The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-28

Professor schurmnn Declares That
II Would BE a Mistake to Send Men
OF Different Protestant Denomiua-
tions-MistnISes of the Americans.
New York, Dec. 2S.-The Independ-
ent for the current week contains an
article by Jacob G. Schurman presi-
dent Of Cornell university, chairman
of the United States commission to the
Philippines, entitled our Duty to the
Philippines" Following is an alb
straCt:
"We have 40 to so tribes to civilize
and seven or eight of these tribes have
some 100000 members each. On the
Island of Luzon there is one tribe of
1900. 900 people who speak one Lam
guage as totally distinct from the other
languages as Spanish is from English
Another tribe on the same island, num-
bering about 100000, is a. distinct
from the others in language and char
acteristics as they are from the Span
iards themselves. Then on the great
island of Mindanao there are many
tribes that are entirely different from
each other In the Sulu archipelago
we come to another class of natives,
about whose custom of slavery so
much has keen said recently. These
are all Mohammedans, while in Luzon
the natives are all Catholic Chris
tians.
The priests have rUieu in Luzon so
long that their influence is widespread
and the natives know Of no other form
of Christianity. The Roman Catholic
church has been established there for
300 years and the archipelago was
really governed by the priests. and not
by the Spanish civil or military com
manders We must credit the church
with having done a great deal of good
work among the natives. We must
reckon with these facts when we send
missionaries to the Philippines
Missionaries are needed in the ISL
ands, and hope they will be sent there
in large numbers. They must realize
that they are contending with a Cath
olic educated population that knows
nothing about the fine differences be-
tween Protestant sects and denomina-
tions Therefore, it would be highly
impolitic to send missionaries of diff
ferent denominations to confuse the
minds of the people | do hope that
when we send the missionaries we will
decide beforehand on one form of Pro-
testant Christianity. The Filipinos will
then have Catholic Christianity and
Protestant Christianity presented to
them, so they can take their choice.
Il think the Island of Mindanao is
a more promising field for missionaries
to begin their work in than Luzon.
The influence of the Catholic church
has not been extended to Mindanao,
and the simple natives would more
readily accept the type of faith which
the Americans would teach them. 1t
is possible that it would be dangerous
to send missionaries to the interior OF
this island at present.
y simple government is what is
needed. and every province should
have it, so they can learn the meaning
of our promises and intentions.
81 regret that the Americans allowed
the saloon to get foothold on the ISL
ands That has hurt the Americans
more than anything else, and the spec
tacle of Americans drunk awakens dis
gust in the Filipinos. We suppressed
the cock fight there, and permitted the
taverns to flourish. One emphasized
the Filipino frailty and the other the
American vice. l have never seen a
Filipino drunkard.
"In Manila, which is really a cos
mopolitan city, in Iloilo and other
cities of the islands, you will find
educated Filipinos who are bright and
pleasing to meet socially. The great
masses, of course, are ignorant, but
one good thing in their favor is that
they thirst for knowledge.
81 do not say that all of the insur-
gent leaders were dishonest. l believe
that many of those who fought against
the Americans were animated by the
highest idea of loyalty to independence.
J think probably Aguinaldo is one of
this class, and that he is an honest
man,
"One reason for the stubborn opposi-
tion to our occupation of the islands
was a legacy of suspicion and hatred
for the white man, which Spain be-
queathed to us. The Filipinos know
the white race only by one specimen.
This distrust Of the white race is one
of the problems that will require years
of labor to overcome. You cannot
overcome it by words. 1t must be
dissipated by actual works.
THE Filipinos have many good char
acteristics. They are honest by ma
ture and show it in their dealings, al
though suspicious of the white men.
1--WE must make an honest civil SER
vice a permanent institution on the
islands Spain established the spoils
system, and the corruption which has
| followed from it has made three CEN
turies of evil government for the peo-
Pile, and finally resulted in her own
overthrow. The best man in the Uni
ted States is none too good to go to
| the Philippines as governor general"