The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-08-23

Filipino peoples. but the continuance Of
his own arbitrary and d~spotic power.
In any event, the American people may
| feel confident that no effort was omitted
by the commission to secure q 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
med, OF all shades Of political thought
and varieties Of occupation, tribe and To-
| cality.
Tribes, Not 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 Ian
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
a variegated assemblage of different
tribes and peoples, and their loyalty is
still Of the tribal 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, disqualify them, in spite of
thar p,outal uiffs and domestic y;rtros
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 a center, and to undertake,
subject to American control or guidance
las may be found necessary, the admin
istration Of provincial and municipal af-
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, if 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 a 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
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"
praaae for TrooD.
One Of the closing chapters Of the re-
port il devoted to q tribute to "our sol
diers and sailors in the war;" The COM
mission says that the presence of Admiral
Dewey as q member Of this body makes
it uniting to dwell on his personal
achievements, but be 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 a war was never
more humanely conducted. adding:
eff churches were occupied it was only
as q military necessity, and frequently
their use as forts by the insurgents had
made it necessary to train our artillery
upon them.