The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-03
NATIVES WOULD BE NEUTRAL.
PROF. SCHURMAN RETURNS FROM
HIS SOUTHERN TOUR.

Hopeful of General COnditiOns-Na-
tives Delay Allegiance Because of
Unsettled Conditions of Affairs.
sultan of SuIu Cordially Receives
the Americans and Expresses His
Desire for Peace-EnGIish 10 BE
Taught in the Schools.
Manila, July 2-Prof ]. G. Schurman of
the United States advisory committee for
the Philippines returned TO Manila to-day
from three-w weeks tour of the Southern
Islands He takes an entirely hopeful
view Of the general conditions there. The
intelligent and substantial citizens desire
an 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 undsturbed.
Want Peace and Prosperity.
The president of the town of santo Nico-
las, in the Island of Cebu, said to Mr..
Schurman: 1--WE want peace, food and
prosperity. We do not wish to fight We
would be neutral"
The president of the commission thinks
this fairly expresses the sentiment of the
people in the Southern Islands of the arch
| ipelago Many of the towns there are
in the hands of small bands of Tagalos,
and the people fear to indorse American
rule until they are certain that Aguinaldo
will be beaten. Let them be once con-
vinced of this, and the allegiance of the
southern is,ands Mr.. Schurman thinks,
can be secured by diplomacy
Received by Sultan of SuIu.
The United States gunboat Bennington
took Mr.. Schurman to Mindanao and the
| islands of the Sulu and Nisayan groups.
He travelled through the Island of Negros
with Col. Smith and a party of natives.
In several Of the principal towns he was
rendered banquets and he had an hours
conference with the young Sultan of Sulu,
who received him in the royal audience
chamber, surrounded by a bodyguard of
| herce-looking MOrOs
Mr. Schurman told the Sultan that the
United States had acquired the sovereignty
of the Philippines from SPAIN but had
no wish to subjugate the population, nor
to Interfere with their customs of religion.
| On the contrary, the great desire of the
| American government was to help the peo-
| pie of the islands to develop their coun-
| try.
! The Sultan replied that he earnestly de-
sired peace and was anxious to continue
the existing treaties.
Visited BOrneo.
On the return voyage the president of
! the commission visited the Town of Bor-
! neo, capital of British North Borneo
where he was cordially received by the
! British officials, who afforded him every
facility in his study of the local govern
ment and the customs of the people He
found the population much like that Of
the Southern Philippine Islands. The gov
ernment is at present in a rather ele-
mentary state. but a more complete or
ganization is being developed as rapidly
as is practicable.
Yesterday Gen. Lawton and Mr. Worces-
ter of the commission visited the principal
towns in the province of Cavite, out of
which the natives were recently driven
Their chief purpose was to direct the cleo
tons of the presidents of linus, Baccoor
Paranaque and Las Pinas Under the
municipal system thus inaugurated the
presidents or the mayors of the towns are
| empowered to appoint minor officials and
to l0Wy taxes, which are to be expended
solely in public Improvements.
Before acting, Gen. Lawton and Mr.
Worcester had consulted with the leading
men in each town and selected candidates
whose honesty and friendliness 10 Amer
lean rule were beyond question. Where
ever they went the Americans were heart
lily cheered by the people.
Manila schools Open To-day.
|, Tomorrow the public schools in Manila
will open, and 1t is expected that there
will be 5000 children in attendance The
teachers include Americans, Spaniards
and Filipinos. One of the instructors is
the widow of the Filipino patriot, DR.. Ri
zal who prepared the statutes of the
Philippines League. and who was shot by
the Spanish authorities. English will be
taught in the schools one hour each day.
Almost every steamer brings mission
aries. The arrival of one in Cebu made
no little trouble, as the reports spread
rapidly among the ignorant classes that
the Americans intended to compel them to
give up their churches The American
authorities, in the interests of harmony.
requested him to withdraw and he com
Piled
Senor Llorente who is considered the
most influential native in Cebu said TO
Mr.. Schurman: Il like the American idea
of the separation of church and state,
but l think it wouldN be unwise to intro
duce Professionalism while conditions are
so unsettled" He has since arrived in
Manila and taken his seat on the bench
of the Supreme Court
Whole Country Flooded.
The rain has fallen almost continuously
for nine days. There has been tremen-
dous downpour and the whole country is
flooded. The trenches at San Fernando
are diichcs of water, and the mud is knee
deap in the tqruuOrarv cor11re oor.,r,T