Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-14
else is entitled to any benefits acquired


Independent church, independent business
and the expulsion of all foreigners. If you
wish to know more of the details, get into
the confidence of some intelligent, educated
native who does not hold Office. He will
tell you these topics are talked about
in their homes as actual possibilities. Those
whose names are on the government pay
roll will not talk so freely. They prefer
not to imperil their positions. although sc
per cent of them cherish the same opinions
and the same hopes.
1t is for these reasons that the American
residents Of Manila and other portions OF
the islands are dissatisfied with the present
policy of the government. They know what
the natives are thinking about. They know
what the natives desire and hope for, and
even expect, because every now and then
one of them opens his heart and discloses
the secret aspirations OF the race. Ihey
talk to them as he talked to me.
Future of the Islands.
Secretary Taft is the most sanguine the
most hopeful of all the many men who have
studied the question Of self-government,
and his confidence in and friendship for the
natives Is considered dangerous delusion
by 95 per cent of the American residents
here; yet Secretary Taft would not for a
moment agree that the Filipinos are capa-
trusted with the electoral franchise. He
might have cherished different hopes when
he first came here, but three and haif
years of experience at the head of the gov
eminent in daily contact with the native
officials who formed a part of his admins
tration has convinced him to the contrary.
and which of the gentlemen composing the
philippine independence committee has
had such opportunities to see and to know.
During the latter part Of his stay here Gov
ernor Taft altered the tone of his public
addresses considerably. If you will COM
pare them as they appear in the files of the
will too hot no "a =
not so sanguine and confident as at first.
He gave advice instead of promises, and
talked to the people like an anxious father
and candid friend
At a banquet given him by the F'flipinos
December %, 1903, just before his departure
for Washington. Governor Taft spoke very
earnestly of the future of the islands The
native papers report his speech as follows:
when l think of what is still to be done
it seems as though we had done nothing,
and yet we have been here three years.
We have realized one thing which will last
for q long time. We have convinced the
is to raise the country to the highest de-
gree of prosperity by developing it's nat
ural resources, and to bring this about we
have invoked the assistance Of the people
itself. without whose support every work
would fail.
Turning our gaze back to our arrival
three years ago. the problem that present
ed itself to me and which fingers in my
mind is the ardent desire the Filipino peo-
pie felt for the realization of it's ideals
When the Filipino people became convinced
that the American government was in SYM
pathy with its aspirations and encoura ged
them the battle was won.
Il recommend to the missionaries of all
religions that in all their relations with the
Filipino people they spread ideas of justice
and equality, in harmony with the purposes
of the American government, and remem-
Der that the interests of the people are
Following of
believe that all churches will carry out
and realize the ends of the Founder Of re-
ligion. The Filipino people is people that
is responsive to the sentiments expressed
to it. 1t is true that 1t harbors suspicious
and perhaps it is right in this, but when
it becomes convinced 1t is ready to grant
everything
Now, 1 would like to call your attention
to some matters which are frequently dis
cussed, and often without due frankness In
several of the documents promulga ted by
President Mckinley and some of the reso-
buttons of the commission are to be found
paragraphs like this: The Filipino people
will he given the degree of self-government
1t is capable of exercising
Necessity for Education.
1T seems that this promise is based on
the present capacity of the people, yet there
are some who do not even know what abso-
lutte self-government means-that is to say,
eminent. 1 doubt that the cultured and
educated class viii reach 8 or 10 per cent of
the population, and with IS or 80 per cent
let us say that it is only 30 per cent
made up of the uneducated and ignora mt
mass. there would still be wanting, as the
greatest factor in any self-government in
telligent public opinion. 1t is necessary to
educate this mass and enlighten it in order
to maintain self-government or to restrain
the tendencies of a bad government.
TIn
ing the foundations for the organization of
a legislative assembly, which will be inau-
gurated in two and half years at the
latest. This is of great significance and
Importance. First because it will give an
opportunity for the expression of the true
public opinion in the Philippines, and sec
ond. because my young Filipino friends may
formulate laws which they themselves will
have to obey.
Therefore, l recommend to the educated
youth not to think that the whole people
is sufficiently educated to create and main
tain government of its own, and beg them
to have patience and assist the government
In the realization of that end for what is
aimed at is government of liberty and
Justice, and that cannot be secured while
there exists people that do not know
what individual rights are. Hence my
great desire for the establishment of a pri-
mary public school in every barrio (village).
1t Is the duty of every educated and patri-
otto Filipino to teach the ignorant what his
rights are in order that in the fullness OF
time a popular mass may be formed tina
can maintain an absolute seIf-government :"
This speech, which was delivered to an
audience composed of natives only-I be-
lieve there were only three or four foreign
ers present-and which was reported only
in the native papers-from which / have
had copied the above extracts-produced a
profound impression, for 1t was in the ma
ture of a valedictory.
Since his arrival in the United States Sec
rotary Taft has spoken even more plain
ly on this subject and at the banquet of
the Ohio Society in New York he said
The question is asked, Are the Filipinos
capable of self-government" They are
courteous. They are brave. But they are
utterly incapable and unable to have the
slightest franchise. There are hardly 10 per
cent who can even speak Spanish. They
are. however. a bright people. 1 am not
decrying their possible future fitness. Re-
member that. The United States is charged
with the care of these people, and they
must do 1t.
II am asked why / do not say we are
going to give them their independence.
say No, with great emphasis. 1 wish to
impress upon you that unless the present
government is a success. all success of
other governments is gone. / feel as If 1t
is not too much to say that the plank in
the party platforms that refer to the Fill
pinos should say nothing except to declare
the duty of the United States. and to do