The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-28
MANY MISSIONARIES NEEDED.
sCHURMAN SAYS THEY SHOULD RE.
SENT TO PHILIPPINES.

TO Prevent SOhIus1on-Natiyes of
LuzOn Are Catholic Christians.
He Urges the Early Establishment
of Civil Government.
New York, Dec. 27.-The Independent
for the current week will contain an ar.
ticle by Jacob G. Schurman, president of
Cornell University. chairman of the Unit
ed States Commission 10 the Philippines.
entitled Our Duty to the Philippines"
The following is an abstract:
I'VE have forty to fifty tribes to
civilize and seven or eight of these tribes
have some 100000 members each. On the
Island of Luzon there is one tribe of 800
900 people. who speak one language as to,
tally distinct from the other languages as
Spanish is from English. Another tribe
on the samei sland, numbering about 6OO-
CO., is as distinct from the other in Ian
guage and characteristics, as they are
from the Spaniards themselves. Then on
the great Island of Mindanao there are
many tribes that are entirely different
from each other. In the Sulu ArchipeIa-
go we come to another class of natives
about whose custom of slavery so much
has been. said recently. These are ali
Mohammedans. while in Luzon the ma
tives are all Catholic Christians.
The priests have ruled in Luzon so long
that their influence is widespread. and the
natives know of no other form of Chris
tianity. The Roman Catholic Church has
been established there for 300 years and
the archipelago was really governed by the
priests. and not by the Spanish civil or
military commanders. OF the $13,500OOO
raised on the island annually, about 81. 500
OOO was used for the churchs' support.
Each small church would receive about
$500 for its support and the priest an al
lowance of $780, We must credit the
church with having done a great deal of
good work among the natives. We must
reckon with those facts when we send
missionaries to the Philippines.
Need for Missionaries.
Missionaries are needed in the island.
and l hope they will be sent there in large
numbers. There is plenty of work for them
10 do and l hope they will so with a com
plete understanding of the situation, 10
accomplish good. They must realize that
they are contending with a Catholic edu-
Gated population that knows nothing about
The fine differences between Protestant
sects and denominations. Therefore it
would be highly impoitic to send mission
aries of different denominations to confuse
the minds of the people. l do hope that
when we send the missionaries we will de
Christianity. Send only one type of mis-
sionary. The Filipinos will then have Cath
ole Christianity and Protestant Christian
ity presented to them so they can make
their choice. We have no adequate idea
how confusing to the simple minds of an
uncivilized people the different forms of
our Protestant faith appear. The Chinese,
who are perhaps more intelligent than the
Filipinos, regard our different denomina-
tons so many different religions.
Il think the island of Mindanao is a
more promising field for missionaries to
begin their work in than Luzon. The in
luence of the Catholic Church has not
been extended to Mindanano, and the sim
pie natives would more readily accept the
type of faith which the American would
teach him. 1t is possible that it would be
dangerous to send missionaries to the in
terror of this island al present, but as
conditions become more settled and the
Americans are looked upon with a more
friendly feeling, this place will be a rich
field for the American missionary. We
owe it to the Filipinos to give them the
best in our religion as well as in our ed
uCation.
Fighting Almost Over.
Il believe the fighting in the Philippines
is nearly over, and our armies now fight
ing in Northern Luzon will be required
only to keep down the bandits The or
sanized army has disappeared, and with
it we might say the whole in
surrection. Most of the leaders
of the instruction have been
dispersed or have been won over TO our
side.
Il do not say that all The insurgent lead
ers were dishonest. believe that many of
those who fought against the Americans
were animated by the highest idea of 10y
atty TO independence. 1 think probably
Aguinaldo is one of this class, and that
he is an honest man.
"One reason for the stubborn opposition
TO our occupation of the Philippines was
a legacy of suspicion and hatred for the
white man which Spain bequeathed 20 US.
The F'ilpinos know the white race only by
one specimen. Spain to them represents
the whole world of Europeans-the whole
white race-and her authorities made
promises repeatedly to them and broke
them. They will not to-day trust Ameri-
cans or Spaniards or any other Europeans.
Nor is it strange that they distrust the
promises of the Americans. This distrust
of the white race is one of the problems
that will require years of labor to over
come. You cannot overcome ii with
words. 1t must be dissipated by actual
works; they must have ocular demonstra-
ton that the word of the Americans can
be relied upon. Not until then will they
begin to believe us. Consequently | have
urged it on Congress and the President TO
set up civil government in the Philippines
just as soon as the military condition war
rants II. A simple government is what Is
needed and every province should have 1t
so they can learn the meaning of our
promises and intentions. The President is
IN possession of the fullest information
arout the needs and condition of the is
lands and he can judge better than we can
what is the best thing 10 do. But as soon
as a province is subdued some civil gov
eminent should bet set up, so that It's
operations before their eyes viii teach
them of It's benefits.
saloons bad Thing.
Il regret that the Americans allowed the
saloons to get a foothold on the islands.
That has hurt the Americans more than
anything else, and the spectacle OF Amer
leans drunk awakens disgust in the Fill
pnos
We suppressed the cock fight there ana
permitted the taverns TO flourish. one
emphasized the Filipino frailty and the
other thp American vice. / have never