The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-08

istered school system, and each of them now enjoys rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" such as were never before known in all the history of 1 the islands.
 The congress which has just adjourned has passed legislation of high importance and great wisdom in the interests of the Filipino people. First and foremost, they conferred upon them by law the present admirable civil government; in addition they gave them an excellent currency; they passed q measure allowing the or ganlzation of a native constabulary; and they provided, in the interest of the islands for a reduction of 20 per cent in the tariff on Filipino articles brought to this country l asked that still fur ther reduction should be made. It was not granted by the last congress, but think that in some shape it will be grant ed by the next. And even without it, the record of legislation in the interests of the Filipinos is one with which we have a right to feel great satisfaction.
 Moreover, congress appropriated three million dollars, following the precedent it set when the people of Porto Rico were afflicted by sudden disaster; this money to be used by the Philippine gov- ernment in order to meet the distress oc- casioned primarily by the terrible cattle disease which almost annihilated the car abao or water buffalo, the chief and most important domestic animal in the islands Coming as this disaster did upon the heels of the havoc wrought by the insur- rectionary war great suffering has been caused; and this misery for which this government is In no way responsible will doubtless in turn increase the dif- ficulties of the Philippine government Tor the next year or so. In conseuuence there will doubtless here and there oc- cur sporadic Increases of the armed brig andage to which the islands have been habituated from time immemorial, and here and there for their own purposes the bandits may choose to style themselves patriots or insurrectionists; but these difficulties will be of little consequence save as they give occasion to a few men here at home again to try to mslead our people. Not only has the military prob- lem in the Philippines been worked ont quicker and better than we had dared to expect but the progress socially and in civil government has likewise exceed ed our fondest hopes.
 Carrying Out RIzaIs Policy.
 Remember always that in the Philip pines the American government has tried and Is trying to carry out exactly what the greatest genius and most revered patriot ever known in the Philippine isl anis-Jose Rizal-steadfastly advocated This man. shortly before his death in a message to his countrymen under date of December 16 1896, condemned unsparIne- " the instruction of Aguinaldo. termi- mated just before our navy anneared upon the scene, and pointed out the na,h his people should follow 10 libertv and enlightenment. Speaking of the insurree tioh and or the pretense that Filipino in- uependence Of wholesale character could thereby be obtained he wrote:
 Offered His Services,
 When in spite of my advice. A move. ment was begun, I offered of my own accord not only my services but my life ana even my good name, 10 be used fl, any way they might believe effective i'm stihing the rebellion I thought of tha disaster which would follow the sncoesa or the revolution, and I deemed myself Fortunate If by any sacrifice I con1d h,oa,- the progress of such a useless caiar,it,s
 My eountrymen. I have eiven nrsa. that was one who sought libertv fo,- cur country, and l still seeK It. But as q hrst step insisted upon the deveIonrne,,t or the people in order that. by means oS eoucation and of labor, they might ac~ quiie me proper individual character and ,oiSe "hicn would make them worthy of It, In my writings I have commended to you study and civic virtue, without which our redemption does not exist.
 cannot do less than condemn. and do condemn this absurd and savage insnr- recuon planned behind my back. which dlshonors us before the Filipnos and dis credits us with those who otherwise would argue in our behalf. I abominate Its cruelties and disavow any kind of connection with it, regretting with all the sorrow of my soul that these reckless men have allowed themselves to be de- ceived. Let them return. then. to their