The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-02
REPORT ON PHILIPPINES.
British System of Government Will
Not Do.

Not Do.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE president
today transmitted to congress the first
volume of the report Of the Philippine
commission. 1t is a. volume of 264 pages
including the appendix, and is signed by
Prof. Schurmann, Admiral Dewey, Col
DENLY and Prof. Worcester.
The commission discusses the system
of government by a protectorate and
board over the Malayan peninsula by
GreatBritain deeming such protector
ate inadVisable, it having been inSti-
tuted for the reason that England had
no sovereignty there. The United States
which possess sovereignty over the
Philippines, need not concern itself with
such scheme The mass Of the people
except in the Sulu group and some por-
tions of Mindanao and Palawan which
is without chieftains or rulers, is with
out distinction of birth or rank, in other
words are a pure democracy. The kind
of a protectorate which the inSurgent
leaders desired the commission say is
one which the United States would as
sumo all responsibility for protecting
Philippine government against foreign
aggression while their own officials
would collect revenues
Under the chimerical scheme of pro-
lection cherished by Aguinaldo if a for
eigner lost his life or property through
miscarriage of justice in Philippine
court, or in consequence of a govern
ors failure to suppress a riot, then the
United States would be responsible for
indemnity to the foreigners govern
ment, without possessing the power of
Furnishing the offenders, or of prevent
ing such maladministration, or of pro-
tecting itself against similar occur
rences in the future. Nor could the la
bfl1ty to foreign nations be reduced
without permitting them directly to
seek redress, and such a course, it is
to be feared, speedily lead to the ap-
preparation of the Philippine islands by
the great powers, who would not need
to seek far for pretenses for interVen-
ton.
Undoubtedly the raising of the Amer
lean flag in the Philippine islands has
entailed great responsibilities upon us;
but to guarantee external protection,
while renouncing internal dominion, is
in no way of escaping 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
successful in governing dependent peo-
pie, has suggested a colonial form of gOv-
eminent, and this plan seems to have
won greater favor with the general pub
therefore, with some care, goes into the
different kinds of British colonies and
corresponding types of colonial govern
There is no analogy" says the COM
mission, between the relations of the
self-gOverning colony of Australia or of
Canada. to Great Britain and that of the
Philippines to that of the United States.
In a community of blood races and
language there is the greatest diversity
and instead of the common political ex-
periences, one has already breathed the
air of freedom and the other has been re-
pressed by despotisnl-- Clearly the plan
of a self-governing colony is a misfit to
the Philippines"
The commission then discussed the
other types of British colony. Grown col
onies and colonies having a representa-
eminent typifed by British Guiana and
Hong Kong respectively, but neither
style of government, the commission point
out after lengthy argument, should be
applied to the Philippines.
A territorial government, it concludes,
is desideratum. The commission takes
as a basis for the government proposed
the territorial organization of Louisi-
ana The act is set forth in full. It
provides for a. governor and secretary
of the treasury and vests the legislative
power in a council appointed annually
by the president. Courts are also pro-
vided for. This scheme of govern
ment,'' says the commission possesses
besides its intrinsic merits the historical
interest attaching to the origination
with the author of the declaration of in
dependence. Jefferson had outlined a
first sketch as early as November, 1903.
He seems to have felt no incongruit5-
between the principles of the declara-
ton of independence of the thirteen self
governing colonies and this scheme of
government for the politically mex
perienced inhabitants of Louisiana In
ness, in December, 1903, when differ
ences of opinion developed as to the
manner of diSposing of Louisiana, that
although it is acknowledged that our
new fellow citizens are as yet as incap-
able of Self-government as children,
yet some can not bring themselves to
suspend its principles for a single mo-
ment."