The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-11-11
multiplicity Of tribes inhab,,ing

multiplicity Of tribes inhab,ting IT,
archipelago, the diversity Of their Lam
guage (Which are mutually unintelligible)
and the m~ultifarious phases of civilization
ranging all the way from the highest to
the lowest. AS to this the report says:
THE Fflipinos are not a nation, but q
v~ariegated aSsemblage of different tribes
and people; and their loyalty is still of
the tribal type"
Concerning their intellectual capacities.
the commission says:
LAS to the general intellectual capacities
of the Filipinos, the commission is dis
posed to rate them high. But excepting
in q limited number OF persons, these ca
pacltieS have not been developed by edu-
people are uneducated. That intelligent
public opinion on which popular govern
ment rests does not exist in the fhIlp-
pines. And 1t can not exist until educa-
ton has elevate the masses, broadened
their intellectual horizon, and disciplined
their faculty of judgment And even then
the power Of seh-government can not Dc
assumed without considerable previous
training and experience under the guild
ance and tutelage of an enlightened and
liberal foreign power. Fol the bold TACT
Is that the Filiuinos have never had any
experience in governing themselves"
American Sovereignty n Boon.
The report shows that their inability for
self-government is due to the old Spanish
regime, which gave the Filipinos little or
no part in governing themselves. After
tcN lIS lhio SpdiAioA . SNS-Aip NNS NOA-
mission sums up this point:
This is all the training in self-govern-
ment which the inhabitants of the Phil
ippine islands have enjoyed. Their lack
of education and political experience, COM
bined with their racial n linguistic d.
versities, disqualify them. in spite of their
mental gifts and domestic views, to un-
dertake the task of governing the archi-
pelago at 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, subject to American
control or guidance as may be found nee.
essary. the administration of provincial
and municipal affairs. there
are educated Filipinos, though they do not
constitute a large proportion of the en-
tire population, and their support and
services will be of incalculable Value in
inaugrating and maintaining the new gov
rrment
LAS education advances and experience
ripens. the natives may be intrusted with
a larger and more Independent share OF
government; -self-government.. as the
American ideal. being constantly kept in
view as the goal. In this way American
sovereignty over the archipelago will
prove a great political boon to the REQ
pie.
FiIipinOs Can't Stand Alone.
SHOULD our power by any fatality be
withdrawn, the commission believe that
the government of the Philippines would
speedily lapse into anarchy, which would
excuse, II II ulu UOt NtCeSSlldle. lue Ill
PREVENTION of other powers, and the event
ual division of the islands among them.
"Only through American occupation,
therefore. is the idea of a free, self-gov-
erning and united Philippine common
wealth at all conceivable. And the indis.
pensable need from the Filipino point OF
view of maintaining American sovereign.
ty over the archipelago il recognized by
all intelligent FilipinoS, and even by those
insurgents who desire an American pro.
tectorate. The latter, 1t Is true, would
take the revenues and leave us the re-
SponSibilitieS. Nevertheless, they recog-
niZe the indutiable fact that the Ftlipinos
can not stand alone. Thus the welfare o:
the Filipinos comedies with the dictates OF
national honor in forbidding our abandon.
ment of the archipelago. We can not, from
any point of view, escape the responsible,
ties of government which our sovereignty
entails, and the commission is strongly per.
suaded that the performance of our ma
tional duty will prove the greatest bless
ing to the people of the Philippine is
lands"
One of the closing chapters of the re-
port is devoted to a tribute to "our sol.
diers and sailors in the war" The com.
mission says that the presence of Admira
Dewey as a member of this body makes
1t uniting to dwell on his personal
achiements but he joins in the eulOgy Of
his comrades. The commission witnessed
some of the deeds of our soldiers, and de-
endurance can do has been done in the
Philippines.
Dissertation of Churches.
They dismissed the reports of the des.
ecrating of churches, the numbering OF
prisoners. and the committing of unmen'
ionable crimes, n say they are glad &c
express tie belief that a war was never
more humanely conducted, saying: ..
IF churches were occupied, it was only
as a military necessity. and frequently
after their use as forts by the insurgents
had made it necessary to train our ar
tillery upon them. Prisoners We're taken
whenever opportunity offered. often only
to be set at liberty after being disarmed
and fed. Up to the time of our departure
although numerous spies had been cap
tured. not a single Filipino had been exc
mitted against the natives were likely 10
be brought to our attention, and in every
case that We investigated We found a
willingness on the part of those in au-
thority to administer prompt justice"
The commission gives a general view CT
the value of the islands, their richneSs n
agricultural and forest products, their
mineral wealth, and their commanding
geographical position. They state that ;he
Philippine islands should soon become ong
of the great centerS of the east. Manila
is already Connected by new steamship
lines with Australia, India and Japan, and
she will become the natural terminus of
n other lines when a ship canal con-
meets the Atlantic with the Pacific. 1t can
not be doubted that m will great
ly increase, and The United States will OBJ
tain a large share of this. Manila, with
the immunity which is has thus far en-
Joyed from that terrible pest, the bu
bonic plague. should become "A distributing
center for China, Siam, The Straits Settle
mentS, Tonquin, AMMAN and Australia.
The repor concludes:
Our control means to the inhabitants
of the Philippines internal peance and or
der, a guarantee against foreign aggTes-
sion and against the diSmemberment nf
their country, commercial and industrial
pr csperity, and as large Il share of the
affairs of government as they shall prove
fit to take. When peace and prosperity
shall have been established throughout
the archipelago, when education shall have
become general, then, in the language of
a leading Filipino, his people will, under
our guidance, become more American
han the Americans themselves"
The report is signed by J. G.. Schurman.
George Dewey, Charles DENLY, Dean &.
Worcester.
Costly Mining In the KIOndike.
The engineer, with his ocean steam.