Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-01-18
TO STUDY PHILIPPINES.
President Names a Commission Of
Five Well-KnoWn Men.
DEWEY AT THE HEAD.
Report that They viii Not Deal with
the Political Side of the
Question.

Washington, D. c., Jan. 16.-Prcsident
Mckinley has decided to send commits
sion to the Philippines to make Il thor
.ough study Of the islands and people.
He has asked these men to serve on the
commission:
REAR-ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY.
.commander-in-chiefo of the Asiatic squadron
MAJ.-GEN. L. 5. OTIS, military governor
of the Philippines.
PROF. ]. 6. SCHURMAN, president of
Col col CHARLES DENLY, former minis
ter to China and now Il member of the
war investigation commission.
DEAN c. WORCESTER, professor III
University of Michigan, noted for extensive
travels in the Philippine group.
The Presidents commission is highly
complmtented as a body, peculiarly we'll
fitted for the emergency. Admiral Dew
ey and Gen. Otis are not only especially
we'll equipped by their experience III the
Philippines but both of them have
shown such statesmanlike qualities rs
to inspire unusual confidence III their
judgment and counsels. AS the COM
manders of the army and the navy, 1t
is obvious their technical and pro-
fessiOnal training makes their co-opera-
ton indispensable. Prof Schurman IS 1
man of ripe scholarship and Of the high
est standing III the intellectual world
Col. Den5y's long service IN emma
brought him into contact with many Orl-
entail races, and there are few AneIl-
cans. if any, so we'll informed on East
,ern problems and the chara cterlstlcs OF
Eastern people. AS already explained,
Prof. Worcester also has special fitness
for the delicate mission.
Il is understood Admiral Dewey will
be president Of the commission, posi-
ton to whic' it may be argued, he IS
entitled by virtue of his distinguished
services as we'll as his rank.
Purely Economic Work.
President Schurman of Cornell uriver-
sity was at the white house today and
had a talk with the President. On leav-
ing he said that he had accepted posi-
tion On the commission of five which Is
to be appointed to study the commercial
and social problems of the Philippines.
The work of the commission, IT IS I'M
dersto0d, VIII be of q purely economic
and not of Il political nature. They will
study the manners and habits of the Eli
ipin0S, the material resources Of the
country and its commercial possibilities,
but they will not attempt to deal with the
problem of government for the islands.
The President has been anxious for
some time to have commission OF this
sort upon whose information he could
rely. The personnel Of the commission
is considered excellent from the stand
Dewey and Gen. Otis have, Of course,
become familiar with many of the prac-
teal sides Of the Philippine problem.
Col. DENLY was for many years minister
to China and is thoroughly familiar with
the people and many of the problems
of the Orient Prof. Worcester has
lived for years il the Philippines. hunt
ed with the widest of Moros and Sulus,
attended their tribal rites and studied
the political economy of the islands at
close range. He has written a hook OIL
the Philippines which is considered 4
standard reference work. and recently
contributed an interesting series CT arti-
cles on the Philippines to the Century
Ma gaZne.
President Schurman said the commits
sion expected TO sail for Manila about
the LIST OF February.
Not Capable of Self Government.
New York. Jan. 16-Tha American Bi-
BILE society has received a second report
from the Rev. John r. Hykes, d. d.
who, III September last it commissioned
to proceed to Manila for the sake of pre-
iminary inquiry about possible openings
there for the distribution of the Holy
Scriptures. He expresses the opinion
that the Filipinos are not now capable of
self government. and says:
"Whlle there are doubtless many able
men among the FilipinOs. am convinced
that they do not have the qualifications
which are essential IN the founders of a
republic. | believe that if Western in
fuences We're to be entirely withdrawn
civilization would spontaneously die out
in the Philippines, the mass of the peO-
pie are ignorant in the extreme, and they
are not prepared and will not be pre-
pared for many years for self-govern-
ment. 1t will be generations before thei1
aspirations to become an independent
commonwealth ought to be realized.
1T would be monstrous to turn the
Philippines back to Spain. 1t would be
Il great blunder to grant them independ
ence. IN my judgment the only proper
thing, the only right thing. is for the
United States to keep the whole archipel
ago and give the people good government
and religious liberty"
Critical Stage is Past.
Gen. Otis was heard from again to-
day from Manila, and the contents Of
his cablegram were so reaSSuring as tC
the situation there and at Iloio that the
officials here have come to accept with
cut question the correctness of his state
ment that the critical stage is past, and
that he has control of the situation.