Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-05-14
DR.. SChurnan Discusses
the Philippine Crisis

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Christians of ours-the only Christian
nation In Asia--as highly civilized as
most of the people Of Central and
South America. What do we want OF
them? We have never told them. The
treaty Of Paris requires Congress to
determine the civil rights and politi-
cal status Of the inhabitants of the
Philippines. Congress has been dumb.
President Roosevelt. with his noble
instincts and straight-seeing states
manship, declared that we were to pre-
pare them for liberty after the fash
ion OF the really free nations. The pc
riod Of tutelage should he short, be-
cause no nation can confer freedom
upon another. and the most we can do
for the Filipinos is to establish favor
able conditions and then endow them
with independence. This implies do
ing in the Philippines what we have
already done for Cuba, which this
month Is to start as an independent
republic. But, In the face of all tlfis,
Gen. Wharton says that the Filiplnos
must be despotically governed, like
India and Java, and that any one who
advocates their independence should
be sent to prison. Congress Is SILENT
the military authorities whistle down
the wind the humane and enlighten-
ed policy of the President, and the
military authorities are the supreme
power and final arbiter in the Philip
pines. Are the American people. then,
the freest people on this earth. the
very flower and chivalry of liberty,
shooting down Filipinos because Fill
pinos will not do what Americans
want, while all the time Filiplnos are
endeavoringsto ascertain, but cannot,
what 1t is Americans do want? Are not
your oriental wards entitled to know
how you intend to dispose of them be-
fore bidding you Tclcome to
their homes? If we have
no policy let us say so and
stop fighting. If we have policy,
let us say so and it may end all fight
ing. But to keep an army Of 10000
or 10000 American citizens in Asia to
fight for no policy is at once foolish
and wicked.
1t Is said officially that the fighting
Is over. But the commanding officers
agree with the best ewspaper report
ers that the Christian Filipinos are ev-
erywhere against us. And the war de-
pnrtment has. stated in confirmation
of this situation that the retention of
large army in the Philippines is in
dispensable. But if this be so, though
the nsurrection may he ended, the
archipelago "a as full of our enemies
as ever 1t was.s You have governed
them against their will; behold the re-
suit. Shall We make of the Philip
Lpines an American lrelapd AN Ireland
consumed With hatred for us, govern
ed by coerciott and bent on rebellion?
Thank God, there is more excel
lent way. DfQifscoercion and try con
Citation. GIVE sthe Flipinos what
they want notaWhat you think is good
for them, Regard them not MS Sioux
or. Apache Indians. but as Christian
IiHeu uuu tlN NlliINu DToWIl men, raHklnE
with the Japanese. Gen Otis said to
The Senate committee that they could,
if we withdrew, at least maintain u
military government; and with the
sedition law before you can you say
we are doing much better? Gov. Taft
Is reported az saying at New Haven
that II we conferred independence
upon them, power would fall into the
hands OF the educated classes; but is
an intelligent oligarchy of Filipinos
worse than an intelligent oligarchy of
Americans?
| was in Ireland last month when
| the cities of Dublin and Cork confer
red their freedom upon the leader Of
the nationalist party. His speech on
those occasions was printed In full In
the newspapers and one sentence Of II
still rings in my ears: There are"
he said, ''only two methods of govern
ment-thut of freedom and that of
force; and Ireland has shown for CEN
turtles that the latter Is permanently
impossible" The remedy for our Phil.
ippine Ills is to substitute government
by the consent of the Fiiipinos for a
government by the coercion of the FIJI
ipinos.