The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-02
IT'S Up TO
THE FILIPINO
President Schurman on the
+: Decline Of the Native as T..
an Issue.
How Anti-Imperialism. Has
in Fact Already Won
::s* ~: Its Case:

!. Chautauquas saN. Y..Kugy 2-The follow
ing address was fgiyeh BY President Schur-
man Of Cornell university 'on 1.-The Phil
ippine Problem at this place to-day It
Is summary of what has been accom-
pllshed for the natives in the way Of self
government, and throws a new. light on
Philippine conditions. President Schur-
man said: ,-r
The Philippine question has passed into
anew stage, though the public seem unaware
Of it.. and the newspapers have not noticed
it. Certain matters of great interest in the
past have now been definitely eliminated. It
is idle now to discuss the wisdom or the
unwisdom Of our acceptance of Spain's ces-
sion of sovereignty over the archipelago. The
fact of our sovereignty is undisputably
established both by the force Of treaty and
the force of. arms. I was one Of those who
advocated leaving the archipelago in the
enfeebled grasp of Spain, but sovereignty
now Is absolutely unimpeachable. So, too,
W. have no further concern with the govern
ment set UP by Aguinaldo, nor with Aguinal-
do himself. Both are issues of the past.
Aguinaldo has, on the one hand, been
branded as brigand, and, on the other,
glorified as George Washington. The time
has not yet come impartially to appraise his
character. Perhaps it may appear hereafter
that: he was an able and honest and patriotic
champion of national independence, who
was mot always scrupnous in the choice of
means for the attainment Of his ends.
Some Issues That Are Passed.
There is another issue also which now hap
pity belongs to the past During the spring
and early summer the newspapers abounded
in reports Of atrocities committed by Ameri-
can officers and soldiers in the Philippines.
History shows that whenever the white race,
and especially the Anglo-Saxon branch Of it,
comes into conflict with colored race, it's
bearing is, apt to be arrogant and contemp-
tuous and: It seldom fails to repay the bar
barities practiced by the enemy with fero-
cious cruelty. This tendency inherent in the
blood was fostered by the hardships Of the
Philippine campaign, the intolerable climate,
the elusive tactics and the atrocious prac-
tce Of some of the insurgents. The Ameri-
can army, as whole, clung to It's ancient
discipline and maintained its untarnished
honor; but here and there an officer. or a
private succumbed. The natural and proper
course for all good citizens under the cir
cumstances, was to insist that the guilty be
punished and the good name Of the army
and Of the nation. vindicated thereby. :"
Tho present problem to be faced is, 'What
is to be the political status Of the inhabitants
Of the Philippine islands? Or, more particu-
lJ
$500, 900 civilized and. Christianized Ftlipinos
of Luzon and the visayas? r~..
All Filipinos look forward to eventual inde-
pendence after an underlined period of A1neri-
can tutelage and training in the work o
government. For this training the commits.
sion believes a native legislative assembly tht
most efficient instrument; and, as it seemed {
just recognition Of popular rights, and as tht
Filipinos deeply desired it, we recommended
| that it he granted by: congress. This recon-
mendation was subsequently repeated by tht
second Philippine. commission, OF which Judg'
| Taft is the distinguished head. s. .>..l' .
The prolongation of military operations de
! layed the enactment OF any political measur'
! for the benefit of the Filtplnos. But it wa
obvious at the close aof 1901 that, force. hat
accomplished its work and that condittons il
| the islands demanded the best efforts o
| statesmanship., ventured in speech deltv
cred in Boston in, the month Of January, to Sc
:, forth the.views which had formed in regar'
1 to permanent and definitive policy towar
the Christian Fiiipinps. They embrace: First
| paciacation; second. agrant of civil rights
third, q native Legislative assembly who's
members should be elected on property o
educational qualification fourth, measur
! Of home rule to be progressively increased ac
| cordfng to-circumstances, and, fifth, tndepend
ence when the 'Filpinos desired and were rea
sonably fit for independence: Since Januar
the Philippine question has been thorough
! discussed in congress and by the press. Their
! have been many side issues, but over ther
i all. has gradually ioonled up the 5pregnan
! question: Shall the Filipinos be governe
/ with the consent of the governed? Imperial
! lists answered, No, and they controlled tn