The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-30
THE FILIPINO's CAPACITY For
F-GOVERNMENT.

THE FILIPINO'S CAPACITY FoH
sELF-GOVERNMENT
The statement is frequently made by
Republican newspapers and politicians,
in desire probably to bolster up the
policy of President Mckinley in regard
to the Philippine islands, that the natives
of those islands have no capacity for
self-government. and that they are I'M
fitted to govern themselves. The policy
of the present government of the United
States appears to be based upon such
suppesition, but that it Is merely sup
position and that that supposit1on Is
erroneous is amply proved by certain
official documents which are in the pos
session Of the war and navy depart
ments, or have been laid before congress
during the present session. From other
and inside sources, the reliability or
which Is unquestioned, comes similar tes-
timony, all tending to prove that the In
habftants of the Philippine islands are
not only capable of self government, but
that they are people possessing large
amount of refinement and education. and
an appreciation of free institutions which
entities them to all the rights and prfvi-
Ieges of autonomy and freedom from
outside governmental restrictions.
The first important piece Of testimony
tending to prove this comes from Brig.
Cen King, U. 8. A., who. in a letter to
the Milwaukee Journal, dated from San
Francisco, on June o. 1899, says:
eThe capability of the Filipinos for self
government cannot be doubted: such
men as Arellano. Aguinaldo and many
others whom I might name are highly.
educated nine-tenths of the people read
and write; all are skilled artisans in one
way or another; they are Industrious.
frugal, temperate, and, given a fair start.
could look out for themselves infinitely
better than our people imagine.
In October and November, 1898, Pay
master w. B. Wilcox and Ensign Leon
ard R. Sargent, Of the United States
navy, with the permission of Admiral
Dewey made a tour in the interior of the
northern part OF the island of Luzon,
travelling more than 600 miles, and visit
ing seven provinces, and of their journey
Mr. Sargent says:
GAS tribute to the efficiency of Aguin-
aldo's government and to the law-abfding
character of his subjects, l. OFFER that
fact that Mr.. Wilcox and I pursued our
journey throughout in perfect security.
and returned to Manila with only the
most pleasing recollectfons of the quiet
and orderly life which we found the ma
tives to be leading under the new
regime
These two naval officers made report
of their experiences and observations ON
this journey to Admiral Dewey, who in
corporates it in his official report. with
the note that it contains the most COM
plete and reliable information obtainable
in regard to the present state of the
northern part of Luzon island, a dis
trict which is now being ravaged and
desolated by the operations of war.
Almost everywhere they went these
two officers were cordially received by
concerts. theatrical performances, balls
and other forms of civilized entertain
ment, and everywhere they found large
proportion of the people fairly we'll edu-
Gated and anxious and eager to acquire
all the knowledge possible. At the city
of Apart. which they left on Nov. 9.
their stay news was received from Hong
Kong that the United States representa-
tives at the Paris peace conference ia
vored the independence of the Philippine
islands. with an American protectorate.
On the receipt of this report the Fill
Pine commander of the military district
relinquished his military power into the
hands of the civil officer elected by the
people, and the most solemn ceremonies
and utmost rejoicing accompanied this
transfer of authority in this province of
Cagayan from the military to the civil
authorities
At every town in the province Messrs
Sargent and Wilcox found regularly or
ganized and competent civil government
organized and existing along with the
military authority, and it was the inten-
ton of this military commander to go
'to 1Iagan and from there to Bayom-
bong, repeating this ceremony in the
capital city of each province. y
In concluding their report the two
American officers say the military and
civil officers of the Filipinos whom they
met, with very few exceptions, "were
men of intelligent appearance and con-
versation,'' and that 1.-THE same is true
of all those men who form the upper
great admira ton for learning. I.
The poorer classes are extremely igno-
rant on most subjects. but large per-
centage of them can read and write"
The popular sentiment regarding indie
pendence was universally the same
"They all declare says the report,
'they will accept nothing short of indie
pendence. The military spirit per-
vades in the Eastern district, where
every town and barrio has organized
companies of its children, which are
drilled every day."
This was in October and November,
1898. These Filipinos were happy. in
dustrious and law-abiding. subject to
their own civil governments and making
prosperous recovery from the unsettled
conditions incident to the casting out of
their Spanish oppressors, whom they had
driven from every hamlet and district
to their last refugees in Manila and
few of the larger coast cities where the
natives had them manned before Admiral