New-York tribune., 1904-10-21
PRAISE PHILIPPINE POLICY
,0OHONK CONFERENCE.
atkinson and PeppermOn Among
Cnenkers-PortO Rico Discussed.

SpeaberS-POrtO h'co Discussed.
-. DFohonk. n. Y. Oct. 20-The morning
- of the Mohonk Indian Conference was
,.,,ored 10 the consideration OF problems in the
-,s,,innines DR.. Fred W. Atkinson, Of the
,,-ooklyn Polytechnic Institute. who organized
=. American public school system in the Philip
-,nes. was the hrst speaker to-day.
Mr.. ATKINSoNs SPEECH
r5s said that OF the few countries where the
"a order stin continued the Philippine Islands
,ere among the foremost. and added:
The philippines should not be party issue, and
rssrainng from reviewing the story Of our acquis-
iion q them IS cause Tor Iee!lng OF sSIsIactlon
-ircinles Of government must be considerably mod
~ vben the people 10 be governed have the racial
iasIl trs 6ftons and history OF the Fiipinos
me difhcultes OF the problem We are only now
-ts- known we should be less prone to destruc-
five criticism OF the pioneer service now being per-
The F1a2inos are incapable Of self government;
~ their Affairs they are managed by few leaders.
Tbev have not vet cultivated a sense OF fair play
ana tolerance for those who differ in opinion They
&c chndlke, an6 do not know what is best for
tsen Independence IS their cherished ideal. and
fhaf they may ultimately realize that ideal IS. 1
Ssve undertaken the tutelage OF these peoples How
ssr removed is THIS realization is beyond our power
slsfr 9 an q mater OF opinion. For some time to
come their political dependence upon the United
What IS best FOR the FsIipinos is the foremost
consideration n The administration Of their af-
ssirs and the desire 10 put their interests arst
-rfber Than 10 foster American exploitation has
5sriroated the United States Philippine Commission
n IN its acts. The commissioners have erred IL
IN any direction. IN giving too great a degree OF
eelf-government in both provincial and municipal
A. a result of our general policy. there are signs
az an increased friendliness between Americans
and Fipinos and much now appears to create a
feeling of cheerfulness. Bitter memories OF what
FYliuinos who view our presence with FEELING OF
dislike. the predominant reason tor which is the
-aflral idea that through the Americans they have
1osf an Independence all but attained Yet without
,0osjfestsiors Of goodwin which have greeted our
efforts we may feel that the leading flhpinos
subordlnazes
A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW
From purely scientific point OF view the expert
never been done before with Oriental race Of
vs1sv origin in the tropics The F1lipinos will be
s0esk Fneiish and adopt American Innovations
rs Individual characteristics viii he retained
THE FiIi.ino himself viii always remain such as
Re was under the Latnizlng process of the Span
lar6s With this IN view, the commission mas al
ferrted 10 establish a firm and strong government
olg On 1-e 80 +te ,'eToTns rnanners cere-
nouials and bellies which so 10 make up the indl-
For n5ariy three years now our, Eoyernn2ent has
been ouerating free public school system, the car
dnal point Of which is the Introduction OF Ing
isa which the Filipino wanted, ana in teaching
which not the slightest attempt has been made 10
stamp out any Of the native dlalects. our eanca- !
peoples true conception Of the benefits OF civiliza-
ton and good government man an me. NE oI,1eE 5 IA d
mis- work is be found a solution for large part
cannot agree with the view that popular educs-
ton in me Philippines Is likely 20 DO harm rather
an goo6 2nG [a9{ the pPe % 3r E1o f6T ibe 6eopls
and knowledge of their character arouse IN me
Ire hope: my belief iu the ability tact and courage
IN the American teacher creates In the faith
and INV obserTation ana Judgment confirm me in
sha
rinos n moi unduly hurried and Y conducted along
F3v accident the United States found itself in the
Philippines. Can any one quesUon the ADVANTAGE 3
~ the change from Spanish domination to Ameri-
protection? Ihirty-nine years have passed
problem is stin unsoved az the end of ike period
Of time We shall still be struggling with tho Philip
tine out ~ consideration, and we shall be gravely
disappointed II DO not look facts IN the face and
huge and novel task this training OF six millions
or eight millions Of tropical, indolent people for
IN our work everywhere We must assure the
Filipino free and prompt justice and security OF
property and must nstil moral restraint and IDEAL
standards which viii help him through the perils
torsi enc sn5 - tSe extent % Ms onrort,,nities
every citizen should do his part in assisting by
difficult pioneer service The Fuipinos are bound
70 develop IN some way, and in the right one II we
innate gifts something substantial is certain to re-
suit n the conditions are al al favorable and we
Americans are the conditions.
Mr.. PEPPERMAN's ADDRESS.
Dr. Atkinson was followed by ". Leon Pep
perman. Of the Bureau OF InsUlar Affairs Of the
War Department who said in his address:
While your body Is interested in seeing what
sholo be done and well done. IN the case Of the
indians. the insular government is Interested in
seems what should be done. and well done among
l1e f-lpluOS- The means employed be q
larger scale. but the idea is the same Most cou-
The inhabitants Of the Philippines. Some writers
credit tnenfplth a high degree of civilization while
Qhers regard them as little better than ha rians
i IS safe 70 say the truth VIII be found somewhere
between tne lwo extremes
After describing the people Of the Philippines. the
speaker continued:
The divisions suggest three general separations
the non-Chrlstan tribes Of the interior the
ChrlstlaDlZed tribes who accepted Spanish rule
and the MahoIneran MOros. whose faith Vas
little changed by contact with the Spaniards l'ha
insul2r government recognizing these three broad
The needs OF each.
The problem OF the savage races Of the Philip
pines ~ NOT Tie same problem We have meet in
thls country among the Indians. With the eYcep-
ton Of the MOros they not particularly war
like and 90 combine in large numbers for Of
feusive purposes. Most OF them have welcomed the
school teacher among them and in time II is hoped
they VIII take on the habits Of civilization
After describing in detail the general form Of
government under which the Philippines are now
controlled, Mr.. Pepperman continued:
u addition an educational system has been
established with over 20o schools IL the islands;
monetary system. which affords q fixed medium
~ exchange has been adopted and effectually sub
srifated for the former dehased currency. an
Client postal service has been established: the