches them to prey
on Christians. | think the best an is TO
| isolate them. Patrol their island with
| gunboats to keep them away from o:her
| parts of the group and let them take care
| of themselves.
In his recent book, published by Mac
milan, The Philippine Islands" Prof.
Worcester says:
With all their amiable qualities it is
not to be denied that at present the civil
/ i2ed natives are utterly unit for self
| government. Their universal lack of edu-
cation is in itself a difficulty that cannot
| be speedily overcome, and there is much
truth in the statement of a priest who
said that In many things they are b G
children, who must be treated like lit e
| ones
Not having the gift Of prophecy, | can
| not say how far or fast they can advance
under more favorable circumstances than
| those that have thus far surrounded
them. They are naturally law abiding
and peace loving and would, believe, ap-
preciate and profit by just treatment.
In the four months which separate
May L. 1898. from the day when the manu-
script for this book leaves my hands, i'm
portant events have crowded on each eth
ers heels as never before in the history
of the archipelago Whatever may be the
immediate outcome it is safe to say that
having learned something of his power
tha civilized native will row be likely 10
take a hand in shaping his own future
| l trust that opportunities which he has
| never enjoyed may be given TO him. il
not, may he win them for himself