Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-15
UNFIT TO MAKE LAW
Too Early to Think of a
Philippine Assembly.
TOO GREAT ADVANCE
LARGE MEASURE OF HOME RULE
ALREADY ENJOYED.
Liberality in This Country's Treat
ment Of the Natives-The Dis
trust Of One Another.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

MANILA, May IA, 1904
1t must be quite a novelty for Secretary
TAFT upon his return home, to be held up
ana required to explain why he has not
given the Filpinos more independence and
self-government, while over here his critics
have kept him busy furnishing reasons for
giving them so much.
am sure that everybody who has been
mere and has practical acquaintance with
the community, the conditions that exist
and the interests involved will agree that
our little brown brother already has
about as much of both as he can stand. It
would be no kindness to him. and Ger
tainly not to the foreign and American pop
ulation of the Philippines to intrust him
with any greater power at present, or at
any time until he has shown the conscience
and develops the capacity to exercise it to
the general welfare.
Extent of Home Rule Enjoyed.
People in the United States do not I'M
derstand the extent of home rule that has
already been granted to these people, In
MS instructions to the commission President
Mckinley said: That in all cases the mu-
n'clpal officers who administer the local af-
FAIRS of the people are :, be selected by the
people, and that. wherever officers of more
o@>NNhAOSu iiSdiCliOH are 10 De selected IN
any way. natives of the islands are 10 be
preferred; and if they can be found COM
petent and willing to perform the duties
they are to receive the offices in preference
10 any other. 1t will be necessary to fill
some offices for the present with Americans.
Whlch, after time. may be well filed by
natives of the islands. In all the fields of
government they are establishing is de-
"mcn they are authorized to prescribe the
commission should bear in mind that the
government they are establishing is de-
signed, not for our satisfaction or for the
expression OF our theoretical views but for
the happiness, peace and prosperity of the
people of the Philippine Islands and the
measures adopted should be made to con-
form TO their customs their habits and
even thelr preJudices to the fullest extent
CONSISTENT with the accomplishment of the
indispensable requisites of inst and STAT
i've government"
IN accordance with these instructions. the
commission promptly prepared and put In
Iorce a municipal code and a provincjai
code which invest the people with com
plete autonomy in their municipal govern
ments, and cOnsidera BILE degree of homa
rule In their provincial or state govern
menus: Ihfee natives are members of thu
commission. several have been made chiefs
OF bureaus. and the civil service act not
only gives them every opportunity for com
petng in examinations for ordinary an
pointmnts under the government. but ex
pressly stipulateS that they shall have the
preference for all places. other things being
equal As have said, these laws nave
been literally and conScentiousIy enforced
and most people here think the government
is gong too fast. and has gone too fast, and
that the natives already have more power
IMAM they can wisely exercise. Neverthe-
less the commission has carried out spec;-
Hcally the instruction of the President
and the promise made to the people by the
flrSt commission that:
The most ample liberty of self-govern-
ment be granted to the Philippine people
which is reconclable with the mainte-
nance OF a wise, just, stable effective and
economical administration of public affairs
and compatible with the sovereign and in
ternational rights and obligations of the
United States
As Much Home Rule as English Have
That pledge was given to the Fiipinos If
the would lay down their arms and submit
to our authority. and it has been strictly
fulfilled. regardless of criticism at this end
of the line. The Inhabitants of the Philip
pines have as much home rule as the peo-
pie of England any other European coun-
try except France and Switzerland They
manage their own municipal affairs and
elect the governors of their provinces.
On the 1st of March forty new governors
were elected throughout the islands in every
province, and only one foreigner an Amer
lean. appears in the list The rest are all
natives; nearly every one of them was ac-
lively engaged in the insurrection only six
or seven of them are Characteristics or
supporters of the present admin ira ton
which indicates that the commission exer-
cised no influence in the choice. Under the
code these elections must be confirmed by
the commission, a power that has been
very wisely reserved and very much needed
although confirmation is never refused eX-
cept where protests are filed and the iIle-
gality of the election is demonstrated A fter
the late elections fourteen protests were
received from among the forty provinces
Eight of them were sustained and new
elections ordered for
and the evidence laid before the commission
showed that the Filipino, although an anna
teur in politics, is able to give points to
Tammany Hall in the manipulation of cleo
tons. While there were no instances of
gross fraud at the recent elections, the
tendency of the native politician is to fol-
low the example of those who rule some of
our cities and some of our states and adopt
any measures that are likely to be sue
cessful.
A legislative assembly is promised the
Filipinos in two years, but they are not
ready for it. They should not be trusted
with the power to make laws and grant
franchises, and those who urging wider
powers and greater authority should re-
member the appalling experience we have
had in the southern states in our own coun-
try when the ballot was intrusted to the
| enfranchised slaves and the legislatures
were made up of ignorant and inexperi-
epced negroes.
1t is the peril that lies behind this and
similar propositions that prevents capital
lists from investing money and engaging in
enterprises here, and if the government de-
sires to benefit the natives and promote
their permanent welfare 1t will do more to
dev elop the natural resources of the islands
and less in the way of self-government.
Every proposition that looks to independ-
ence or to placing authority in the hands
of the natives impairs the credit of the
Philippines and retards their material de-
velopment.
Philippines for the, Filipinos.
Shortly before he left for home Governor
Taft read elaborate paper before lit
erary society of this city. in which he re-
viewed the history of his administration,
explained the reasons for the policy adopt
ed and answered many of the criticisms d.
rected against him and his associates. The
paper was intended for home consumption.
1t applied directly to the residents of the
islands, and was not written for outsiders.
Nevertheless 1t throws a clear light upon
the administration of affairs and the policy
that has governed ii, and says that:
From the beginning to the end of the
state papers circulated in these islands as
authoritative expressions of the executive,
the motto that the Philippines are for the
Filipinos' and that the government of the
United States is here for the purpose of
preserving the Philippines for the Fill
pinos.' for their benefit. for their elevation,
for their civiiizat ton. again and again apr
pear. And 1t Is to be noted that these dec
L. do and Ant Inn