Evening star., 1902-08-04

the Fflipinos In my Boston speech of jan
uary last. which was severely criticised by
tmperialists, has been granted to them
with the exception of gradually increasing
home rule, eliminating in Independence
when the Filipinos desired and were fit for
independence, which, by the very terms Of
the proposition, shows itself matter, not
for the present, but for the future
Il have always attached the greatest i'm
portance to the grant of a native legisla-
tive assembly. That organization gives the
6,oOOOOO Christian Filipinos Of Luzon and
the Visayas an instrument for the express
sion OF the sentiments Of their nation and
for the control of their government. The
fact that we have established such legis-
lature refutes forever the libelous talk of
those christianized and civilized Filipinos
being comparable to Sioux or Apache In
dians. 1t recognized them as a nation like
the Cubans, the Venezuelans or the Chile
ans.
mo such legislature has, apart from ia
pan, ever been granted to any Asiatic peo-
pie. The imperialsts who wanted us to
govern the Philippines as England governs
India, or Holland governs Java, see instead
the American principle Of the consent Of the
governed embodied in our first organic law
for the Philippines. Even if the second
chamber of the Philippine legislature were
entirely American-and suppose 1t will not
be-no law can be passed, no appropriation
OF public money made, without the equal
concurrence Of that legislative assembly of
elected Filipinos.
Will Not Be Political Issue.
II believe that President Roosevelt's atti-
tude toward the Philippine question indi-
Gated in his first message to Congress and
10 his Arlington speech; his punishment Of
army officers who have been proven guilty
of cruelty toward Filipinos and his con-
slant support of a liberal and enlightened
Philippine policy in general, combined with
the passage by Congress of the Philippine
II, L,
of eliminating the Philippines as political
Issue for at least three or four years. Even
those who favor independence cannot raise
the question till that native legislative as
sembly has voiced the sentiments of the
Filipinos on the subject, and also demon
strated by wise and prudent use Of the
legislative powers 1t enjoys that 1t Is fit to
receive larger grant Of home rule
'As a friend and admirer Of the Filipinos
many Of whom have honored me with their
confidence, beg them, In the interests Of
the further political development of their
nation, not at the outset to make their
legislative assembly an organ for fruitless
agitation on the subject Of Independence
straint so to exercise the functions dele
gated to them that the American people
will deem them worthy of still larger
grant OF power. OF course, the Filipinos
VIII have the right to petition Congress
and ! believe that the dominant forces both
In the archipelago and in America are
working for their ultimate Independence Gf
they desire independence): but they can
hasten the coming Of that day not SO mucnt
by petition and agitation (Which, of course
are proper enough and may be necessary
as by soberly addressing themselves to the
high task Of participating on equal terms
with Americans In the general government
Of their archipelago. For one, I have al
ways made increasing home rule and
eventual Independence conditional upon.
hrst, the desires, and secondly, the demon
strated capacities OF the F1lipinos, and It
is my firm belief that the American people
VIII never concede those ineffahle blessings
IN the absence OF these reasonable oondi-
tionA"