New-York tribune., 1900-07-28
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
A NOTABLE STUDY OF THE SITUATION
IN BRIEF FORM.

experiences The correspondence contained in
formation so important 10 our Government that
Mr.. Morgan presented il to the Senate and it
has now come TO us In serviceahle pamphlet
form. In many ways it is a very valuable docu-
ment Written plainly from an unbiased point
II view by a skilled and broad minded observer.
it contains succinctly and vigorously expressed,
an authentic account Of the existing conditions
in the Philippines It may be read with profit
by all persons who trying to form fair
opinion of the task in the East that we now
have on our hands well by the mere
student Of history. 1t derives an added value
from the thorough account the author offers OF
the work done by the Dutch in Java ana oy
the English in Ceylon. It is exceptional to hnd
these important chapters in colonization dis
cussed with such thoroughness. The very plain
ness Of style strengthens the impression that the
letters give of directness and sincerity. Mr..
Moves does not hesitate to express his opinions
on what he has seen; but these opinions ne al
ways backs UP with reason II is possible 10
disagree now and then with some of his conclu-
sions without denying the interest and the sug-
gestiveness Of his facts.
Mr Noyes gives in his first letter the results
of an interview with General Otis. The inter
view itself he precedes with brief account of
the tremendous responsibilities which the Cen
eral has been obliged TO meet and which he has
succeeded in coping with by the indefatigable
energy that makes his working day fourteen
hours of almost constant activity. Much of the
matter in the interview has lost its novelty, but
the Generals answer to the question whether II
were necessary or desirable to permit the Chi
nese TO furnish labor required TO develop the
Philippines has interest at this moment: THE
Chinese would food the islands and destroy the
opportunity for the development Of the Fill
pinos which would arise from preserving for
ind, al
Though many thousands of Cinnamon are set
tied in the islands, conducting business enter
prises, both wholesale and retail, and employed
also in the hardest form Of manual labor, and
though there has been considerable intermixture
of the races there exists an old hereditary pref
udice between them. resulting often in blood
shed"
The condition Of affairs in the Southern
Philippines presents problems which, Mr..
Noyes points out demand the part OF the
authorities in Washington the greatest tact and
deHcacy. Conspicuous among these are semi
feudal slavery and Mahometan polygamy. How
are these TO be dealt with without involving the
Government in a harassing conflict which IN
the end might not cure the evils? How, too, are
she native chiefs TO be kept friendly? That
many Of the chiefs are friendly Mr.. Noyes makes
plain; but he also points out that they have
their prejudices and are jealous of their pre-
that an agreement with the Sultan of Sulu
will not suffice to bind in amity than
fraction Of our half million AIoros in the Philip
pines, and that rupture OF this tentative agree
rnent will not be absolutely certain to render
hostile more than the same fraction 1t follows
that the simple, verbal understandings reached
by General Bates and his subordinates with
Mindanao Sultans and datos, and also with
some Of the Suu datos are as valuable in their
e,1lox ornf 11Iro
the more elaborate written agreement with the
suu Sultan which requires the red-tape accom-
panirnents Of a treaty, is submitted for con-
sideration and approval by the Senate, and
when approved, becomes binding record fixing
the Sultan's eaty-making status"
Mr. Noyes showed the breadth of his interest
in the questions arising from our acquisition of
the Philippines by not being satisfied to study
the American possessions alone. He tried to
profit by the lessons taught through the expert
ence Of the Dutch settlements in Java and Of
the British in Ceylon. Lack of judgment is
shown in brushing perempto-ily aside the Java
nese and Cinghalese precedents on the ground
that government in these islands. which is cred
TIED with determining the character of their
institutions is through hereditary native
princes, who do not exist in the Philippines.
Precisely such native rulers are found in the
Moro sultans and datos in the Sulu Archi-
have long ago disappeared entirely from Cey
lon and nominally govern still in only two
Of the provinces Of Java. Outside Of Djokja
and Solo in Java, and in all parts Of Ceylon,
the title to the soil is primarily in the Dutch
Government and the English Government re-
spectively, just title to all the soil of
the Philippines primarily in the Span
ish Government. and passed to the Ameri-
can Government through cession. so far as the
remainder unalienated at the time Of the Treaty
OF Paris is concerned.
The Dutch made the mistake of first consider
ing their own interests as Independent Of those
of the natives-a mistake, by the way which
may explain the ultimate failure Of many a
scheme Of colonization. They profted by ex-
perience, however. Under their present land and
labor system, the culture system which Mr..
Noyes defines as the old culture system modi-
fed IN accordance with the demands Of modern
public opinion" they recognize that the Dutch
and Javanese welfare and prosperity are in
separable. In Java, too, the Dutch had to face
the two monsters Of pOlygamy and slavery The
Javanese are nominally all Mahometans. Polyg-
amy has always prevailed among them, but out
side of Djokja and Solo there are few polyg
anists, except among the very rich. The luxury
IS too expensive. There is no challenge to arouse
their fanatictsm over polygamy as an article Of
faith by the Dutch Government which leaves
their religion and everything which in any shape
is connected with It severely alone. The same
kind Of slavery prevailed in Java as exists
In the Southern Philippines until abolished by
edict shortly before our Civil War. Compensa-
ton was provided to the owners Of the emanci-
pated slaves In most cases, while the edict
nominally freed the slave, the latter continued to
the end OF his days in practically the same rela-
ton Of feudal servitude to his master. But with