The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-27
CIVIL GOVERNMENT IN THE

The House took up the Philippine govern
ment bill late in the session. and did not
give it the careful consideration it de-
serves. 1t is a measure Of great impor-
tance, both on account of the interests
Immediately involved and because of the
precedents it may establish. The Senate
bill was drafted with great care. discussed
in open session seven weeks, improved by
several amendments and finally passed by
a vote of IS 10 30. The House ought not
TO assume that the time and labor be-
slowed the Senate bill were wasted, or
that it can perfect and pass a better one
in much less time than the Senate gave
to its bill
The main features of the Senate bill have
been printed in the Journal, and the reports
Of it's discussion occupied considerable space
for several weeks. Any bill that may be
passed by Congress now will provide a tenn
porary civil government for the Philippines.
As it is conceded on all hands that the
time has not yet come to establish a per
manent form of government there should
be no undue haste to incorporate features
which will demand recognition in the per-
manent government whenever that shall
be established. One of these is a prOvis-
ion for the immediate establishment of a
sort of territorial legislature with a pop
ular branch TO be elected by the people.
This proposition was discussed in the Sen
ate at considerable length and finally
jected. The House bill contains it, The
Senate bill provides that the Philippine
Commission, whose members hereafter are
to be appointed by the President and con-
firmed by the Senate, shall continue to
establish additional municipal and pTovin-
cial governments in the islands, with pop
ular representative government, so far and
so fast as conditions in such civil divisions
are capable, fit and ready for the same,
with the purpose Of gradually extending
to municipalities and provinces permanent.
popular representative government" The
House bill proposes to establish represent
alive government throughout the islands
Immediately on the conclusion of peace.
thus undertaking to do at once
what the Senate bill proposes to do
by degrees and as fast as communities are
found fit and ready for it. The Senate
plan is clearly the better of the two. be-
cause it recognizes a great difference in
the present fitness of the different prov
inces and communities for representative
government. When Governor Taft was be-
fore the Senate Philippine committee he
was asked what he thought of giving the
people independence. He said he thought
it was two or three generations too soon
to decide that question and he added THE
thing the Philippine people need to-day is
| a stable government under the guidance
of American control, teaching them what
individual liberty is and training them to
a knowledge of self-government." This
should be the keynote of our entire policy
in the Philippines, and it applies to the
question of establishing representative gov
eminent as well as to that of independence.
| The United States is under a high moral
obligation to do the best it for the
Filipinos, to give them the best govern
ment possible in existing circumstances,
and to give them representative govern
ment as far and as fast as they show
themselves capable and fit for it, but it is
under no obligation whatever to establish
representative government throughout the
| islands at once. Such a measure at this
| time might prove a curse to the Filipinos
instead of a blessing. and would be sure
to beget endorsements and complica-
tons that would retard the establish
ment of stable government. 1t will not do
| TO argue from Oklahoma to the Philippines,
| from Americans to Malays. Americans are
born in an atmosphere of self-government,
and representative government comes
as natural to the people of a
territory as breathing. 1t is very
| different with the Filipinos. A pop
ular, elective representative govern
ment i'm the islands without a period of
tutelage and training might and probably
! would prove the rock which our whole
Philippine policy would be wrecked. The
Senate did wisely in rejecting the plan,
and it is to be hoped the conference com
! mittee will reach a similar conclusion