The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-03
observations and Recommendation
of Messrs. Schurmann, Dewey,
DENLY and Worcester.
PR0TECTORATE NOT FAVORED
TERRITORIAL FORM OF GOVERN
MENT THE MOST DESIRABLE.
Natives Of the Philippines Unpre-
pared for Self-Rule - American
Guidance Favored by Best Glass.

to-day transmitted to Congress the first
volume of the report of the Philippine
commission. 1t is a volume of 264 pages.
Professor Schurmann, Admiral Dewey,
Colonel DENLY and Professor Worcester.
The principal subject dealt with is the plan
of government proposed by the commits
sion. which includes a discussion of the
Spanish government existing prior to the
Spanish war. the various reforms desired
by the Filipinos and the constitutions pro-
posed by them, together with the conclu-
sions and plans suggested by the commits
sion. The report also covers many other
matters connected with the social admin
istration of the islands. racial characters
tics, education, secular and religious or
ders. the Chinese in the islands, public
health, currency. etc, as well the con-
dition and needs of the United States i'm
the Philippines from naval and maritime
standpoint. The second volume of the re-
port, which will not be ready for several
weeks. will contain detailed description
OF the climate and natural resources of the
islands
The commission announces itself unquali-
fiedy in favor of a government for the
Philippines analogous to that of Territory
of the United States, with a Governor APP
pointed by the President. They say it is
desirable the Inhabitants of the archipelago
should enjoy large measure of home rule
in local affairs, their towns to enjoy sub
stantially the rights and privileges of
towns in Territory. The provinces should
be vested with functions of a county in a
|
Luzon and the Vizcayan islands at once
and a beginning might be made on the
coast of Mindanao. The Sulu archipelago
calling for special arrangements with the
Sultan, the commission says, need not be
considered in this connection.
The Filipinos could manage their own
| town and county affairs through their own
officers, whom they could elect with no
| help from the American officers, except
such as would be involved in control from
| the central government at Manila. The
suffrage should be restricted by educational
| or property qualifications, both. This
system would neceSsitate small body of
American officials of great ability and in
tegrity and of patience and tact in dealing
with other races. and on this account the
commission recommends that they should
| be paid high salaries The commission says
| sioners, and that one for every 100000 ma
| tives should suffice. 1t would be the duty
| of such commissioners to report on their
| work to the central government at Manila.
| Their main function would be TO advise
| town and county councils i'm the discharge
| of the duties and to watch the collection
| of revenue and its expenditure.
Our government of the Philippines, the
| commission insists, must be adapted to the
Filipinos. The commission discusses the
| system of government by protectorate es-
| tablished over the Malayan peninsula by
| Great Britain, deeming such protectorate
| inadvsable, ii having been instituted for
| the reason that England had no sovereign
/ ty there. The United States, which pos
sesses suzerainty over the Philippines need
| not concern itself with such a scheme. The
| mass of the people, except in the Sulu
| group and in some portions of Mindanao
| and Palawan, which are without chieftains
/ or rulers, are without distinction of birth
or rank in other words, are a pure de-
| mocracy.
| WHAT INSURGENTS WANTED.
1.-THE kind of protectorate which the in
| surgent leaders desired" the commission
| says, ''is one which the United States
would assume all responsibility for pro-
tecting the Philippine government from
foreign aggression. while their own otncials
| would collect revenues. Under the chimer-
ical scheme of protection cherished by
1
| property through a miscarriage of justice
in Philippine court or in consequence of
a governors failure to suppress a riot, then
the United States would be responsible for
/ indemnity to the foreigners government.
l without possessing the power OF Furnishing
| the offenders or of preventing such malad-
| ministration, or of protecting itself against
| similar occurrences in the future. Nor
could the liability to foreign nations be
/ viii "
| to seek redress, and such course would,
| IL is to be feared. speedily lead TO the APP
/ preparation of the Philippine islands by
the great powers, who would not need to
| seek far for pretenses for Intervention.
| Undoubtedly the raising of the American
| flag in the Philippine islands has entailed
| great responsibilities upon us, but to guar
antee external protection, while renOunc-
| ing internal dominion, is in no way of es-
| Gaping from them. On the contrary. while
| you pull down the flag, you only pile up
| difficulties"
The example of Great Britain, which the
| commission says, has been brilliantly sue
| cessful in governing dependent people, has
| suggested a colonial form OF government
| and this plan seems to have won greater
| FAVOR With the general public than any
other. The commission, therefore, with
| some care, goes into the different kinds OF
| British colonies and corresponding types OF
| colonial government. There Is no an
| alogy," says the commission, between the
| relation of the sef-governng colony of
| Australia or of Canada to Great Britain
| and that of the Philippine islands to the
| United States. Instead of community OF
| blood. races and language, there is the
| greatest diversity; and instead of a COM
| mon political experience, the one has al
| ready breathed the air of freedom: the
| other has been repressed by despotism
| Clearly the plan of seif-governing colony
| is misfit to the Philippines"
The commission then discusses the other
| two types of British colony. crown colonies
| and colonies having republican institutions
| but no responsible government typified by
| British Guiana and Hong-Kong respective
ly. but neither style of government the
| commission point out. after lengthy argu-
| ment, should be applied TO the Philippines
territorial government. IL concludes, is a
l desfderatum.
The commission takes as q basis fol-
| the government proposed the territorial
| organization of Louisiana. The act is SET
| forth In full II provides for a governor
| and secretary of the treasury and vests the
| executive authority in a council appointed
annually by the President. Courts are also
| provided for This scheme OF govern
| ment.' says the commission. possesses be-
| sides its intrinsic merits. the historical i'm.
| terest attaching TO origination with the
| author of the Declaration of Independence
| Jefferson had outlined first sketch as
| early as November. 1903. He seems 10 have
| felt no incongruity between the principles
| of the Declaration of Independence of the
| thirteen self-governing colonies and this
| scheme OF government for the POLITICAL,
| inexperienced inhabitants of louisa ma
| Indeed, he complains with some bitterness
In December. 1903, when differences of opin.
ion developed as TO the manner OF dis.