The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1900-08-17
IN THE PHILIPPINES
GilChriSt Stewart Spent Four Months in
the Philippines Looking Throughly
Into Situation.
Has Letter Sent by pettigreW EnCOurag-
ing FilipinOS to Stand Out Until
After the Election.
Railway Traffic Officials Were Unable to
Agree on Grain Rates at the st.
Paul Conference.
GOT SOME INFORMATION.
Gilchrist Stewart Secured Letters
the Philippines Written by
Leading Americans.

A great many people will remem ber
Gilchrist Stewart, the young colored
man who spoke once or twice in this
city during the meeting of the butter
makers last winter. He has ast re-
turned from a trip to the tnliippine
Islands, having dett als nome at Brook
lngs last February 10 go to chat coun-
try to study the conditions. Young
Stewart is an intelligent colored man
He stopped at Minneapolis on his way
ing appeared In the Minneapolis Jour-
nal Us the result of an interview:
"Gilchrist Stewart, a graduate of
Booker Washington's college at Tuske-
gee, Ala, and of the agricultural col
leges of Minnesota and Michigan, and
at present an instructor in dairying in
at Brookings, arrived in Minneapolis
this morning, after four months' Wis.
it in the Philippines. Mr.. Stewart is
q gifted orator and has been prominent
in political campaigns as a platform
speaker. He went to the islands for
the purpose of learning the exact con-
ditions, with view to deciding upon
which side he should work in the COM
ing presidential campaign. After a
thorough inspection of each of the sew
eral provinces in the principal islands
his decision is framed in the one sem
tence: "Jf every person was acquainted
with what the governments is doing in
the Philippines, there would be no op-
position to the policy of the admins
tration."
.'Mr. Stewart left Brookings, S. D. 4, in
February, and at that time announced
that he mad suspended judgment on
Philippine affairs until he had learned
for himself. He found the Filipinos
very friendly, and being of the same
color he was accorded many privileges
not given others. In almost every
place the natives expressed . friendly
sentiment toward the United States.
Some we're ignorant of what they were
fighting for, but we're blindly following
their leaders, who were found to be in
timales of Aguinaldo. Those who
wele intelligent seemed to know that
the ad vent of American control of the
islands would be beneficial to the Fill.
pinos, and were anxious that the war
shoula close and their government oe
formed after the plan promised by the
comm ission.
"Tne work of the commission vas
watched with great interest by Mr..
Stewart, A few of the provinces have
already held the prescribed elections
and all seem to be satisfied wi b the re-
sult The natives are being granted
privileges under the rules of the com.
mission and local governments are be-
ing formed as rapidly as possible.
"Mr Stewart explains that the meth
cd of forming individual governments
| taken up by the commission seems es.
sentially correct. 1t is manifestly i'm
possible to place the Inhabitants of the
| several provinces under one head
chosen from any one of them. The
people in the different districts, he ex
plains, while belonging to the same
race, have been at war with each other
for many years and seldom intermin
gle.
'Through his intimacy with the ma
tive leaders Mr.. Stewart came into pos
session of conciliatory letters writer
by prominent people in the United
States to the insurgents. One of these
was written by United Utates senator
The letters encouraged the F'ilipinos tt
hold out against the American troops
promising them that there wonld sool
be change of administration in th,
United States and that this would as
sure them their independence. If tn
worst comes to the worst in the presi
Dental campaign, Mr.. Stewart may b.
induced to make these letters public"
To the Minneapolis Tribune Mr.
Stewart made the following statement
81 have in my possession lette
written by Senator Pettigrew and ad
dressed to Filipino leader, in whic1
the senator asks for information on Ger
tain points, and assures his correspon
dent that an early reply will be Q
great benefit to the Democratic party
which is the Filipino's friend, and in
tends to give him his liberty. That lei
ter I shall use in the South Dakot
campaign. We are after Pettigrew
and we intend to make matters pratt
hot for him before we get through"