Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-08-16

/ Filipino peoples, but the continuance OF
his own arbitrary and despotic power.
In any event, the American people may
| feel confident that no effort was omitted
| by the commission to secure a peaceful
end of the struggle, but the opportuni-
ties they offered and urged were all neg
lected, il not, indeed. spurned."
The chapter devoted to Capacity for
| Self-Government" is the result, the re-
port states, Of diligent inquiry for sew
eral months, in the course Of which a
great number Of witnesses were exam
ined, of all shades Of political thought
| and varieties Of occupation, tribe and To-
| cality.
| Tribes, Not q Nation.
The most striking and perhaps the most
significant fact in the entire situation is
| the multiplicity OF tribes inhabiting the
archipelago, the diversity OF their lam
| guages (which are mutually unintelligi-
ble) and the multifarious phases Of civ
ilization-ranging all the way from the
highest to the lowest. As to this the
| report says:
"The Filipinos are not a nation. but
variegated assemblage of different
tribes and peoples, and their loyalty is
| sun OF the Tidal type.
Converting their intellectual capacities
| the commission says:
| ''As to the general intellectual capaci-
ties Of the Filipinos the commission is dis
posed to rate them high. But excepting
in limited number Of persons these ca
pacities have not been developed by edu-
cation or experience. The masses OF the
people are uneducated.
Need of Education.
| That intelligent public opinion on
which popular government rests does not
exist in the Philippines. And it cannot
| exist until education has elevated the
masses. broadened their intellectual hori-
| zon and disciplined their faculty of judg-
ment. And even then the power Of self
| government cannot be assumed without
considerable previous training and expert
ence under the guidance and tutelage OF
| an enlightened and liberal foreign power.
| For the bald fact is that the Filipinos
| have never had any experience in govern
ing themselves"
The report shows that this inability for
self government is due to the old Span
ish regime, which gave the Filipinos lit
| tie or no part in governing themselves.
| After reviewing this Spanish system the
| commission sums up on this point:
This is all the training in self-govern-
ment which the inhabitants Of the Phil
| ippine Islands have enjoyed. Their lack
of education and political experience.
| combined with their racial and linguistic
diversities, disouslify them, in spite Of
their mental gifts and domestic virtues,
| to undertake the task of governing the
| archipelago at the present time. The
most that can be expected Of them is to
cooperate with the Americans in the
| administration of general affairs, from
| Manila as center, and to undertake,
| subject to American control or guidance
| las may be found necessary. the admin
istration Of provincial and municipal at
| fairs.
Must Retain Rule.
Fortunately. there are educated Fill
| pinos, though they do not constitute a
large proportion of the entire population.
| and their support and services will be Of
| incalculable value in inaugurating and
maintaining the new government. As ed
ucation advances and experience ripens,
| the natives may be intrusted with larg-
er and more independent share of govern
ment, self-government. as the American
ideal, being constantly kept in view as
| the goal In this way American sover-
eighty over the archipelago will prove a
great political boon to the people.
SHOULD our power by any fatality be
| withdrawn the commission believes that
| the government OF the Philippines would
| speedily lapse into anarchy, which would
excuse, il it did not necessitate, the in
| PREVENTION of other powers and the even
| tual division of the islands among them.
"Only through American occupation,
| therefore, is the idea of free, self-gov-
erning and united Philippine common
| wealth at all conceivable. And the in
| dispensable need from the Filipino point
| Of view Of maintaining American sover-
eighty over the archipelago is recognized
| by all intelligent Filipinos and even by
| those insurgents who desire an American
protectorate. The latter, il is true, would
take the revenues and leave us the re-
sponsibilities. Nevertheless they recog-
| nize the indubitable fact that the Fill
pinos cannot stand alone.
THUS the welfare of the Filipinos CO.
incides with the dictates Of national hon
| or in forbidding our abandonment Of the
| archipelago. We cannot from any point
| OF view escape the responsibilities of gov
eminent which our sovereignty entails.
| and the commission is strongly persuaded
that the performance of our national duty
| will prove the greatest blessing to the
| peoples Of the Philippine Islands"
| Praise for Troop.
| One of the closing chapters of the re-
port is devoted to tribute to ''our sol
diers and sailors in the war" The COM
mission says that the presence OF Admiral
Dewey as a member Of this body makes
it uniting to dwell on his personal
achievements, but he joins in the eulogy
| of his comrades. The commissioners wit
messed some of the many brave deeds of
our soldiers, and they declare that all that
skill. courage and a patient endurance
can do has been done in the Philippines.
They dismiss the reports OF the desc
Grating Of churches, the numbering of
| prisoners and the committing of unmen-
tionable crimes, and say they are glad to
express the belief that war was never
more humanely conducted, adding:
IF churches were occupied 1t was only
as a military necessity, and frequently
their use as forts by the insurgents had
made it necessary to train our artillery
upon them.
| Rripht Trade Euture