The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-09-19
"The EiIipinos Can Never Have a Free
Commonwealth Unless We Stay
there and Train Them For It.

Extract from remarks of Hon. Henri,
y. Cooper, of Wisconsin, in dali!
Congressional Record. May s. 1904
All OF the disinterested, competent
witnesses agree that the FilipinoS art
not now capable of maintaining free
representative government. l nigh
cite much unimpeachable testimony
on this point. but shall content myself
by reading from the report of the
Schurman Commission = President
Schurrnan. of Cornell University; Adj
miral Dewey. General Otis. Hon. Chas.
DENLY and Professor Worcester-fiye
men selected by President Mckinley
TO examine and report as to conditions
in the Philippines. This commission
of distinguished men. after n thorough
personal investigation, submitted to
President Mckinley a voluminous and
exceptionally able report, covering
every phase of the Philippine problem.
| In this report they say Ct read from
page 1888:
First. it is impossible, even approx
| imately. to fix a time 70" the with
drawal of American sovereignty over
the archipelago. as NO one can fore
see when the diverse peoples of the
Philippine Islands may be nodded to-
gether into nationality capable OF
exercising all the functions of indie
pending self-government. They are GER
tainly in capable of such a work to-
day: whether in one or more genera
lions they can be trained to it only
the future can disclose And, secondly,
if American sovereignty over the archi-
pelago should ever be relinquiShed. II
all American authority over the PEG.
pie should ever cease and determine,
then the United States should renounce
all obligations to foreign nations for |
the good conduct of the Filipinos. Tn
doubleday the raising OF the American |
dag in the Philippine Islands has en-
tailed great responsibilities upon us; !
but to guarantee external protection
While renouncing internal dominion is
no way OF escaping from them: on the I
contrary. while you pull down the flag
you only pile up difficulties.
Again say this commission in their
report, page 1885,
Should our power by any fatality
be withdrawn
Fatality. Fatal to what? Fatal to
whom? Not to the great Republic OF
the United States: not TO Russia, who
would like to possess these islands;
not to Japan. who wants the islands: +
not to Germany. who want the Is
lands; not fatal 70 either of hese ma
tons but fatal sir-utterly fetal--to
the Philippines in their hope of free
government. s
Here is the opinion of Schurman,
Otis. DENLY. Worcester and Admira!
Dewey: .
Should our power by any fatality ,
De withdrawn, the commission be- {
ieves that the government of the
would speedily lapse into
which would excuse. if it did
lot necessitate, the Intervention of I
'ther powers and the eventual divi-
ion Of the islands among them"
Now follows a sentence pregnant
With meaning:
"Only through American occupation, c
therefore,, is the idea of q free, self o
overnins and united Philippine com p
at all conceivable. W
Mr.. Speaker, the F'ilipinos can p
ever have free commonwealth un-
ess we stay there and train them 81
or it. d:
And the indispcn sable need, from tc
lie Filipino point of view, of maintain T
lg American sovereignty over the CT
is recognized by all in a
.lligent Filipinos and even by those &c
who desire an American w
rotectoratc. The latter. it is true d.
Ould take the revenues and leave us x
c possibilities. Nevertheless they ca
cosnize the indisputable fact that 81
e F'ilipinOs can not stand alone. Thus
e welfare of the Filipinos comedies CT
it'll the dictates of national honor in
our abandonment of the
We can not, from any
lint of view, escape the responsible Fl
of government which our SOW 90
eighty entails, and the commission wi
strongly persuaded that the per- Tt
rmance OF our national duty win Co
owe great blessing to the people in1
the Philippine Islands. er
In the great debate two years ago tin