The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-03
president Schurman Says in Ad-
dress That Philippine Prob
lem Is Changed.
FLET PAST BURY ITS DEAD"
Political Status Of Christian Fill,
pinos Of Luzon and NiSayaS
the Next Question That
Must Be Met.

Chautauqua. y. Y. Aug. 2-Presiieat
sSchurman OF Cornell University to-day de-
fivered an address ON The Philippine
Problem" before The Chautauqua Assem-
ply. He said in Tart:
The Philippine question has passed into
n new stage, though The public seem In
aware Of ii. and the newspapers have not
noticed it.
Certain matters OF sraa, interest in the
past have now bsea definitely eliminated.
~ IS idle low 10 discuss The wisdom or the
RnWisdOm of our acceptance of Soain's
scession of sovereignty over the archipelago.
frhe fact Of our sovereignty Is indispuUably
Established, both by the force OF treaty and
the force of arms.
II was one of those who advocated leav-
Ding the archipelago IL the eufeebied grasp
of Spain; but the American people, who
kInade war on Spain Tor the Emancipation
tof Cuba. would not consent. 50 President
Nckinley ieit. 10 leave the l~iliplnos at the
close Of the war victims OF the same Op-
preston. Sentiment and enthusiasm We're
.re-enforced by JEIEoism. by optimism and
by plenteoUs ignorance.
but what boots it 20 pursue the matter
farther? Whether by viii or not the Phil
5ppineS are ours. The destiny Of the Fill
Pinos Is in our hands, and great as our
responsibility may be 10 humanity ana 10
providence, our sovereignty Itself is abSo-
putely unimpeachaDle.
$50, too, We have no further concern
with the government set up by Aguiualdo.
Por with ASGinaldO himself. Both are is
sues Of the past.
Cruelty Also 4 Dead Issue.
There is another issue also which now
nappily belongs to the past. During the
spring and early summer the newspapers
aoounded in reports Of atrocities committed
ny American officers and soldiers in the
philippines. History shows that whenever
the white race. and especially the Anglo
Saxon branch of il, comes into cor 1ict with
a colored race, its bearing is apt 10 be ar
.1Ogant Hnu RnntpmDf1nuG and If seldom
fails TO , the barbarities practiced by
the enemy with ferocious cruelty.
The American army as a whole chung to
Its ancient discipline and maintained its
untarnished honor. but here and there an
officer or a private succumbed.
But President Roosevelt, as Command
er-in-Chief Of the army, decided that all
the facts should be forwarded 10 him, with
no attempt 10 conceal anything or to spare
dicial investigation he has executed the
moral Indignation Of the nation by the
condign punishment Of the principal Offend
er. Nor has General Chafee fallen behind
his commandments in his revision OF
the findings of the court-martial in Ma
'"The total result is that the honor Of the
nation is satisfied. the good name of the
army indicated, and the watchfulness of
cruelty on the part of American officers
against the Fflipinos disappears as a politi-
cal issue.
Vast and New Problems Arise.
Let the O6aO past Dury It's DEAD Inc
pacification Of the archipelago, the official
announcement of the termination of HOSTILE
ties, the proclamation of amnesty, and the
substitution of civil for military control,
all bring US In sight of vast new problems.
At the heart of them all 1 think you will
find this question:
inhabitants of the Philippine Islands? Or,
more particularly What is to be the politi-
ca status OF the o'9eJ,VV clVlllzed ana Shrls-
tanned Fflipinos Of Luzon and the Visay-
as?
The first Philippine Commission reported
in 1899 that Aguinaldo did not represent the
Philippine people, but only a section Of
them; that the majority were either indif-
ferent to the question of American sover-
eighty or accepted II or acQuiesced in it;
that men of education and property. many
OF whom had discussed the matter with the
commission. were peculiarly favorable TO
the American cause; but that all F1lipinos
looked forward to eventual Independence
after an underlined period of American tute-
LACE and training in the work of govern
"For this training the commission be-
leved a native legislative assembly the
a just recognition of popular rights, and as
fhe F1liptnos deeply desired 1t. we recon-
@snded that it be granted by Congress.
IklS- recommendation was subsequently re-
bsated by the second Philippine Com mis-
sleen; Of which Judge Taft is the distin-
rThe prolongation of ilitary operations
delayed the enactment of any political
measures for the benefit of the Fflipinos.
~ IL va ~ ul II ClOot VI 15bl THAI
force had accomplished its work, and that
conditions in the islands demanded the best
efforts of craftsmanship. 1 ventured in a
speech delivered in Boston in January, to
set forth the views which I had formed in
regard to a permanent and definitive policy
toward the Christian F1lipinos.
Suggestions for Future Policy.
They embrace % pacifcation, C) a grant
of civil rights, 90 a native legislative as
sembly, whose members should be elected
on a property or educational Qualification,
az a measure of home rule, to be progress
lively increased according to circumstances,
and Co independence when the F1ipinos de-
sired and were reasonably fit for indepanG-
ence.
Since January the Philippine question
has been thoroughly discussed in Congress
and by the press.
There have been many side issues, but
over them all has gradually doomed up the
pregnant question, Shall the Filipinos lie
governed with the consent of the gov
erned? 1mperialists answered No, and they
controlled the Senate The anti-imperialists
answered Yes, and they controlled the
House, thanks, as / believe, to the liberal,
Rr-lightened spirit OF President Roosevelt.
VINO in his Arlington speech explicitly con-
Populated the possibility Of ultimate Phil
able leadership Of Mr.. Cooper, prevailed over