The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-05-25
The schurman Commission.


All the indications are that the Fill
pinO instruction is surely nearing ar
end. 1t became apparent some time
ago from the embarrassing position into
which the American forces had forced
the FilipinOs that resistance would
soon become of little avail and that the
military part of the struggle would
soon be over. This encouraging con-
ditiOn of affairs is DO doubt chiefly due
TO the splendid work of American
troops and the skill of American Gen
erals. There has never been moment
of inaction since the United States
soldiers landed in the Philippines and
the fight with the insurgents began.
Aguinaldo and his forces have been
steadily driven back. From ditch to
ditch and from stronghold to strong
hold they have been relentlessly pur-
sued by the Americans until their con-
dition is today such as TO thoroughly
Justify the belief that their resources
and their powers of endurance are
about exhausted.
But side by side with the fighting of
our troops there has worked another
force that has struggled no less hon
estly and no less diligently and that
has accomplished little less to promote
the final purpose. One of the most
potent and significant results of the
working of this force is the steady dis
Indignation of the enemy's ranks. Our
troops are by no means the only obsta-
Gle against which AguinaldO has been
called upon to struggle. Little by
little he has felt the enthusiasm for his
cause waning, it's support weakening,
and the chief buttress of his hopes, the
ignorance of his followers, dissipating.
These facts are not the result alone of
military removal. They are the
results of the other force, the Schur
man Commission. For weeks the
Schurman Commission has been work
ing under the personal direction Of the
President. The object of the Commits
sion has been to get the ear of the
wealthy property holders of Luzon,
present to them the advantages in
American control, and win, if possible,
their support and allegiance to the
American cause. The intentions of the
government to fully recognize and sus-
tain property rights and to regard the
views of this class in all internal mat
ters have been impressed upon such
FilipinOs as rapidly as they could be
reached, with the result that these
owners of estates have been won from
all sympathy with Aguinaldo and
made believers in the benefits of
American occupation. Many of this
class were formerly hearty endorsers of
the instruction, nearly all of them, at
least, tolerated it, and some were
members of Aguinaldo's Congress.
Now they are using all their influence
to secure American control and pro-
mote the success of the Schurman
Commission. Thus the Schurman
Commission has not only withdrawn
from Aguinaldo's support the wealth of
Luzon and enrolled it under the stan
dards of Uncle Sam, but it has,
through the influence of the leading
citizens, quenched the fires of insur-
rection in the hearts of the insurgents.
In Luz0n, and especially in the Tagal
provinces, the wealthy owners of
estates are looked up to by the common
people. Their influence is extensive.
1t is through them that the marked
change of sentiment has come about
that has thinned the ranks and damp
ened the ardor of Aguinaldos forces.
To the Schurman Commission, there
fore, is due much of the success of our
Filipino venture. It's work has been
so dovetailed with that of the army
that it will be prepared to take up the
work of reconstruction when the fight
ing is over without any threatening
balk in the proceedings.
"
GEN. GREGORI0 DEL Pillar says
that the insurgents are ready to sur