The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-24
BISHOP THOBURN AGAIN
FURTHER TESTIMONY BEFORE THE
SENATE PHILIPPINE COMMITTEE.
Hong-kong Better Governed Than
Chicago Miss CIemencia LO-
pez's Petition Denied.

WASHINGTON, May 23.-Bishop Tho
burn continued his testimony before the
Philippines committee of the Senate to-
day. He was examined about various
phases of the situation and especially as
to the rights of the United States to douli-
nate the Philippine islands. He said in re-
ply to one question that chaos would result
if England were to withdraw from India.
England had advanced civilization in the
far East He said that the United States
had more rights in the Philippines than it
had over the American Indians, because
the islands were acquired by treaty. He
was asked as to whether he thought strong
countries had the right to subjugate weak
er ones by force and said the question did
not apply 10 the United States and the
Philippines because the islands were ac-
quired by treaty. The committee refused
to call as witnesses senators and members
who had visited the islands.
Bishop Thoburn expressed the opinion
that the greater protection 10 personal
rights in Hong-Kong than in Chicago is
due to the fact that the government has
stronger arm in Hong-Kong than in Chi
cago LAS a matter of fact he said, I'VE
all know that IN Chicago a man is not safe
in walking the streets at night, while he is
so in Hong-KOng.
The bishop expressed the opinion that
Aguinaldo could not have subjugated the
islands if left alone in his rebellion against
Spain He also said that there would have
been civil war in the Philippines IN case
Aguinaldo had been victorious In his war
with the United States.
The matter of the witnesses opinion as
to our right by force to subjugate another
people was gone into al length by Senator
Culberson and when the witness said: If
YOU refer to the Philippine islands l would
say that we have not subjugated them;
they came TO us by treaty the senator
asked: Don't you know that at the time
of the war with Spain the Filipino people
were in revolt against the Spanish govern
ment?"
THAT was true at Manila, but not else
where"
''Well. then. don't you think that the con-
sent of the people themselves should nave
been secured before we assumed the re-
sponsibility of their government?
Il don't think it safe to make any effort
to get their consent until affairs are better
established than at present. The average
PPno pud f n0 kn9w whf he Should
speak out for American rule he is liable 10
have his throat cut
against American rule he will be put in
Jail?
"Oh, no."
Senator Carmack asked a number of
questions concerning the comparative sue
cess of American missionaries in Asia. The
bishop replied that he did not consider their
success due entirely TO the fact that mere
tofore the United States has not been
nation of conquest, and declared it was
due largely to the popular manners OF the
Americans. They are, he said, less pom
pous. In China the Americans have, he
said. always been popular, and they are
becoming more so since the Chinese war.
Our soldiers there had behaved better than
the forces of any other nation except ia
pan.