The Washington herald., 1912-10-28
.DIPL0MlT 'slCTl0h
.CAUsEssURPRIsE
Approval by Minister SGhurnaa ef
Dsnocratie rhilippias Pro-
gramne ahseks.
PUBL1sHED n MAGAZINE

Great surprise has been expressed In
administration circles over the publica-
tion Of . statement by Jacob Gould
Schurman. former president Of Cornell
University. and now United States
Minister of Greece, indorsing with un-
qualified praise the Democratic plan to
tun loose the Philippines upon the
world In 1917. This article bearing Minis
ter schurman's name 10 published in the
current issue OF THE Filipino People"
q monthly magazine Of protest against
American rule Of the Philippines The
magazine 10 published in the name Of
Manuel Quezon. one Of the two Filipino
resident commissioners to the House Of
Representatives.
The article ID in the form Of q letter
addressed to Representative Jones Of
Virginia. author OF the bill which bears
his name and which contains the plan
irdorsed by the Democratic majority Of
the House ~ the proper course Of action
toward the Philippines. Briefly, the bill
provides that beginning in 1913. the Fill
pino people shall have . republic Of
their own. subject only to the supervision
Of the United States. This period Of pro-
bation is to continue for eight years.
after which they are to be declared q
free and Independent nation. The bill
provides that the United States Govern
ment shall. however. guarantee the in
dependence Of the Filipino people until
ty treaty the President has bound all
the powers in agreement to neutralize
the Philippines.
Surprise IL Expressed.
This 10 the programme which Mr.. Schur-
man indorses. When his statement came
IN ~ k~ let 40
oficials charged with the highest re-
spOnsibility in connection with American
sovereignty over the Philippines the
greatest surprise was expressed. in view
Of the important post he 10 holding in
the Diplomatic Service.
What the administration thinks Of the
Jones bill II well known here. It may
best be indicated by the words Of Sec
retary Of War Stimson. who. Of course.
speaks for the President himself on such
matters. In st. Paul recently Mr.. Slim
son said:
Such a course dhe Jones programmed
would be as cruel to the Filipino people
as 1t would be dishonest and shame
full to US The only thing that can be
accurately foretold 10 that they will not
be ready for independence in eight years,
and that such q declaration would tend
to render them still more UNFIT for it
during the meanwhile. by the diSsension
and disorder that It would arouse
OF this bill, Minister Schurman says:
Il thing no honest mind can carefully
and impartially study this bill without
recognising II AZ q great piece Of con-
structive craftsmanship. II conserves
the best interests both Of the United
States and the people OF the Philippine
Islands"
Another paragraph states:
Under the terms Of this bill all re-
suits that may be desiped by the people
OF the United States are accomplished.
In the first place, the people of the
United States relieve themselves OF the
expense Of maintaining q large army in
the Philippine Islands and escape the
grave danger Of being involved in a war
on their account"
DR.. Schurman considers that the Ca
pacity Of the Filipino people for SELF
government Il equal to that Of the inhab-
itants Of such countries a. Nicaragua,
Honduras. the Dominican Republic and
others Of the smaller Latin-American
republics.
To Probe Publication.
SO far a. can be learned there 10 no
intention At present upon the part of
the administration r answer Minister
Schurman's statements regarding the
Philippines. 1t is possible, however. that
publication OF the article. There is
nothing to indicate the date on which
the article was written by Mr.. Schurman.