New-York tribune., 1900-01-21
1.-THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. .
PRESIDENT SCHURMAN AND Professor
GIDDINGS DISCUSS THEM BEFORE
THE PATRIA CLUB.

At the second public meeting this season Of the
Patria Club held at the Hotel Savoy, last night the
subject for discussion THE Philippine Islands" "
and the principal speakers President Schur-
man of Cornell and Professor Franklin H. Giddngs
of Columbia. In the discussion which followed Wal
ter s. Logan lawyer raised an issue by main
tanning that every child born Of civilized Filipino
parents since the Treaty of Paris is citizen of the
United States and could maintain his right TO the
franchise before the United States Supreme Court
President Schurman said in part
The situation in the Philippines Is great deal
Within few months % think the insHrrection in ali
the islands will be at end, although we will for
robbers, just as Spain always had to do. suppose
US to establish sarrisons here and there through
out the islands, but in year or two our troops
be We'll maintained by by native troops oficered by
Americans. l have from my knowledge of the Fill
pnos made up my mind that when once they are
convinced that we have come there to stay and to
will gladly accept our government. For there is
considerable number of educated Filipinos, who
the United States, and they are the natural lead
e OF m the people and their Will % make 6
able to secure for us the loyalty of the masses.
These masses. though clean and temperate and
eager to learn. yet densely ignorant and credu
Icus. They believe what Aguinaldo says Of US
when he tells them that Americans have extermi-
mated the Indians. still hold the negro in slavery
and have come to the Orient TO exploit the Fill
pino. Their only experience Of the white man has
policy for our Government to adopt after peace Is
restored is establish civil government as
possible and let them feel the blessings have to
bestow them. They will not believe the white
mans promises. These must be fulfilled In their
sight, and then and not till then will the Fpinos
be convinced that have come do them good
end not evil.
To the argument that should let the Filipino
ration govern itself, the retort Is that there is no
Filipino nation. There are eighty-four tribes.
speaking different languages and unable to under
stand one another. About six millions of these
have been thoroughly Christianized being good
Catholics but the Mahometans of the Sulu archl-
pelago have had absolutely no experience Of self
government, not even of the meagre amount of
municipal self-gOvernment which Spain allowed to
northern tribes. and these be reached and con-
tro1led only through their hereditary rulers.
look for settlement of the entire question In the
southern archipelago without any fighting what
ever, and solely by diplomacy. Some may ask why
we could not have dealt automatically with the
northern tribes through Aguinaldo. But Agui-
naldo hereditary chieftain. He is
politico- military leader only. and the people would
not. nor could they be expected to, recognize any
agreement we might make with him. Some other
way must be found to reach the northern tribes
If you ask what that way is, I say that it is
store peace In the islands. and in the second place.
ing measure Of home home a
provincial home rule-and / would go further and
OF the entire archipelago, subject of course to
American supervision, so that the central power at
washington will be compelled at all times to listen
to the complaint of the native his wants to
his aspirations, and be able to ignore him as
Spain did. For have found that Filipino ideals of
government really the American ideals
and therefore the American satisfy the Filipino
as no other nation can
Professor Gddings devoted his remarks TO show
ing how impossible II would be for a elfrespecting
nation to shirk the responsibilities which were as
sumed by the capture of Manila. He said among
other things:
| II We were to withdraw at the present time from
the Philippines, leaving the islanders to set up a
government of their own, the immediate and in
evitable result would be to the death be-
| tween the various tribes of that archipelago, and
we would have to assume the responsibility for a
| tremendous slaughter The only way native gov
eminent could be set up would be by the subjuga-
| ton and possible determination of the weaker
tribes by the stronger Moreover to establish there
| an Independent power would be TO establish an
almost absolute monarchy and to eXtnguish all in
| dividual liberty Americans understand that
word. Admiral Dewey might have sailed away
| after he took Manila but he could not have done
| so without bringing down upon him and upon us
the censure of the entire civilized world A mas
sacre of all Manila's European inhabitants would
surely have followed and the United states would
have borne for all time the stigma Of having re-
moved the only power In that city which could pro-
! tect life and property. Dewey uId not do that;
don't think shall do IL.
| The club appauded this sentiment heartily.