The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-10-21
philippine JUDGE TALKS ABOUT
INDEPENDENCE CRY.
NOT Competent TO GOVERN
Natives Divided Into Many Tribes
With No National Spirit or
~
y Common Bond.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
Among today's visitors in the city
is the Honorable w. F. Norris, one
of the American judges appointed for
the Philippines. The judge is on his
way home to Nebraska and was de-
tanned here by some matters of bust
ness.
Judge Norris has been in the is
lands for almost five years, having
gone there originally as attorney for
the American claimants in the settle
ment of claims arising from the war.
Subsequently he received the appoint
ment he now holds. The headquar-
tiers of his district are at Capiz, a
town on one of the Visayan islands,
several hundred miles south of Man
liza. Because of his long residence in
the archipelago and because OF the
position he holds he may be regarded
as thoroughly competent to speak OF
conditions obtaining there and to pass
Judgment upon the attitude assumed
by the democratic party in reference
to it's demand for an immediate prom
Use of Philippine independence.
incapable Of Government.
In this regard he is very outspoken
and says that the views he entertains
are shared by a large majority of the
foreigners in the islands and by many
of the more intelligent natives them
selves. To promise at this time indie
pendence to the islanders is the very
worst thing that could be done for
them, says the Judge. They have not
yet reached the stage of advancement
and civilization where they could even
approximately undertake to govern
themselves, let alone guaranteeing
security to Americans and other for
eigners in the islands. While some
of the natives can be said to be civil
lized people, they are in the minority.
The large mass of them are practt-
cally savages, or at the best barbar-
ians, who have no ideas above people
of that kind in other parts of the
world. Were the Americans to with
draw from the islands now or even
in a few years anarchy and strife
would follow and matters would
speedily be in a chaotic condition be-
cause of the inability of the natives to
govern themselves. The result would
be that some other power would step
in and annex the islands.
The Judge argues from a moral
point of view and leaves material con
%siderations to be discussed by others
To leave the islanders to their fate
now, he says, would be unjust tc
themselves and unfair to the rest OF
the world. This nation, he declares
owes a duty to itself, to the Filipinos
and to the other nations, and tina
duty it should perform, which it would
not do by leaving the islanders te
their fate.
No National Spirit.
Judge Norris says that those whit
are talking of Filipino independence
are theorists who disregard actua
conditions, but theories will not over
come the facts as they actually ex
list. He does not undeteakr to Civ
their real number, but instead OF
nation of people, the Filipinos ar
divided into numerous tribes between
whom there exists no common BON
and such a thing as a national spirl
is unknown among them. Each trib
regards itself as separate from a.
others, the stronger wanting to rul
the weaker and were the restrainlnj
power exercised by the American gov
eminent Withdrawn the consequence
following would be deplorable.
Just by way of illustration, Judg
Norris a y something like 30 al
ferent dialects are spoken in the Il
lands, This, he declares, shows lnt
how many parts are. divided tn
tribes whom the "anti-imperialists
insist upon having regarded as a nj
ton, one people, actuated by a n
tional desire and prompted by a nj
4;o~o1 cririt