The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-05
Cannot Govern themselves
Ramon Reyes Lala, the Most Famous American Filipino
Says the FilipnOs Are Incapable of Sef-Government-
Explains Why-Attitude of Fierce Sulus.

So far as I can learn the Filipinos
are anxious to get as large a share
of independence as possible. and this
is but natural. However, feel con-
fident that the independence desired
by the majority, is the independence
of personal liberty and of equality be-
fore Justly administered law. II
is not that larger political independ-
ence which means absolute autonomy;
for the greater number, and the wiser
part of my countrymen, know full well
\ that they are not yet educated up to q
self-governing capacity.
| All FilipinoS hope that after a few
generations of seif-development, q
Philippine republic may be established
on firm foundation, and no one de-
sires this sublime contamination more
deeply than i. Yet, in common with
the majority of my countrymen, ]
greatly deplore the aggressive attitude
of some of the Philippine leaders. who
desire the establishment of n Tagal
| republic, even in spite of the self-evi-
! dent fact that such d government
could never secure the'active co-opera-
ton of the Visayos of the Southern is
lands, nor of the Sulus of the Sulu
Drotectorate.
The Tagals and the visayos have for
generations been at enmity with each
other-and each would brook no as
sumption of superiority in the other
How then can this be adjusted by the
establishment of n Tagal republic? If,
on the other hand. a republic of the
| VisayoS be- also attempted, which l
feel sure the stronger Tagals would
not permit-each state would be con-
slant menace to the other. and the
natural jealousy of both by constant
and unavoidable friction would soon
be ignited into a flame of discord that
could be quelled only by the inter-
mediation of some power. In this
event. the United States would have
to. do its labor OF love ali over again,
and would find it harder to reconcile
and to consolidate two constantly di-
verging and antagonistic elements Of
the same race, than. as in the Spanish
war, TO exDel an alien and effete OPP
pressor, hated by all races alike.
Attitude of the Fierce SuIus.
And it must not be forgotten also
that the Sulus--those fierce Mohamme-
dams of the south-would consent to be
ruled neither by the Catholic Tagals,
nor by the no less Catholic Visayos.
They, too, would wish to found a gov
eminent of their own. So if independ-
ence should be decided upon. we would
see the Philippines divided into three
states-each hating the other, and all
incapable of effective resistance to for
eign aggression.
One government-broad in principle
and comprehensive in scope-should be
the desideratum that alone can meet
the exigencies of the present and the
emergencies Of the future.
And this one stable government, fur
thermore, can not be entirely and sole
ly a government of the F'ilipinos and
by the FilipinoS. / say this because
/ believe that the new government
should be for the Filipinos-esDecially
since the government of the past has
been entirely for the benefit of their
rulers.
Republic Practically Impossible.
Most of the leaders in the rebellion,
and most of those who have shown
predictions for a republic, and adj
ministrative and military talent, are
Tagals. All honor be their due-for
they are my compatriots, and yet 1