Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-08-02
LAWS FOR FILIpINos.
Chinese Minister Talks Of Ma
tives and How to Rule Them.
Observation-Disclosures

! All Nations Are watching United
States solve Oriental Problem.
Under Conservative and Liberal
Treatment Wu Ting Fang Says
They VIII Become Good Citisens.
WI Ting Fang, China's minister to
| THE United States, who Is also imperial
representative to the court Of Spain,
has returned to Washington from an
official visit to Madrid. In all Of the
European countries that he passed
through Mr.. WI says the greatest in
terest is manifested in the prospective
disposition of the Philippines. says the
Chicago Inter Ocean.
"The people Of Spain, France and
England realize, however" he declar-
ed, that the United States has a hard
nut to crack in the matter of the sub
jugation of the Filipinos. The Fill
pino people are probably unlike any
other nationality on earth, and conse-
quently distinct and peculiar manner
Of treatment is necessary, in any nego-
tiations between them and foreign
people for the accomplishment of their
sovereignty, to a nation so dissimilar
to them in every characteristic.
Perhaps If the people Of the United
States had the Spanish war to fight
over again they would hesitate in de-
termination to hold these islands as an
indemnity with the purpose Of sub
DUNG the Filipinos, for, as every one
knows, the struggle there has cost
many valuable lives and many thou
sands of dollars. But now that they
are in the conflict with the intention of
conquering the natives, it would never
do for the government to desist. The
prize is many times worth the pain,
and l am convinced that when peace
shall have been completely established
the prodigious value Of the islands,
both in commercial sense and in re-
spects too numerous to mention. will
be fully appreciated by the American
nation.
at must be borne in mind. how
ever, that in order to retain the islands
without fomenting repetition of the
frequent disturbances which marked
the sovereignty of Spain in the Philip
pines, the legislative and executive
branches of the American government
which will be in conformity with the
manners, customs and temperament Of
the Filipino people. 1t would be an
impossibility for the United States to
extend it's own statutes to the Filipinos
as they now stand and maintain a
peaceful and happy condition there.
laws must be enacted by the Amer
lean congress to apply to the Filipinos
exclusively, laws which are suitable
and applicable even to a shade to the
natives. 1t will be impossible for the
people of the United States to proclaim
their own laws and then attempt to
make the Filipinos conform to them
They must gather the natives, study
their habits and disposition and then
frame laws to conform to the populace
That, in substance, is an economic
axiom which is beyond controversy.
During my residence in China | have
come in contact with a great many Of
the Filipinos who have journeyed to
the Chinese ports on commercial bust
ness. They are, as a rule, well edu-
Gated, thrifty and gifted with natural
intelligence. Under a conservative and
liberal treatment they will. l believe,
prove to be good citizens, worthy of
admission to the United States.
"A wholesome proportion of the peo-
pie there are Chinese. The Chinese Of
the Philippines, however, are unlike
those which inhabit the United States.
In and around Manila there are sub
jects of the emperor engaged in every
channel of business and in every walk
Of life. There are merchants, expert
artisans, professional men, business
men and others following different
pursuits from that Of manual labor.
There are many Chinese millionaires
there. men from the most renowned,
and aristocratic families
Of my native country. They have
proved considerable factor in the
and richness Of the islands,
which was SO greatly appreciated by |
the Spanish government, and they will |
continue to enhance the good COM
mercial name of the islands under |
American control.
"For this reason / entertain the hope |
that the Chinese exclusion law now In |
operation In the United States will not |
De extended to the Philippines when |
the American government abolishes
military law and provides civil code |
FOR governing the islands. Our coun-
-rymen will be done great injustice |
Z 1t does so. The most casual obser-
Vation to any one interested will con-
yince him that the Chinese are a neces-
'ity to the Philippines and that their
presence there. in numbers unlimited,
will be boon rather than a bane to
he future of the archipelago. They
ire so dissimilar to the impression Of
he Chinese race which obtains In the
United States that a comparison is diff
icult."