Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-27
ABILITY TO GOVERN
Commissioner Warcsster'S Views of
the Philippine Natives,
ADDRESSES The GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Annoyed by Misleading Reports Of
His Previous Utterances.
TIE CINILIZ ED TRIB + s

The great interest Eel; by the people of
Thi1ippue Islands was shown in large
measure last evening by the immense az
tendance IA the weekly meeting of the Ma
tioEaI Gcograp fic Society. in the First Cea-
grcgational Church. Even before Vice Pres
i:!gnt Niece took his place on the plat
form every seat in he large auditorium
was OCCUPIED. and those who came later
v re forced 10 be satisfied with standing
:oJm.
Mr. d. c. Worcester of the Philippine
commission was the speaker OF the even
Ing. and his subject was The More Civil
ized of the Filipiuns. After giving his
audience a vast amounr Of information con-
corning the Moros. the most savage triS'
which lives in the Philippine archipelago.
ard when, until few years ago, prac-
tiCcd piracy, Mr.. Worcester tod aboat 4
V.si' mad" r. him una tine other members
OF The commission Ia the SuiII people.
The sneaker referred 20 some of the OBJ
jcctionaLlc - well as the desirable charac-
teristics of that tribe. and remarked that
the Americans had in short time been
able To hTiig about reforms there which
Stain had tried for three centuries in vain
to accomplish.
What IL" SNEAKER said about the more
civilized filipinos conveyed the impression
against the authority of the United States.
are anxious to have the right of self-goV-
eminent. they are as yet UNITED to be IN
trusted with that privilege. MIR. Worcester
went to say that he favored letting all
the minor offices in the island of I.uznn bc
filed with natives provided they We're cap
able Of performing the duties Of the same
and as they became tied 70 ill the moro
important Offices, to intrust them with the
execution of the higher responsibilities.
Den1ubccs Certain Statements.
With considerable severity Mr.. Worces-
ter dca2unced the efforts of some writers
To place the Tagafogs on Il higher plane Of
civilization t'du TT which they ar" cnti-
Tied to occupy. There had. he said, hceu :,
great deal of Erl;hc:Itc lying by some
writer's in this country in this respect. and
Ii NAT even been asserted III some in!iuen-
tial quarters thai there was less ignorance
among the TagalaSs than among the people
of hiaSSachusetts. MIR. Worcester read
statistics To prove thai the very opposite
is true. and said there We're not 1ne-lwcn-
ticth a. many schools, according to popuIa-
Ton. an"nc the TaFaln:-$ as there are In
the old bay stare. lie would. however, h.
observed. ito the Tagaings the Justice to
say hat e.org man who appeared before
the commission said the ne0Dle were
anxious 10 get education. and wee willing
to submit to any amount of taxation neces-
sary 10 establish public schools There.
Has Been GisIuutcd
III W bitf-Stt'i HIS lSHut'l 1t statement
to the public upon the same subject, i'll
which he says:
Il have been greatly annoyed by mis-
leading reports of remarks which ] have
recently made in public concerrine the in
hahitantS of the Philippine Islands There
are three Very distinct races in the arch-
p' ago, and these races are again Suipii-
videG into numerous tribes, the total be-
ing 80 less than cighty-four. These tribes
vary in their social DEVELOPMENT from the
most abiect savagery to a relatively high
degree of civilization. Among certain of
the wild tribes such customs as head hunt
ing. The sacrificing of human beings to
heather divinities. child marriage, poiyg
my. infanticide and slavery are to be
found, although some OF the wild tribes
are very nacific and indulge in none of the
objectionable practices above enumerated
THE remarks which / made concerning
one or TWO of the head hunting tribes nave
been taken as applicable to the entire pop
ulation. which is. of course. absurd Fur
thcrmore. l note with regret that after my
address before the Commercial Club of
Boston in which I discussed the pros and
cons OF the Tag&iog character. the uude-
s!rahle caara ctcristics which | mentioned
Were quite fully enumerated, but the good
qualities which l was especially careful to
discuss have been entirely omitted.
Good Qualities Outweigh Bad Ones.
In my book on the Philippines, as well
as in a magazine article, and in numerous
public lectures and addresses. ! have re-
peatedly expressed my opinion of the civil
lied native: and | wish now to repeat that
while | consider him quite unfit to establish
and maintain an independent national gov
eminent at the present time. nevertheless
believe that his good qualities far outweigh
his bad ones ana have great hope for his
future A. the customs. manners and laws
Of the civilized. well as the wild. tribes
are fully discussed in the second volume of
the foTt booming report of the commission.