The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-11-09

Islands-FIt pinos Declared To Be In-
capable of SeIf-GoveTnment.
Washington, Nov. Sin accordance
with the understanding reached at the
conference at the white house Nednes-
day the Philippine commission yester-
day submitted TO the president the pre-
liminary report which IL had promised
w prepare. The report appears To be
a campact summary of conditions on
Lhe islands aS the commission left them;
of the historical events which preceded
the Spanish war and led to the original
Filipino inSurrectiou; of the exchanges
between Admiral Dewey and the other
American commanders and the iusur~
gents; the breaking out and progress
of the present inSurrection aud, finally,
- statement Of the capacity OF the fdt-
p,no> for self government \ notable
feature of the report is memorandum
by Admiral Dewey explanatory of his
relations with ASuinaldo,
The commission tells briefly how il
conducted the task entrusted u il,
hearing statements from all classes of
people in Manila as to the capa bilitieS
of the Filipinos for Self-goverument,
the habits aud customs of the people
and also the establishment of munich
pal governments in many towns. All
this matter is to be included in the
6nal report. Turning to the history
of the islands the commission attaches
little Importance to the divers rebel
lions which had preceded that of 1896.
As to this movement they declare that
IL was i'm no sense an attemps to win
independence, but solely to obtain re-
lief from intolerable abuses. The re-
port then rapidly sketches events now
historical. 1t tells in substance how
the Filipinos attacked the Spanish and
how Gen. Anderson arrived and Agui-
naldo, at his request removed from
Cayite to Baccoor.
A brief chapter then tells of the lack
of success attending the effort made
at this time by Gen, Merritt through a
commission to arrive at a mutual under
standing with Aguiualdo as to the in
tentions, purposes and desires of the
Filipino people. This brings the story
up to the evening of February 4, with
the attack upon the American troops
following the action of the Nebraskan
sentinel The commission, in con-
Guiding this chapter, says:
made up his mind that it would be necessary to
dght the Americans and after the making OF
the treaty of peace Mt Paris this determination
was strengthened He did not openly declare
that he intended to fight the Americans, but he
excited everybody and especially the military
by claiming independence, and it is doubtful
whether he had the power to check or control
the army at the time hoStilities broke out. De-
plorable as war is, the one in which we are
now engaged was unavoidable by us We were
attacked by bold, adventurous and enthusiasts
tic army. No alternative was left to US, except
sguo3inious retreat 1t is not to be conceived
of that any American would have sanctioned
the surrender of Manila to the insurgents. Our
obligations to other nations and TO the friendly
FuipinoS. and to ourselves and to our flag, de-
ma nd that force should be met by force. What
the future of the Philippines may be there
Is no course open to us now except the prosecu-
t0a pof the war until the insurgents are re-
ducesi to submission. The commission is of the
opinion that there has been TO time since the
destruction of the Spanish squadron by Admiral
Dewey when it possible to withdraw our
forces from the islands. either with honor to
ourselves or with safety to the inh ebitants
The commission then takes up the
conditions of the country at the time
of their arrival, comparing it with
the conditions existing at the time
they left a short time ago. A vivid
picture is given of the anarchy existing
among the inhabitants in and about
Manila during the early spring. The
report then speaks of the issuance of
the commissions proclamation and the
good effects it had on public sentiment.
The natives, accustomed to Spanish
promises, urged upon the commission
that acts instead of promises should be
given them. AS result native law
courts were established and this great
ly aided in the restoration of public
confidence. The flow of population
soon began to set toward the city.
Natives who had fed from their homes
returned.
The report concludes:
Our control means to the Inhabitants OF the
Philippines internal peace and order. n guaran-
tee against foreign aggression and against the
dismemberment of their country, commercial
and industrial prosperity and as large a share
of the affairs of government as they shall prove
1T to take When peace and prosperity shall
have been established throughout the archipel-
ago, when education shall have become general
then. in the language OF a leading Filipino his
people viii, under our guidance, become more
American than the Americans themselves"
The report is signed by j. G. Schur-
man. George Dewey, Charles DENLY
and Dean c. Worcester.
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CrowninshieId Arrsigns Congress.
Washington. Nov. 3.-There are three