The San Francisco call., 1899-12-29

dent He airms the honesty OF Aguinaldo and his
sincere devotion sefgovernment and indepen-
dence OF the OF the people he declares them
avid OF knowledge teachable tractabe, honest and
sober The common exhibition OF drunkenness
among Americans makes bad impression for he
says no Filipino is in similar condition. He
regrets that the American saloon has been founded
there and has secured such firm hold. Reading his
article one is impressed by regret that we have been
compelled to go shooting people OF such qualities,
and that our advent among them is remembered Tor
the widespread SORROW suffering, slaughter and de-
structon that have followed our progress
recent writer has expressed regret that wherever
Russia appears B. in Asia autocratic government is
planted. The people brought under Muscovite do
minion find that they have only exchanged Oriental
for Occidental despotism and that the exotic article
is than the indigenous. Americans may ind
themselves regretting that advent into Asia IS IN
the aspect OF conqueror, denying to people the full
mcnt OF their dream OF republican self-government
This country would have enriched its place in history
il it had respected Aguinaldos honest devotion to
the principles OF government and, acting as
friend instead OF conqueror, it had been the means
OF setting up an Asatic republic, independent and
sei-governng as a new light OF Asia spread
publican principles by example AS Mr. Schurman
describes the people they have the qualities which
would have made such government possible. When
he turns 10 the religious aspect OF the problem his
very solution OF it indicates difficulties OF the gravest
nature The millions OF Christians in the islands
the people in whose breasts have apparently
planted the memory OF harshness and injustice. To
the non Christian Mahometans only have gone
a friend. We have recognized and affirmed among
them polygamy and slavery, and instead OF killing
them and destroying their property we are paying
their rulers salaries and agree to protect their re
gon and their institutions
The Christians are universally Catholics After all
it speaks we'll for Spanish policy that, with all its
errors, the people who brought under it
braced with fervor and devotion the religion OF Spain
Mr.. Schurman Is very anxious to introduce Protest
sntism into the islands the religion OF the
masters OF the people but he makes the impossible
proposition that only one Protestant sect shall enter
that field because in each of secarian divisions
the people will see only different and antagonistic
religion Ii made a working policy this that
our civil power shall nominate the Protestant sect
into whose keeping shall be put the salvation and
spiritual interests OF the natives Only the exercise
OF such power can keep the rival sects from that
missionary work which each insists upon organizing
and projecting among distant peoples.
Great Britain can do such thing. and when the
power exists in the Government OF the conqueror it
IS undoubtedly a wise policy. When Kitchener de-
stroyed the Dervsh power in the Soudan he was
able to stpulate that all Christian missionaries should
be excluded from the country, and, recognizing Ma
hometansm the best spiritual thought for the peo-
pie, he Immediately secured endowment for
great Mahometan university at Khartoum or Om-
durham in which Islam is 10 be taught to the people
in all lis power and purity.
But where must we 60 to find authority for our
Government to Judge between the sects and selecting
one TO rcpudiae all others? 1t easy to see that il
such power be asserted if authority to exclude all
but one Protestant sect be found il necessarily i'm
plies the right exclude ALL and the Catholic hier-
archy will claim with strong color OF right that all
should be forbidden enter, and that our Govern
ment shall introduce there American priesthood
and still further ntrcnch the church in a field that it
has occupied for three centuries
1t will be that wherever touch the issue OF
conquest the affecting problems arise Their
is such that their effects cannot be confined
and limited to the islands themselves but they are
Immediately reflected back upon our domestic polity
and divide own people upon lines that will Sc
riously concern the social welfare at home
II We had chosen another course in the Philippines
and had led them in the path OF independence and
se-government which they longed to follow all these
grave issues, spiritual and civil would have been left
to them to solve The struggle for their solution
would have been in the nature OF discipline in gov
+ eminent
How idle it is TO talk of devoting ourselves to the
spiritual and civil welfare OF ten millions OF aliens so
far away when in the midst OF thirteen millions
OF negroes. OF alien race whose civil rights guar
anteed by constitution universally disrespected
and whose efforts spiritual advancement are
commonly the subject OF jest and than OF help
fu effort and sympathy.
1t is safe to say that what people will not do at
their doors they will not do far away
This is harsh judgment OF the American
character 1t IS simply rewriting the truth OF his
tory. We have anywhere shown the capacity
or the disposition deal fairly with any but our
own. The mighty energies which have upraised it.
the virity which has perpetuaed it. the genius which
has made it the lordly OF the temperate zone,
clements in the physical nature of things They carry
with them mpatence and contempt for the racial
qualities OF people alien to in blood who can never
assimilate ways. These facts may as well be rec
ognzed now as later on.