The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-11-11

Washington, Nov. Ain accordance
with the understanding eached az the
conference at the White House Tues
day the Philippine commission yester-
day submitted to the president II
preliminary report which it q prom
ised to prepare The report appears 10
be a compact summary OF conditions
on the islands as the commission lelt
them: of the historical events when
preceded the Spanish war and the IN
ternal Filipino Instruction; OF the ex-
change between Admiral Dewey ana
other American commanders and the
insurgents; the breaking out OF the
present insurrection, and, finally, q
statement Of the capability OF the Eli
ipino for self-government. The feature
of the report is a memorandum ny
Admiral Dewey explaining his rela-
tons with Aguinaldo.
The commission is Of the opinion
that American sovereignty over b
archipelago will prove a great political
boon to the people, and says:
"Should our power by any iatailty
he withdrawn the commission belleVe
that the government of the Philippines
would speedily lopse into anarchy,
which would excuse, ii it did not neces'
state. the intervention of other pow
ers and the eventual division OF the
islands among them. Only through
| American occupation, therefore, is the
idea of a free, se~lf-governing ana
united Philippine commonwealth ut all
conceivable. And the Indispensable
need from the Filipino point of view OF
maintaining American sovereignty
over the archipelago is fully recog.
nized by all intelligent Filipinos, ana
even by those insurgents who desire
an American protectorate. The latte1,
it is true, would take the revenues ana
leave us the responsibilities. Never
theless we recognized the indubltabie
fact that the Philippines cannot
stand alone. Thus the welfare of the
Filipinos is considered with the dc
tates of national honor in forbldding
our abandonment of the a~rchlpelago.
We cannot, from any point OF view'
escape the responsibilities OF govern
ment which our sovereignty entails.
The commission is fully persuaded
| that the performance Of natlonal
duty will prove the greatest blessing
to the people Of the Philippine Is
lands"
They deny the reports of dissertation
of churches. the numbering of prison.
ers and the committing of unmentlon-
able crimes, and say they are gao u
| declare that the war is the most hu'
name in history.
The commission gives a general view
of the value of the islands, their rlcn-
ness in agricultural and forest pro
ducts. their mineral wealth, ana CON-
manding geographical position; 1t
saws that the Philippine group shouid
become one Of the great trade resorts
Of the East.
In concluding the report Il commls-
| sion has this to say regarding reteh-
ton of our control in the islands:
"Our control means giving the IN.
habitants of the Philippines Internal
neace and a guarantee against foreign
aggression and against the dismember.
ment of their country, commercial ano
industrial prosperity and a large snare
of the reins of government as they
shall become fit to take them. When
.neace and prosperity shall have been
established through the archipelago,
| when education: shall have become
general. then, in the language or a
leading Filipino, his people Will. under
our guidance, become more American
than the Americans themselves
The report is signed by J; u. Scnur-
man, George Dewey, Charles DenDy'
Dean C.. Worcester.