The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-03
GOOD FILIPINOS.
Inhabitants of Southern Is
lands Want Peace.
They Told Prof. J. G. Schur-
man That They Do.
ANDPROSPERITY
These Are Also Among the De-
sires Mentioned.
All Stand In Terror Of Gen.
AguinaldO.


Manila, July 2.-Professor J. G. ,Schur-
man, of the United States advisory
commission for the Philippines. return
ed to Manila today from a three weeks
tour of the southern islands. He takes
an entirely hopeful view of the general
conditions there. The intelligent and
substantial citizens desire an American
protectora-e. The masses are awaiting
the settlement of the war in the island
OF Luzon before declaring themselves
They are chiefly anxious to be undls-
turbed. The president of the town of
SantO Nicolas, in the island of Cebu,
said to Mr.. Schurman: I'VE want peace,
food and prosperity. We do not wish to
fight. We would be neutral"
The president of the commission
thinks this declaration fairly expresses
the sentiments Of the people in the
southern islands of the archipelago.
Many of the towns there are in the
hands of small bands of TagalOs, and
the people fear to indOrse American
rule until they are certain that Aguin-
aldo must be beaten. Let them once
be convinced of this and the allegiance
of the southern islands, Mr. Schurman
thinks, can be secured by diplomacy.
The United States gunbOat Benni 1g-
ton took Mr. Schurman to MindanaO
and the islands of the Suit and Visayan
groups He Travelled through the island
of NegrOs with Col Smith and a party
of natives. In several of the principal
towns he was rendered banquets and
he had an hours conference with the
young sultan OF Sulu, who received him
in the royal audience chamber. sur
rounded by a body guard of fierce look
ing MorOs.
Mr. Schurman told the sultan that
the United States had acquired the
sovereignty of the Philippines from
Spain, but had no wish to subjugate
the population nor to interfere with
haf or IN
trary. the great desire of the American
government was to help the people of
the Islands to develop their country
The sultan replied that ne earnestly
desired peace, and was anxious to con-
tinue the existing treaties.
On the return voyage, the president
of the commission, visited the town OF
Borneo, capital Of British North Borneo,
where he was cordially received by the
British officials, who afforded him eV-
cry facility in his study of the local
government and the customs of the
people The population he found much
like that of the southern Philippine is
lands. The government is at present in
a rather elementary state, but q more
complete organization is being develop
| ed rapidly as is practicable
General LaWtOn and Prof Worcester,
| of the commission, visited the prInci-
| pal towns in the province OF CaV1te,
out of which the natives were recently
driven. Their chief purpose was to di-
! rect the elections of the presidents Of
linus, BacoOr, Paranque and Las Pinas.
Under the municipal system thus in
augurated, the presidents or the may
ors of the towns are empowered to ap-
point minor officials and to levy taxes,
which are to be expended solely IN pub
lie improvements.
| Before acting, Gen. Lawton and Mr..
Worcester had consulted with the lead
| ms; men in each town and selecIsd can
/ didates whose honesty and friendltness
! to American rule were beyond question.
Wherever they went, the Americans
were heartily cheered by the people.
Today the public schools in Manila
| will open, and it is expected that there
] will be {. 900 children in attendance. The
[ governors include Americans, Spantards
and FilipinOs. One of the instructors is
the widow of the Filipino patriot, Dr.
| Rial, who prepared the statutes Of the
! Philippine league, and who. when about
| to board a. steamer at Barcelona in the
| autumn of 1886, was arrested by the
| Spanish authorities and sent to Manila,
| where he was tried by cOurt-mart1aI on
| a charge of having organized the up
/ rising in the Philippines, sentenced to
death and shot on December %, of that
| year. After her husbands execution,
| Mrs. Rial, who is the stepdaughter of
| a retired Hong Kong gentleman, went
| to linus and was chosen captain OF a
( company of insurgents. English will be
| taught in the schools one hour each day.
The prescribed holidays include the
/ twenty church days observed in Ma
| Mia WashingtOn's birthday and the
| Fourth of July.
! Almost every steamer brings mission
! aries. The arrival of one in Cebu made
! no little trouble, as the report spread
| rapidly among the ignorant classes that
the Americans intended to compel them
| to give up their churches. The Ameri-
| can authorities, in the interest of har-
| mOny, requested him to withdraw and
| he compiled.
/ Senior LIorente, who is considered the
| most influential native in Cebu, said
| to Mr.. Schurnan: I like the Ameri-
/ can idea of the separation Of church
| and state, but I think it would be I'M
| wise to introduce Professionalism while
| conditions are so unsettled.
| He has since arrived in Manila and
| taken his seat on the bench Of the su-
| preme court.
Rain has fallen almost continuously
| for nine days. It has been a tremen-
dous downpour and the whole country
! is flooded.
| The trenches at San Fernando are
! bitches of water, and the mud is knee
| deep in the temporary camps at Severa
| of the outlying towns.
Some of the permanent camps have
| been made fairly comfortable by the
| erection of bamboo shelters, rooted and
! hoored.
The transport. Hancock, which left
Saturday with the First Nebraska in
| fantry and Batteries A and B, of the
| Utah light artillery, and the transport
| Senator, which carries the Pennsylvania
troops, will remain several days al
| NagasaIxi and Yokohama, Japan.
/ According to the latest reports from
! the province of Cavite. the insurgent
leaders there are quarreling. Agui
/ naldO's cousin, BaldOmero Aguinaldo
| has been killed or imprisoned by Gen
! eral Mariana Trias, commander of the
/ insurgents in the southern district OF
| LuzOn. and most Of his men have de-
| serted to Trias, who is now at San
| Francisco de Ia Malibon.