The San Francisco call., 1899-11-08

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opinions OF the members Of the commission The
utterances Of President Schuran before his appoint
ment were as pointedy against imperialism as any OF
Edward Atkinson's Colonel DENLY declared that
wanted the islands regardless OF the interests or pro
tests Of the people, but only because they would
probably be profitable TO US, and if they were not
we did not want them at all Professor Worcester's
book on the Philippines, written merely as nara
tive or his personal experience and observation in the
archipelago long before dreamed OF its conquest,
is mint OF material for argument against having
anything to do with it Admiral Dewey is indis-
putaby on record as declaring the Fipnos as better
qualified Tor se-government than the Cubans. These
individual views are all Cancelled in the report. 1t
begins with statement OF the reason given by the
natives for the revolt against Spain which began in
1870 Il is characterized as not movement Tor in
dependence at all Quoting the native proclamation
which stated its basis, the report says: The insur-
recti6n was solely to obtain relief from intolerable
abuses It demanded the expulsion OF the riars and
the restitution to the people OF the lands, with
division OF the episcopal sees between Spanish and
native priests It demanded that the Fiipinos have
parliamentary representation freedom OF the press
and gous liberation, economic autonomy and the
benefit. OF the laws OF the kingdom OF Spain. 1t de-
n!auded the abolition OF the power OF banishment,
and equality OF all persons before the law, with equal
pay Tor Filipino and Spanish civil servants
The commission concludes that the people who
made these demands and fought for them in
capable OF seli-government
An American who knows the history Of his country
will be startled by the exact resemblance between
those demands and the demands upon England which
preceded our own Revolution. Our forefathers be-
sought the throne o., of,Engand for parliamentary rep
resentation, for econ6mc autonomy for dsunion Of
church and state, for legislative independence These
demands rejected led to the declaration OF Thomas
Paine that these colonies and OF right ought to
be free and independent States" and inspired the
speech Of Patrick Henry to the House Of Burgesses
which is still we hope, classic OF American patriot
ism.
The FiIipinos who could formulate such demands
and fight for them were endowed with the active
germ Of independence.
The commission reports that it examined many
witnesses upon the subject OF the capacity Of the
people for self-government, and result OF the
testimony concluded that that capacity does not
exist Therefore this Government is justified in de-
nyng it, and in making war against the natives until
those who desire it are all killed effectively sub
jugated
Our Declaration OF Independence says! 1--WE hold
these truths to be selfevident that all are
ated equal and with certain inalienabe rights
among which life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
piness and that to secure these governments are in
sttuted among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent Of the governed"
After that Declaration was adopted Mr.. Jefferson
went home to Virginia and put its precepts in prac-
tice in that colony. He abolished tthes thus sever
ing the connection between church and state and
destroyed prmogeniture establishing family equality
in inheritance and forbade the entaing OF estates
This republic has developed on those lines Are we
question in issue the Philippines and wherever our
jurisdiction goes.
The commission generalizes upon benevolent pur-
poses and promises what Is to follow conquest
These generalities and promises are offset by the
historical facts that such relations have never yet
been established between conqueror and conquered.
Equality between them has never yet occurred 1t is
not now between the Irish and the English after seven
centuries of domination by the conqueror It is not
between the English and their Indian, Burmese or
Cingaese conquests after nearly two centuries Of
contact He is hopeful prophet indeed who can
look for it between and the people of a race so
different as the Filipinos
The Declaration OF Independence includes "all
men" in its statement Of equality OF right
The great fact, disowned by the commission is that
all men have capacity for self-government 1t IS
born with them into the world. The forms by which
if is accomplished differ with racial characteristics
There is self-government everywhere In the Philip
pines outside the American lines and where it is there
IS no anarchy Last January official report to our
State Department said that in addition to his mill
tary expulsion of Spanish sovereignty from the four
islands OF Luzon, Panay Negros and Cebu, Aguin-
a1do's government was administering government
with dignity and justice"
The commission concludes its rhapsody with that
which is the real reason for the position in which
this Government has become involved This is a
statement of the wealth OF the islands IN agriculture,
minerals. timber and trade of which the United
States will obtain a large share" This part of the
report reads like the Englishmans reason for the
Boer war: "If you had chance to seize billion Of
gold in the Transvaal mines wouldn't you do it1'