The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-01-19

| -,
priests, mestizos, pure Filipinos aud
| every variety OF mind, character and
opinion from San Fernando in Luzon,
on down through the entire archipelago
to the interior of Sulu. These CONVEX
sation were had informally at dinner
tables, on journeys and the like. and al
ways under conditions favorable to entire
frankness and unreserve. Their chief
value is that they are the real opinions
| of their authors and not prepared and
| guarded statements. L will read to the
senate salient points from my notes of
these conversations, rsserving the
names of the persons interviewed, ex.
cept that of Pablo Majia of Cebu. who
was assassinated week after | met
him and whose fate | will not risk
bringing down on others. Their names
and residences are here in this book
and will be gladly given to any senator
or to the senate in executive session.
Opinion of Inhabitants.
One of the principal merchants Of the
Philippines and the far east
The whole country is incalculably rich.
With only ordinary good government
| commerce would be immense. Spanish
| rule was corrupt, but commerce accus-
| toned itself to the conditions and flour
| ished in spite of them. So rich is the
! country that commerce will survive any
! situation, however bad, If IL is only fixed
and certain. The people are incapable of
selfgovernment. The few exceptions are
| no examples OF the masses. For years TO
, come very strong government will be
| necessary. The climate is very good. L
have lived here IL years and my health
| was never better.
One of the principal bankers of the
Philippines and the far east
have no fault to find with the climate.
| My health Is very fine. Business here,
large;as it is, is only hint of what will
be under good government. l think 1T
| folly to talk of giving the natives any
| part in the government They are in
| capable. OF course, there are possibly
half dozen who might be capable-but
| l doubt the result of such an experiment..
even with the best. Anything but u
strong government at first will result In
| disaster. Do not put courts in their hands
P! at all-except the minor village courts OF
course. You might give them municipal
selfgovernment IN the smaller munich
| palIJies-but even then only under care
Iul supervision.
The most prominent educator in the
Philippines, OF very wide information
about the people and the country:
1t is a marvellous country The climate
| Is the ideal tropical climate OF the world.
Also it presents every variety OF climate.
Only moderate distance from Manila, in
| the province OF Benguet, there are oaks,
| pines, frost and you must use blankets at
night LIZ is the richest and most varie-
| gated portion OF the earth's surface. My
health mad always been good. You must
introduce strong, decisive ana pure
| government. The natives might possibly
be permitted to take "a practical part in
municipal affairs. Self-government Is
| out of the question. l tear the lnsurrec-
| ton will last for months-perhapS for
| years. The natives are like buffalo bulls
| they get mad and then want to fight,
no matter whether right or wrong. You
| cannot successfully deal with them by
| gentle means. They absolutely misuo-
| derstand such treatment. While in arms
| they must be fought, fought-ceaselGssly
and remorselessly. Otherwise they will
| keep IL up forever.
A gentleman connected with the rail-
! road service and thoroughly acquainted
with the people:
The climate of these islands is perfect
for the tropics l have been here alto
| gether for six years and never enjoyed
| better health. l think these fellows will
keep on fighting for neutrality-suspicious.
years. They are utterly incapable of self
| government as Americans or English I'M
derstand it. They might, under very
| careful and firm direction, be allowed to
| take little part in municipal govern
ment, but not much even there. If they
We're given self government business
would almost disappear until some Eu-
ropean power took the matter In hand.
One of the large planters and bust
ness men Of Luzon, pure Filipino
with intimate relations with the insur-
gents:
IL is hard to say how long the contest
will last. The very common people care
little about thu matter, but they have
been told and believe many bad things
about the Americans. What Eilipinos
want Is to govern themselves. No. OF
course, they do nor know anything about
government, except that Spain gave
them. which was most corrupt. Ii you
gave these islands u government where
Justice would be administered freely and
without price, property protected and
free speech secured, you ask me II tho
common people would be satisfied. l do
not know. The comm on people do not
know what they want. Are they capable
of sefgovernment - OF voting inteili-
gentlyY WHAT difference does tnat make
they would vote just exactly as the bet
ter classes say. l employ several hun
dred men-well l expect and would see TO
| IL that they have the same opinions
have. Huipph! 1t would be impossible
otherwise. What the Filipino leaders
talk about and insist on is u guarantee.
| by this they mean Filipinos to have ex-
elusive government of the islands-the
United States to keep fleet here to pro-
| tect that government and the islands
generally in every possible situation, and
| this agreement witnessed by a third ma
ton, strong enough to compel the United
states to carry out its contract The peo-
| pie are not capable of selfgovernment,
| but the leaders are or would be after
some practice, SO it is just the same
| thing.
pure Filipino. physician. man
| of wealth in che interior of Luzon-one
| of the most intelligent men Of the many
| met and talked to:
1t Is hard to say how long this struggle
| will continue. The leaders say they want
| ndependence-the common people prob
| ably want socialism To be definite and
particular they probably do not know
| what they want. No. they are not capable
| of self-goyernment Ii you give them
| pure government, free speech and all
| that they would not understand and ap-
| preciate it at first; would not believe 1t as
| 1t were. But when, after u while, three or
| four years say, they come to understand
| your good intentions and actually expert
| ence good government there will be no
| trouble. Oh yes the islands are marvel
| ously rich. After good government
is once in operation they will pay their
| way many times over. My people are
not "a bad people-they don't understand
| they are children yet.