Philippine E-Journals

Chapter V: Conclusion

Discipline: History

 

Abstract:

In 1899, midway in the prolonged military conflict in the Philippines, President McKinley formed the First Philippine Commission for the purpose of working for peace while at the same time laying plans for the transition from the military to civil administration. President Jacob G. Schurman of Cornell University, a brilliant educator and noted scholar, was selected to be its chairman. McKinley's choice of Schurman probably reflected the latter's well-known pacifist sentiments and conciliatory attitude which he rightly believed would be required to convince the Filipinos to return to the ways of peace, there by terminating the war as quickly as possible.