The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-06-06
A F1L1P1No's TESTIMONY.
Throws Light on the Phil
fppfne Question.

There is one native Filipino now in
the United States whom, it is safe to
say, democratic senator's will not ask
to have summoned before the senate
committee, says the Indianapolis Jour-
nal. This is Mr.. Felipe ~Buenacamino.
who is now in San Francisco, the guest
of Gen. Hughes. Mr.. Buencamino was
formerly a member of Aguinaldo's
staff, but is now loyal to the American
cause. In an interview had with him
in San Francisco he said:
'In the Philippines the conditions are
very hopeful for the termination of the in
surrection with the capture of Gen. LUX
ban and the surrender of Gen. Malvar. The
first was due to Gen. Smith, the second
to Gen. Bell, and both to the wise and hu-
manitarian policy of Gen. Chaffee. Politi-
cal peace is assured, and now with the
assistance Of Gov. Taft, we shall move on
ward toward moral peace"
The capture of Gen. Lukban was the
the result of the vigorous campaign or
ganized by Gen. Smith, whom the dem
ocrats are now abusing because he
made real war. Mr.. Buecamino con-
graduates him and Gen. Bell for their
latest successes in suppressing the in
surrection, and praises the wise and
humanitarian policy of Gen. Chaffee,
by which, apparently, he means the pol
icy he has pursued of carrying a drawn
sword in one hand while extending the
olive branch in the other.
Mr.. Buencamino's statement throws
interesting light on the situation in
the Philippines. He belongs to the
educated class, most of whom were
at first hostile to and distrustful of
the United States, because they were
naturally suspicious and knew moth
ing about the real purposes of the
government. Most of them are now
loyal to the American cause, and they
will prove valuable aids in the estab-
lishment and extension of free gov
eminent. They will be leaders and
teachers of the masses. In the first
report of the Philippine commission
Mr.. o. F. Williams, who had been Unit
ed States consul at Manila for some
time, was asked his opinion as to the
capacity of the people for self-gov-
eminent. "They have never been
taught any such thing" he replied.
ut is a government of the few and sub
mission by the many that they have
been taught; but so far as l can I'M
derstand them I believe they are quite
as capable as the japanese, and the
Japanese, as we know, in less than
40 years have developed from a low
grade of civilization to become one of
the powers of the earth" All ac-
counts agree that the Filipinos are
bright and teachable, and once they
are started in the right direction I'M
der good leaders they will make rapid
progress. Such leaders will be found
in the educated Filipinos, like Mr..
Buencamino, who have become loyalto
the American aus Gov. Taft, in his
testimony before the senate Philippine
committee, said American teachers
were instructing the Filipino teachers,
and the latter are anxious to learn.
The people were eager to have their
children instructed, and the priests in
some places were preparing to set up
parish schools. "But," he added, "the
ignorance of the mass of the popula-
ton is dense. and their credulity is
~boundless." When asked what hope
there was for peace and good under
standing between the people and the
Americans he answered with empha-
sis: "Our hope is in the educated
classes" For this reason it is very
encouraging to find native Filipinos
like Mr.. Buencamino, who understand
the people and are qualified to lead
them, cordially and unreservedly in
favor of American rule and civil gov
eminent. The object of his visit to
the United States is not known, but
he probably will confer with the gov
eminent authorities at Washington.
No doubt he can give much informa-
ton as to conditions in the Philippines,
but as he is loyal to the American
cause it will not be a kind of please
the democratic insurrectos in the SEN
ate.