Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-09-11
Education In the Philippines.


Democratic managers, in their re-
Gently issued campaign text book,
should have wasted so much valu-
able effort, space and time in their
endeavor to make a substantial
issue, by asserting that the acquisi-
ton of the Philippine Islands was
monumental error and a despair
ing experiment on the part of the
government. 1t would have been
an easy matter for the managers of
this party without an issue to have
proven to their own satisfaction the
fallacy of this contention, for facts
have recently arrived from the
Archipelago which are gratifying in
the extreme to the great mass Of the
American people who have an abid-
ing faith in the destiny of our flag
and who believe that the advance
ment of civilization is a stern duty
and righteous cause.
The facts which prove beyond
question that the native Filipinos
are making rapid strides towards
the institutions of modern civiliza-
ton, under the paternal and guild
ing hand of the government, are
embodied in the most recent annual
report issued by the Secretary of
War. The best evidence of this
progress towards enlightenment is
furnished by review of the facts
in the report concerning education
and the public schools in the Is
lands. When this phase of the
situation was advocated in Con-
gress by Republican statesmen, it
will be remembered that q clamor
was instantly raised by the Demo-
cratic press that the scheme was
impossible and impracticable be-
cause of the fact that the Philippines
were of that benighted class that
would have nothing to do with
civilization. What has already
been accomplished in that so-called
land of darkness proves the fallacy
of this.
The Department of Public In
struction in the Island is now under
the head of a general superinten-
dent, who has divided the territory
into eight divisions, and has APP
pointed competent head to each
division. In his last report to the
Secretary of War the superinten-
dent states that he already has at
work eight superintendent, eight
principals and assistants for
normal, agricultural and manual
training work, who have under
their supervision ISL teachers from
the United States; besides these are
so teachers selected from Ameri-
cans who made applications in the
Philippines, as well as two superin-
tendents.
The most surprising feature Of
the educational experiment, how
ever, shows the commendable
eagerness with which the natives
come forward to receive instruc-
tions as native teachers. On April
10 last, when this particular branch
of the project was started, accomo-
dations had been provided for but
800 scholars This was thought to
be ample, but on the opening day
40 enrolled and soon after it was
necessary to make provisions for
600. OF these 80 studied faith
fully to the end Of the term, and
the report is to the effect that their
progress in acquiring English is
gratifying in the extreme. At the
present time there are 4 900 native
teachers being employed and 1000
OF them are receiving instruction in
English.
But the good work has gone much
further than this. 1t is now esti-
mated that $50, 900 children are en-
rolled in the public schools, but
only about one-half of that number
can be provided for at present.
The adult natives have not been
neglected, as over 10000 of them
are receiving instructions in Eng
lish at night schools, and many
more are applying but cannot yet
be taken care of.
1t would seem from this casual
array of facts that the authors of
the Democratic Campaign Text
Book would do we'll to withdraw
that misleading document and
change the title so as to make it
conform moro closely to its unrc-
liable contents.
Imitation fruits cost more than the
real ones.
You cannot cover up Il wrong at home
by Il gift abroad
The enmity Of the wicked is the evil
dence OF their envy