The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-08-16
LET THEM ALONE.
Does Some Platn Talking About
WORr New Possessions.

Does Some P1atn Talking About
''Our New Possessions.
Four Of the professors Of the Chicago
University have recently denounced the
policy of President Mckinley in the
Philippines. The following are Prof
starr's views upon the subject:
Let us approach the subject not from
a political, but from a scientific ethno-
logical point Of view.
who inhabit the Philippines? Scores
Of tribes. They are not one people,
speaking one language; instead they
differ in physical characteristics, have
different customs and speak various
tongues. There are four totally differ
ent groups of tribes.
Those who first occupied the land,
the aborigines, were negrittos. This
word means little negroes and it ade-
quately describes them. They are black
pigmies, having crinkly hair; like ne
groes they are savage in culture; ex-
cept where they follow agriculture rude
ly they gain their sustenance from
hunting. Originally these negrittos
possessed the entire archipelago; now
they are found only in remote or mount
ainous regions. At present there are
only 10000 Of them.
Perhaps 1000 years or more B. G.
the Malays first entered the country.
Many tribes differing in language, rep
resent the earliest migration. Many of
these Malays are comparable to the
Dyaks OF Borneo, who are fierce and
warlike and famous for head hunting
The head hunter kills man to get a
head as trophy only. The women be-
longing to these tribes look with scorn
upon suitor unless he brings to her the
head of some man. The Igorrotes and
the Tingians are the best known of
those early invaders.
"A second invasion Of the Malays
took place from 100 to 500 A. D. Among
those who came this time were the Ia
gals. Since there arrival In the Philip
pines these Tagals have been advancing
in civilization, and are today, taking
climatic conditions into account, civil
lied people. They live in settled towns,
and practice agriculture; they are quick
to learn. and are making progress In ed
ucation; they love music and poetry
many a Tagal being able to compose a
poem extemporaneously.
"a third and final immigration was In
progress during the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth centuries. The invaders this
time were fanatical Mohammedans, who
got no further than Sulu island. They
were bold and treacherous pirates, who
no doubt would have pushed further
had not Europeans interfered.
I'm addition to these four fundamen-
tai elements in the population OF these
islands. there are also inhabiting them
many Chinese, Japanese and Span1ards
who have mixed with the Malay popu-
lation and given rise to many curious
half-breeds. The most important cross
is that between the Spaniards and Ma
lavs-chiefy Tagals. This mixture rep
resents the highest class of natives In
the cities and towns.
"The total population of the islands is
between seven and twelve millions.
Leaving out Chicago they are as dense
ly populated as Is square miles, as Iowa
80, or n1hois Al. The Philippine Is
lands. unlike the Louisiana district pur-
chased from France in the time OF JEFF
ferson-are not empty. They are not
open for colonization. The land Is for
the people who inhabit it, and they
must take care of themselves.
"They are capable Of self-government.
We talk of trouble under home rule.
Spain did not control all of the country.
She ruled by means of the Tagals, in
turn. having learned government from
Spain and being the most powerful OF
all the tribes, are better able to cope
with the conditions and can do better
than anyone else. What is needed in
the Philippines is the iron hand-not
that of some foreign power, but that OF
their strongest tribe. The Tagals' mill
tary force will be necessary for a long
time. II we hold them we must do so
with the iron hand This would mean
a large army in the country for long
time. The Tagals can manage the coun-
try with a much smaller force and
sh0uld he let alone to do so,
1.-The climatic conditions are sucn
that one-fourth OF our soldiers would
have to be withdrawn every year and
the vacant ranks replenished. Even a
short service in the Philippines means
both physical and moral degeneracy
to the American soldier.
"The Tagals, until recently interfered
with, were expanding; they had been
making great progress for 15O years.
They are the largest and best equipped
Of any Of the native population. Left
alone they would predominant in the
group; they were pushing forward in
education: In all respects as fast as
any tropical population can.
"That our government should hob
mob with the sultan Of Sulu and his
subjects is most incongruous. The Mo-
EOS are the most degraded Of all the
Filipinos; they are treacherous and de-
ceitful, warlike and piratical. Aguin-
aldo: on the other hand, belongs to the
e. A. ~ - - &M