Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-01-30


The great majority Of these people
are densely ignorant 1t matters not
along what rad We move In our effort
to get up civil government In these
Islands, the one boulder which lies IN
nur way is the dense Ignorance of
these people. So long as this con-
tinues they are the victims Of every
gust Of paSslon, of hate and prejudice,
OF secret societies, and everything that
goes To check and destiny progress OF
setting up civil government IN these
Islands. The average Filipino IS like
. man in a we'll. He has 40 horizon.
he must be lifted from this well by
an educational system which enable
him through our language and litera-
ture to come In touch with the wider
life and civilization Of the worid~
The question rs to how far our
scheme o, government may be made To
apply TO these people, yet remains
who will be foolhardy enough TO fore
cast the resultSf 1 for n shall not
attempt 1t. II is a practical not a
theoretical problem and Il can only De
demonstrated by experience. Wehaye
against US the influence VI climate, and
the effects " three hundred years Of
mal-ad ninlstratiun. The experiment
is new. There are no land : marks
me success OF the establishment OF
our form Of government here really
depends upon the manner with which
the three intitutiOns which | have
mentioned above are set up. The peo-
pie must be taught to work n &C
cumulate property and then they viii
appreciate the sacred rlghtof property.
They must be taught through the
church the value OF right conduct and
of good morals and OF charity. 1t Is
certain that representative government
will not make very rapid progress I'M
IN these forces establish themselves
and take root. The fate Of a govern
ment based upon indiyidualism Is de-
termiped by the individual virtues OF
its citizens. Under form OF gov
erment the citizen is the unit, and in
order to have a wise, stable and free
system IL is necessary that each unit
masses the virtues Of intelligence,
honesty, industry, thrift, courage and
self-reliance.
Our government up to date has re-
posed great faith in the ability and III
innate development Of these people.
| They have given the leaders many i'm
portant posts in the service Of the
government. II has treated with
kindness and consideration those who
are unworthy.
Our work as yet has not had a fair
trial. First, because the native has
been under a bad tutelage for so long
a period Of time and so thoroughly
imbued with Spanish ideas and Span
lsh methods. Second, a state of wal
has made impossible that confidence
which is necessary for the acceptance
and test by the natives Of our form o
administration.
The gift OF prophecy is mercl
fully withheld from man, but hope
klndlier than prophecy, stands 10 th'
place Of IL, a just and reasonable hope
instructed by what has gone before
so In view Of the history OF u race
: in view OF the methods and purpose
Of our government In these island'
: and In view Of the promises OF thes
people given by the leaders and th
/ educated classes with whom we hav
lcume in contact, we confidently loo
forward 10 a better and brighter da,
As | said in the beginning, th
. future o. these people is within the.
, Town hands. They have reached
!. crisis in their history; they have con
To the place where the road divide
With close Of the nineteenth centul
they witnessed the sun Of SPANS
I sovereignty, which had shown so lon
|, lover these islands, sink forever b
q hind the western wave. Turning |
! the east, with the dawn Of the twel
tleth century, they have also with sSse
t, a new and kindlier light breaking ov'
the eastern mountains Of their believe
4 islands. The rapidity with which u
!, sun Of American sovereignty will ri
depends upon the FilipinUs, for if the
/, accept it with hostility aud oppose
this new light will cOme upon the.
/, slowly, but II they turn their faces
! ut fully and freely, and accept it wit
glad and honest hearts, IL will bur
upon them with the fullness aI
effulgence with which the rising Go
/, OF Tie day illuminates their believe
archipelago. And 1t will be a sun, NJ
OF oppression, but protection, not
despotism, but prosperity, not
N tyranny, butliberty.