New-York tribune., 1904-09-18
PARKER AND PHILIPPINES
Could He Carry Ont the Vie1cs on
Which "Tke Post" Lays Stress?
To ,he Editor OF the Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
ST.: The renaarEa be. outburst with which IN l's
editorial 81 tls a5th ait. Judge Parker and the
PHILIPPINES. The Evening POST greeted the let-
fer TO M. Niburn seemed indicative OF great
sense of relief from the tension Of the prsceoihs
sew DAYS during which that journSl had been
puzzng Itself discover. somewhere I'm ihe
Judges speech % acceptance. hint Of a genuine
issue Certain OF the judges supporters. who had
opposed his Presi5eltal candidate OF 1895 anG ls"
had suggested that on ne Eastern question MS
attitude was not different from that OF the Pres-
dent. II now exuiiee that 81 could rdicule al
that. II could eNclaim. There is all the diner
between night and day night ana wrong
honor and dshoncr". Judge Parker had IN
trencbed himself squsrely on The most fundshen-
tai principles Of the Republic; That ne ahu NJ
party had sworn anew allegiance 20 me peiio
cratic doctrine that men shall have the rsh' !"
govern themselves unhampered BY masters OF an
other and cline II felt sure that the 'u0s1'
81 elected. would DO everything IN MS power :"
hasten the granting Of independence thst 'e10
would now be no delay in calling FhlhPph7
Assembly. and that there no longer ground
for any supposition'' other than that the Judge
would launch the Filipinos as nation just as
quickly as the administrative machinery can De
created and made TO operate.
But when II insists that the Judge II elected VIII
10 everything in his power 10 hasten the desired
consummation and viii show his allegiance 10
che Democratic doctrine" aforesaid IS soon as II
can -prudentlV' he dore does IL not really excuse
tho continuance OF what calls The present pol
Soy OF vagueness. postponement and shitung
But more What shall We think Of It's irreNerent
nnd ruthless Characterization Of those Impatient
ones who would ask for "a naming of the exact
date as .,ouhblers~e DO Atkinson snd Erving
wnslovv stn live. while these things be and over
come US like 4 summer cloud, Has some suo'e
opate sllaved its suspicious that imperiasuc VII
lanv may be conceal led in the Judges remark az
soon as Il can prudently be done? The admins
irstion has promised certain things as soon as theN
ran be safely accorded Judge Parker VIII no'
grant them till il can 'prudently' be done Where
IS the difference Are not safe and pruoent
pretty nearly synonymous
But how can The Post" be sure that the Judge
would launch the Filipinos nation Just as
quickly the administrative machinery could be
created and made to operate? Observe. lie does
not say he will; and observe. further that accord
sng The Posts" idea. mere administrative
machinery would be all that would be needed. no
intervention the part OF Congress being neoes-
Rary. But suppose that In the mean time the
JudEe should learn something and change his
mind: that he should feel II HIS duty learn the
facts and conditions. and should conclude-as
President Sehurman said. in that address OF his OF
lwo wears and a half ago which the Ants re-
5oioed over till they discovered what IL really con-
sained-fhat there was Philippine nation : that
when AEuinaido's forces we're active the TssaloE
insurgents did represent the Philippine ISL
ands": that. from Philippine point OF view. In
dependence for some time at least. was an impos-
eihilifv'': that there being Philippine nation.
only collection Of different peoples. there Is
no public opinion IN the archipelago, ana the men
81 property ard education. who alone interest
themselves in public affairs in general recognize
As indispensable American authority, guidance
and protection; and thai on the question when
81 might be safe and expedient 10 launch native
sovereign republic" he had ''ventured 70
make the interval of waiting shorter than one
penerafion" What, then. would become OF The
Posts" declaration 10 substantial ipmediacy?
u Ards a design 20 make rule perpetual in
Governor Taft's effort to secure guarantee. for
- aDRRv vaf9-r nHa
s.sped for the construction OF much needed rail
roads It condemns this proposal 10 better Philip
nine conditions evidence Of an effort 20 induce
the government TO become "a partner in the ex-
ploitation business" II describes Governor Taft
as whispering Hush 10 one who would use
the word Independence though our forefathers
zloried in it. fearing lest Greeks or TURKS ="
dago South Americana should also find IN u an
inspiration": and behind the President u mas
marty "openIy scornful OF the Declaration OF NOR
randsnee' and "contemptuous of tho Constitution
1t also says the President will have nothing OF
Philippine assembly. which Congress has eTnpo"-
cred him 10 institute though he himself has ssno
that one is in process OF formation buI We
should II thus ignore the conditions under when
one can be formed. and assume that the President
bv wave of the hand and without further cefe-
ynony can establish such an assembly! by acl oi
congress approved July l. 1902 b. President hooae-
welt himself II is provided in Section s. that when
ever the existing inEurrection in the ISLANDS shaH
have CEASED and condition OF general ana COM
shall have been cEta blSneo thFel'' anu
that fact shall be certified by The Philippine CON-
mission the President. upon being satisfied thereof
shall ORDER a OF the islands TO be taken by
said cornmission-a census very like our own but
with some additions and tribe, iteracv
in Spanish. etc- the President TO he AZ liberty TO
bring into requsition the services Of our own Cen
sus Bureau in compiling and promugsting the re-
suits; and by Section = two years after the com
pieuon and publication OF said census in case peace
shah prevail. with recognition OF authority in
fhe islands excepting in the parts inhabited by
Moros and other nOn-Christian tribes the Presiden-
shall direct said commission 10 call. and the COM
mission shah call = general election for the choice
Of delegates popular assembly Of the people OF
said territory. 30 be known the Philippine As
sembly; the other legislative branch consist OF
the Philippine Comrission-p provision being also
made for the apportionment Of the popular branch.
Does not THE Post know that the President by
proclaiming July T. 1892 condition Of peace"
took the preliminary step the taking Of census
sach taking being itself q condition precedent to
the calling and choosing Of an assembly? The act
required The elapsinG of a certain time after tho
results OF the census should have been compiled
and published before ordering an election. The
Bureau Of lnsular Affairs has certified. under date
OF April q 1901 that under Congressional authority
the Philippine Commission had completed the
taking OF a census; that the compiling OF the re-
turns then I'm progress in Washington and
0ould probably be ready for publication the latter
President VIII have nothing OF a Philippine Assem-
blY IN saying this, is II deliberately cious
o. does il merely make statements on suspicion or
rom lack OF knowledge. and run the chance Of any
hnFuthfulneEs in them not being dctected2 Under
sen: but observe the intentions of The sdyD5njs- $50
llon reflected in the establishing. as President
which the justices % the peace are FiIininos. IL,
each % tho fourteen judicial districts into which
The archipelago ts divided there s q court Of drst
instance. and two I'm Manila. six of the sixteen
yrs9S H., s 5bf 'lpnos' While IN The supreme Court.