The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-11-09
The Philippine Commission Unani-
nous for National Retention
of the Islands.
PRELIMINARY REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT
government by United States Held
to he the Archipelago's Only saliva
taos-Fiiipinos Unat for Sef-Gov-
ernment-AsuinnId" seeks Only
Selfish Ends.


conference Il. The white house Wednes-
day. the Philippine commission on
Thursday submitted to the president
the preliminary report which 1T had
promised to prepare. The report ap-
pears to be compact summary OF con-
.dit;ons on the islands as the commits
son left them; of the historical events
which preceded the Spanish war and led
To the original Filipino insurrection;
OF the exchanges between Admiral
Dewey and the other American COM
manders and the insurgents; the break
ing out and progress of the present IN
xurrection. and, finally, a statement OF
the capacity of the Filipinos for self
government. A notable feature of the
report is a memorandum by Admiral
Dewey explanatory of his relations
with Aguinaldo.
No Promise of Independence.
In this it is stated that in all OF
Dewey's negotiations with Aguinaldo
no alliance of any kind was entered in
to. nor was any promise of independ-
esce made to him.
Efforts at Cancellation.
The efforts at Cancellation with
hguinaldo and his various commissions
are set forth in detail, and the report
sans up the result of these fruitless
exchanges as follows:
mo better proof could be furnished that
the primary object of his struggle is not.
as is pretended, the liberty of the Filipino
peoples, but the continuance of his own
arbitrary and despotic power. In any
event, the American people may feel con-
fiJient that no effort was omitted by the
commission to secure peaceful end OF the
struggle but the opportunities they offered
and urged were all neglected, II not in
deed spurned."
Idea of Independence.
The commission report then rapidly
sketches events now historical. 1t tells
in substance how the Filipinos attacked
the Spanish and how Gen. Anderson ar
rived. and Aguinaldo at his request re-
moved from Cavite to Baccoor. Says
the commission:
Now for the first time rose the. idea
Of national Independence. Aguinaldo 49,
sued a proclamation, In which he took the
responsibility of promising 1t to his people
although he admitted freely in private con-
versation with members OF his cabinet that
neither Admiral Dewey nor any other
American had made him any such prom
Use"
Must Continue the War.
The commission says:
"'Deplorable as war is, the one in which
we are now engaged was unavoidable by
us We were attacked by bold, adventur-
4 he 4. n
was left to US. except ignominious retreat.
Our obligations to other nations. and 10
the friendly Filipnos, and to ourselves ana
our flag, demanded that force should be
met by force. Whatever the future of the
Philippines may be, there is no course open
to us now except the prosecution OF the
war until the insurgents are reduced to
submission. The commission is of the opin-
ION that there has been no time since the
destruction of the Spanish squadron by Ad-
miral Dewey when it was possible to with
draw our forces from the islands either
with honor to ourselves or with safety to
the inhabitants"
Self-Government.
: The chapter devoted to capacity for
is the result, the re-
port states, of diligent inquiry for sew
eral months, in the course of which
great number of witnesses were exam
ir.ed, of all shades of political thought
md varieties of occupation, tribe and
locality. The most striking and per
hans the most significant fact in the
entire situation is the multiplicity OF
tribes inhabting the archipelago, the
diversity of their languages (Which are
mutually unintelligible) and the null
hilarious phases of civilization-rang-
ing all the way from the highest to the
lowest. AS to this the report says:
~The Filipinos are not a nation, but
yarieeated assemblage of different
tribes and peoples, and their loyalty is
still of the tribal type" Concerning
their intellectual capacities, the COM
mission says:
"As to the general intellectual cspaci-
ties of the Filipinos. the commission is dis
posed to rate them high. But excepting in
a limited number of persons these capaci-
ties have rot been developed by education
or experience. The masses of the people
are urpducated That intelligent public
opinion on which popular government rests
does not exist in the Philippines. And ii
cannot exist until education has elevated
the masses. broadened their intellectual
horizon, and disciplined their faculty of
Judgment. Ana even tnen Inc power OF
self-government cannot be assumed with
out considerable previous training and ex-
perience under the guidance and tutelage
of an enlightened and liberal foreign power.
For the bald fact is that the Filipinos
have never had any experience in governing
themselves,
Their lack of education and political
experience, combined with their racial ard
linguistic dversties. disqualify them, in
spite of .heir mental gifts and domestic
virtues 20 undertake the task Of govern
ing the archipelago al the present time.
The most that can be expected of them
is to cooperate with the Americans in the
administration of general affairs, from
Manila as a center. and to undertake. sub
ject to American control or guidance las
may be found necessary the administra-
ton of provincial ard municipal affairs
Fortunately. there are educated Filipinos,
though they do not constitute a large pro-
portion of the entire population. and their
support and services will be of incalculable
value In inaugurating and maintaining the
new government As education advances
and experience ripens. the natives may be
intrusted with a larger and more indie
pendent share Of government: self-goyern-
ment as the American IDEAL being con-
stantly kept in view as the goal. In this
way American sovereignty over the ar
chipelago will prove great political boon
he