The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-28
SENATOR BACON's WISE WORDS

Senator Bacon, who has returned from
tour of the Philippines, says he was
greatly disappointed to be led to the
conclusion that the people of the Philip
pines are unfrendly to the Americans"
He says that even those who profess
loyalty for business reasons have a
desire for nationality. He thinks it will
be necessary Ito keep very large
standing army there for an indefinite
period" No man in America has given
more intelligent thought to the Philip
pine problem and he has done the coun-
try service by going to the islands
and seeking at first hand to learn the
true conditions. From his interview
we make these extracts:
There are but two ways in which we
can govern the islands. These are either
absolute military rule on the one hand,
or such a liberal government as will sat
isfy the people on the other; there can
be no half way business.
'As for the Filipino people them
selves, l found them distinctly superior
to what / had expected. / believe this
would be the conclusion of every fair
man who was brought in contact with
them. Since 1 left Washington / have
been brought in touch with many brown
races and do not hesitate to say that
consider the Filipinos equal to any and
superior to most in. point of character
and mental ability They labor under
the handicap of tropical climate and,
therefore, are not as vigorous physically
or as industrious as the Chinese or the
Japanese, for instance. and this must be
taken into account in dealing with them;
but as l have said, / am convinced that
they are the equals of any in point of
character and ability.
There has been no revival Of the bus
mess enterprises of the isalnds such as
/ expected to see. That this is the case
that there has been no return to the
conditions which existed before the
war-was admitted on all sides. Never
theless there has been quite boom in
Manila on account of'the large amount
of money being spent there as the result
of American occupation. The same
amount of money spent by the govern
ment in any American city would give
it a great boom. manila is being 'bene-
fitted by the large expenditure of money
for which the American people have TO
foot the bills Whether there is any
chance of it's being a paying move
ment is something that the people will,
think, consider pretty carefully.
Il am convinced that we have vclun-
tarily undertaken the most difficult and
most expensive problem that has ever
fallen to the United States government;
that it will involve a vast amount of al
Dor, expense and trouble of all kinds be-
fore we work it out. What the end will
be, 10 man can tell.
I'm my opinion, the Philippine que
tion must to a very great extent al
least. cease to be political in its scharac-
ter, but it is bound to be for long time
to come to very serious business and
public question with which Congress
must deal I do not believe that the
United States government, or the people
of the United States in their private
capacities, will ever get back one-tenth
of the money that has been spent and
will have to be spent in working out
the problem, and ! find this the very
general opinion Of army officers on the
islands who are most familiar with the
conditions there and with the material
resources of the country.