The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-07-07
Professor SChurman Visits the
Principal Towns and Is
Well Received.
ARE AWAITING THE RESULT
Defeat of Aguinaldo Desired
Before Announcing AL
legianCe to Us.
Public Schools of Manila Re-
opened Under Favorable
stances.

Schurman of the United States advisory
commission for the Philippines has re-
turned to Manila from three weeks
tour of the Southern islands. He takes
an entirely hopeful view of the general
conditions there. The intelligent and
substantial citizens desire all American
protectorate. The masses are awaiting
the settlement of the war in the island
of Luzon before declaring themselves.
They are chiefly anxious to be undis-
turbed. The president of the town of
Santo Nicolas, in the island of Cebu,
said to Mr.. Schurman:
I'VE want peace, food and prosperity.
We do not wish to fight. We would be
neutral"
Fear to Endorse American Rule.
The president of the commission
thinks this declaration fairly expresses
the sentiments of the people in the
southern islands of the archipelago.
Many of the towns there are in the
hands of small bands of Tagalos and
the people fear to endorse the American
rule until they are certain that Aguin-
aldo will be beaten. Let them once be
convinced of this and the allegiance of
the Southern islands, Mr.. Schurman
thinks, can be secured by diplomacy.
The United States gunboat Benning-
ton took Mr.. Schurman to Mindanao
and the islands of the Sulu and Visayan
groups. He travelled through the ISL
and of Negroes with Colonel Smith and
a party of natives. In several of the
principal towns he was rendered ban
quets and had an hours conference with
the young sultan of Sulu.
He Earnestly Desires Peace.
Mr.. Schurman told the sultan that
the United States had secured the SOW
ereignty of the islands from Spain, but
had no wish to subjugate the popula-
ton or interfere with their customs or
religion. The sultan replied that he
earnestly desired peace and was anxious
to continue the existing treaties
Saturday General Lawton and Mr..
Worcester of the commission visited the
principal towns of the province Of
Cavite, out of which the natives were
recently driven. Before acting General
Lawton and Mr.. Worcester consulted
with leading men of each town and Sc
lected candidates whose allegiance and
loyalty to American interests was be-
yond doubt. Wherever they went the
Americans were heartily cheered by
the people.
Manila Schools to Reopen.
The public schools in. Manila will
open this week and it is expected there
will be 5000 children in attendance.
The teachers include Americans, Span
iards and Filipinos. One of the in
structors is the widow of the Filipino
patriot, DR.. Rial, who was shot by the
Spaniards Dec. 20, 1896. After her
husbands execution Mrs. Rial, who is
the stepdaughter of a retired Hong
Kong gentleman, went to linus and
was chosen chaplain of a company Of
insurgents. English will be taught in
the schools one hour each day. The pre-
scribed holidays include the 20 church
days observed in Manila, Washington's
birthday and the Fourth OF July.
The rain has fallen almost contin-
uously for nine days. 1t has been a
tremendous downpour and the whole
country is flooded.