Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-29
PROF. SAURMAN
Gives His Views on the
Philippine Question.
ULTIMATE END WILL BE
Independence For the Natives, He
SayS--HiS Observations on EXpal1-
sion in the PaSt--The Civil Service
Rules to Be Applied.

cob G. Schurmann, in his address at the
opening of the scholastic year of Cornell
university to-day, spoke at considerable
length on the subject of national p
! sion. Mr.. Schurmann was president of
the commission sent to the Philippine
stands to investigate the subject of the
civil government of the archipelago. At
the outset Mr.. S%churmann referred to his
address of last year when he answered
negatively the question, Shall we take
! The Philippines islnads from Spain?'
His opinion. he said, brought Upon him
no little condemnation, but the rapid
march of events rendered it unneces-
sary to consider whether these opinions
We're sound or not. The only question
to-day open was this: THE United
States having taken the Philippine
islands from Spain, what shall be done
with hem"
This grave issue must be decided by
the president and congress. With them
he thought it could be left in the con-
fident expectation that a wise solution
would be reached. He invited atten-
ton to some observations on the gen
eral subject of national expansion. Our
assumption of sovereignty over the
Philippines was altogether unlike the
previous phases OF our national expan-
sion. He pointed out that whereas in
the development CT the United States
from the Atlantic to the Pacific prac-
tically uninhabited territories were
found, the Philippine islands We're al
ready peopled With Malayans who had
Ions made it their home who resented
the intrusion of other races and to
whom the physical environment was
far better adapted than it was to white
men. There are those who speak of the
81, I W. 1na &c ON. Y1cGocciNJ1c nrI
calmly conclude we may do what We
like with them. This was 700 barbar-
GUS to be taken seriously. The term
possession was barbarous when APP
piled to any relation between one peo-
pie and another. The sovereign power
owned nothing but there was some
thing it owed. 1t was charged with the
responsibility of government. Our re-
lations with the Philippines woul be
misrepresented so long as we retained
that fatal confusion of government and
property.
Mr.. Schurmaan aid w simply pos
sess in virtue of he treaty of Paris
the right to govern or aid in governing
the people of the Philippine islands.
Unhappily we have not gone beyond the
first function of government. the sup
preston of instruction and the estab-
lishment Of peace and order There
was, said President Schurmann. no in
SldHCc III history ol TIE SUCCESSFUL gov
eminent of a colony where profit to the
parent state of it's citizens had been a
leading consideration. On the other
hand there We're many examples of dis
asters and rebellion from such unwor-
thy greed and exploitation.
Continuing he said: Il was often
! asked in the Philippines if our civil ST.
vice was better than that of Spain.
Here is a point where the Filipinos
suspect and fear us. We want to allay
their anxiety and suspicion by a splen-
did Philippines service. I believe we
shall. 1t is absolutely necessary. But
there will be no harder task in connec-
ton with our government of the archi-
pelago. Thu success of our administra-
ton in the Philippines will depend upon
the man we send to conduct it much
more than upon acts of congress or any
other circumstances
In conclusion Mr.. S~churmann said:
"What is the end of colonization? Why
should we extend our sovereignty over
remote countries and alien peoples? I
answer that the only justifiable object
of such expansion is the establishment
of good government in the territory an
nexed, the elevation of it's people in
civilization and the training of them
in progressive self-government with a
view of ultimate Independence whether
by partnership in or separation from
the sovereign state. In the Philippine
islands our own mission is to educate
and elevate the Filipinos and aid them
in governing themselves. We shall not
adopt the policy of scuttle, nor, al
though American sovereignty must be
established even by force, dream Of the
policy of determination. Not agrees
sion nor yet abandonment and deser-
ton. not these. but honest and frater-
nal cooperation with the Filipinos for
the establishment of a just and stable
government in which the natives shall
have ever increasing participation, the
improvement of the means of m
cation, the freer interningling of the
tribes and races and hearty native co.
operation With the Americans whose
best political traditions are but the
realization of the dearest ideals of the
Filipino people,"