Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-29
Representative Moody Thinks Legis-
lation is Needed.
4 TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT
Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico
Should Be Given 1t.
AS TO TIL E Philip NE S

Representative Moody of Massachusetts,.
| who is a member of the appropriations
committee, and one of the strong men of
| the House, says that he thinks there will
| be important legislation this winter.
With reference to financial legislation
| he said today that he had no doubt that a
| financial measure would be passed. Just
| exactly what form 1t would take could not
| be told at this time. but he thought there
would be a satisfactory adjustment be-
| tween the House and the Senate on the
! subject.
| Speaking on the subject of our new pos
| sessions he said:
| Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico.
| There are three of the possessions of
the United States which L think Congress
will legisate for during the coming session.
| These are Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico.
| Each of these possessions should as soon
| as possible be gwen full territorial form of
| government. We know about them; there
| is no doubtful question and no excuse for
| their being kept in their present condition
| l remember that in the last Congress we
| We're considering in the appropriations com
| mttee an item for the erection of an ad-
| di,ional school house in Alaska and there
| was no one here who knew what were the
| local needs of that territory. l Thought
| then that it was a shame the territory
| should be left in this helpless condition with
|
| known its needs to Congress and look after
| its peoples interests. The relations of 1ia-
| wall and Porto Rico toward the United
| States are fully understood and there is no
| propriety in holding them without popu-
| lar form ofsgovernment.
| LAS to Cuba, l do not see that there Is
| anything that can be done now as to per-
| manent form of government. we are
| pledged to give Cuba complete independ-
| ence as soon as a stable government can
be formed, but when this will be no one
| can tell. l believe 1t will be a difficult task,
and that 1t will be a very long time be-
| fore the Cubans are prepared Tor 1ndepehd-
| ence.
As to the Philippines.
| with respect to the Philippines we know
so little that we cannot be prepared at this
| time to determine what shall be done with
the islands 1t is not within the American
| thought to hold people always in sub1ec-
ton The policy toward them will be de-
termined by their own condition. Ihere
must be and probably will be for all time a
governmental connection between this gov
| eminent and the Philippines. This govern
ment will have to exercise control over
the islands, which will be measured by the
| condition of the Flipinos themselves. The
| aim will be, l think. to give them the great.
| est INDEPENDENCE in the management OF
! their own affairs that they are capable OF
| and maintain a stable, civilized govern
| ment. They are not now capable OF mann
| tanning a government and II Is mere sPec-
| ulation as to whether they ever Will be, but
| as they develop the capacity for sef-goV-
| eminent. it will be accorded to them 10 ine
| extent of their capacity and perhaps NJ
| tie beyond, for sometimes the lessons II
| Se4f-goyernment are best learned through
mistakes made. The ideal which l think
| this government will seek to attain Is the
| DEVELOPMENT of relations between the United
| States and the Philippines such as exist
| between Great Britain and Canada.
| Must Preserve Good Government.
LAS 1t now appears, l fear this ideal is
but a dream, with but remote prospects OF
naturalization; but this government, l
| think will have to extend over the Phlllp-
pines just such a degree of control as may
be necessary to preserve a good govern
ment and IL the time shall ever come when
the Filipinos have demonstrated their abiif-
ty to maintain a government by themselves
for themselves and they want independence
: from the United States we will say Go
: and may God bless you. 1t seems clear
to me that our duty now is to establish
| good government on the islands and to at
, | tempt to educate the people up to the ca
: | pacity of self government. Until such time
as new conditions make 1t different we
| shall, | believe, have to govern the islands
| in such manner as we find best suited &c
| the condition of the people. Some day IT
| the remote future they may be able to gov
e | ern themselves. That they are not now
| able to do so / think is apparent. They
: | will have to learn the art Oh government /
| little at time, and they Will undoubtedly
8 | be given responsibilities and powers in pre-
| portion to their capacity to support them. L
| is not in the genius of the American PEG
| pie to want to rule alien race, and Il
| may be depended on that no rights will bt
| withheld from the Filipinos which they &C
| quire by the development of ability to eX
, | erciSe them.
L These people will have to begin by learn
: ing to govern their own little local com
s | munity affairs, and their capacity broad
= | ems their field of action and their power:
| will expand. Such is the history of the de
| velopment of self-government and so i
= | will be with them, only they will not have
a | 10 battle with an opposing power for thei
, | advancement, as has been the case in tn
= | history of all mankind, but they Will b.
II | aided in their development and taught TIL
). | meaning of liberty and the way to be indie
i | pendent.
= Some Action by Congress.
l. "Do you think there is anything at al
+ for Congress to do at this time with refer
l. ence to the matter?' Mr.. Moody was asked
It Yes; l think this Congress will be calle'
o upon to take some action, though we vii
u not be prepared to settle the question o
- permanent government of the Philippines
= | 1t now appears that The rebellion IS amos
= at an end. 1t is not in accordance witt
-. | American ideas to maintain a military gov
. eminent indefinitely after war no lOnge
- exists. \ beginning of civil government
:, ! will have to be made. The military vii
y have to be replaced with civil authorft.
as rapidly 5 possible after the rebellion
has ended. | think probably the Presiden
will be given authority temporarily, as JET
.hn ,,p hn inr