The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-03
sCHURMAN AT MANILA.
The Commissioners Has Made a Tour
the Islands.

MANILA, July 2, 6:25 p. m.-Prof. j. G..
Schurman, of the United States advisory
commission for the. Philippines, returned to
Manila to-day from three weeks tour of
tie southern islands. He takes an entirely
hopeful view of the general conditions
there. The intelligent and substantial cit
liens desire an American prOtectorate. The
| masses are awaiting the settlement of the
war in the Island of Luzon before declar-
| ing themselves.
They are chiefly anxious to be undis-
| turbed The president OF the town Of Santo
Nicolas, in the Island of Cebu. said to Mr.
Schurman: I'VE want peace, food and pros
perity We do not wish to fight. We would
| be neutral The president of the commits
! sion 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 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 Bennington
| took Mr.. Schurman to Mindanao and the
| islands of Sulu and the Visayan group. He
| travelled through the Island IF Negros with
| Colonel Smith and a party of natives In
several of the principal towns he was ten
| dered banquets and he had an hours con-
| ference with the young Sultan of Sulu, who
received him in the royal audience chamber,
surrounded by a bodyguard of fierce-lookng
| Moros.
Mr. Schurman told the Sultan the United
! States had acquired the sovereignty of the
| Philippines from Spain, but had no wish TO
| subjugate the population nor to interfere
| with their customs of religion. On the con-
| trary the great desire Of the American SOW
| eminent was to help the people of the island
] to develop their country. The Sultan re-
piled he earnestly desired peace and was
anxious to continue the existing, treaties.
On the return voyage the president Of the
| commission visited the town of Borneo.
| capital of British North BorneO, wi ere he
| was cordially received by the British Off
| Gals, who afforded him every facility In bis
study of the local government and the GUS
| toms Of the people. The population he found
| much like that of the southern Philippines.
| The government is at present in a rather
| elementary state. but n more compl etc or
ganization Is being developed as rapidly IS
! is practicable
Yesterday General Lawton and Professor
|
| principal towns in the province of Cavite,
| out of which the natives were recently
| driven. Their chief purpose was to direct
| the election CT the presidents of linus, Ba-
| coor Paranaque and Las Pinas. Under the
| municipal system thus inaugurated the pres
] dents or the mayors of the towns are en-
| powered to appoint minor officials and to
levy taxes, which are to be expended solely
4 afn Zen
Lawton and Mr. Worcester had consulted
| the leading men in each town and selected
candidates whose honesty and friendliness
to American rule were beyond question.
! Wherever they went the Americans were
| hear tily cheered by the people.
Tomorrow the public schools in Manila
| will open and it is expected there will be
| 5000 children present. The teachers include
Americans, Spaniards and Filipinos. One
| of the instructors is the widow of the Fill
| pinO patriot, Dr. Rial, who prepared the
! statutes of the Filipino League, and who,
! when about to board a steamer at BARGE
| Iona in the autumn of 1896 was arrested by
| the Spanish authorities and sent to Manila,
| where he was tried by court-martal on a
| charge Of having organized the uprising in
the Philippines. sentenced to death and shot
on Dec. % of that year. After hen husband 3
/ execution Mrs. Rial, who is the step
| daughter of retired Hong-Kong gentle
man, went to linus and was chosen captain
| of n company of insurgents. English will
be taught in the schools one hour each day.
| The prescribed holidays include the twenty
| church days observed in Manila Washing
| tons birthday and the Fourth of July.
| Almost every steamer brings missionaries.
| The arrival of one in Cebu made no little
trouble. as the report spread rapidly among
| the ignorant classes that the Americans in
tended to compel them TO give up their
| churches The American authorities, in the
interests of harmony. requested the mission
| airy to withdraw and he complied.
| Senior Llorente, who is considered the
most influential native in Cebu, said to Mr.
| Schurman: Il like the American idea of
separation of church and state, but / think
| II would be unwise to introduce Protestant
ism while conditions are so unsettled"
| He has since arrived in Manila and taken
his seat on the bench of the Supreme
| Court.
The rain has fallen almost continuously
| for nine days. 1t has been a tremendous
| 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 several of the outlying
towns. Some of the permanent camps have
been made fairly comfortable by the cree
| ton of bamboo shelters, rooted and fioored
| The transport Hancock. which left yes
| terday with the First Nebraska Infantry
| and Batteries and B of the Utah Light
| Artillery, and the transport Senator, which
| carries the Pennsylvania troops, will re-
| main several days at Nagasah and Yoko-
| hama, Japan.
According TO the latest reports from the
| province of Cavite the insurgent leaders
| there Quarreling. Aguinaldos cousin
! Baldomera Aguinaldo, has been killed or
| imprisoned by General Trias. commander of
| the insurgents in the southern district of
! Luzon, and most of his men have deserted
TO Trias, who is now at San Francisco de
! Malibon.
NOTHING But PRAISE FOR OTIS.
| Cen HarrfsOu GRAY Otis On Sttuntiou