Evening star., 1902-08-23
The Chinese and the Philippines.

A London cable, which appears in print
today, says:
The Times this morning publishes spe
cial article dealing with the question of
Chinese immigration into the Philippine
Islands The writer of the article expresses
the belief that if the United States rigidly
excludes Chinese from the archipelago such
a course will prove a fatal error of judg-
ment, because the instincts of Americans
make 1t impossible for them to compel the
lazy brown men to work as the Dutch COM
pei the Malays to labor, and the Filipinos
are not likely TO work without compulsion
The development of the Philippines can only
be effected by means of an ample and
steady stream of coolie labor. The Ameri
cans will sooner or later discover, says the
article, the utter hopelessness of transform
ing the character of the natives of the
islands. and they must then decide whether
to suffer the Filipinos to go their own way
and die out in peaceful Incidence, if that
be natures decree, or persevere in course
foredoomed to failure
There are two excellent reasons why the
United States government cannot afford to
open the gates in the Philippines to Chi
nese immigration: % Our own gates are
closed to the Chinese and in order to make
the barrier thoroughly effective we must
keep closed the gates of our island pos
sessions. II Is as necessary that the Chi
nese be kept out of Hawaii and Porto Rico
as out of the Philippines, for our own good
as well for the good of the people of
those countries. Hawaiians, Porto Ricans.
and Filipinos are free to come here at will.
and so would the Chinese be if admitted
into our outlying possessions.
G) Many of the Filipinos are lazy and in
competent. There may be no growth in
them. The opportunities we are spreading
before them may so for nothing. But they
-i-Ia chn N- fpl
they represent several hundred years of re-
preston and tyranny. They have never
been encouraged TO an effort to rise in the
world. and so should not be held to severe
account for their present backward condi-
tion. We have announced ourselves their
friend and protector. Our control in the
archipelago they are assured. is wholly
friendly to their interests. They are urged
to beStir themselves and make themselves
worthy of liberal share In their own gov
ernment. Why take snap Judgment on
them? Why assume before they have had
an opportunity 10 respond to our advances
either that they are Indifferent to the invi-
tation, or are incapable of profiting by it?
We owe it to them. on the contrary, by
every consideration Of our presence In the
islands and by all that We hope to accom-
plish there for them and for ourselves, to
keep out people to whom they are as much
opposed are, and to test to the fullest
our declared policy of developing the Phil
ippines for the Filipinos.
At any rate, the Chinese are not the peo-
pie the F'ilipnos want, or that We want, in
the Philippines. Their superiority as labor
ers TO the Filipinos is beside the question.
Il is urged by some people that, because
they are willing to work for wages so much
lower, the Chinese should be admitted free
ly into the United States and be brought
into competition with American laborers.
But national sentiment through Congress,
has twice vetoed that proposition, the sec
ond time only last spring.