The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-10-21
PARKER AND FILIPlNos.

At last Judge Parker has come out
squarely and in a speech to a delega-
ton headed by a couple OF men OF
the class designated a few months ago
as "aunties" placed himself squarely
upon the plank in the democratic
platform demanding Immediate indie
pendence for the Filipinos. He was
a long time doing it, but has finally
done it and henceforth democratic
writer's and speakers will have
something more tangible than
his former somewhat vague declara-
ton on the subject with which to
weave platitudes about the ''oppres-
sion" of the. poor islanders which
they say the administration is guilty
of. The Judge emphasized his re-
marks by quoting the plank which
now receives his earnest and unre-
served endorsement and support and
then to still further strengthen his
argument pretends to see an analogy
between the situation in the Philip
pines at the present time and the
conditions that existed on the Ameri-
a continent when the colonists re.
volted and instituted the war which
terminated in their independence and
the formation of the United States.
1t required a considerable stretch
OF an imagination supposedly none
too elastic because of the judicial
training of the mind harboring it, but
the judge is now in politics and he
seems to have been equal to the sit
uation. Undoubtedly Judge Parker
has read what Governor Wright, a
democrat, has had to say on the dec
laration of his party that independ-
nee should be granted the islanders,
and what to expect in consequence OF
that declaration. If he has, he re-
fuses to be guided by the wisdom &c
quired by presence upon the ground
and careful observation and extended
experience. For the sake OF a sup
posed political advantage he is will
ing to foment strife and LUIS re-
newed trouble and bloodshed, regard
less of the lettering effect it will
have on those who are now being
brought by gradual stages to a point
OF intelligence and capacity which
will enable them to comprehend and
discharge the great responsibilities
that come with self-government, and
it's likelihood of making still more re-
mote naturalization of the very condi-
ton for which he and his party now
say they are working. Str
The nam of Washington is used by
the democratic candidate and a skill
full play is made for the Irish vote by
referring to the English yoke" the
Beers also come for mention in ar
effort to arouse feeling against the
administration and the party which it
represents, and we are asked if we
do not "honor every mar who has
sacrificed at freedoms altar" or
course, we do, but when the judge at.
tempts to find a similarity between
the Filipinos and the American colo
nists he undertakes to play on the in
telligence of the descendants of those
colonists and every other sanely
minded American citizen. Neither is
comparison to be made between the
Filipinos and the Cubans, for whose
independence we went to war and be-
cause of which war the acquisition OF
the Philippines was incidental.
To begin with, there is M Filipino
people and there is no Filipino ma
ton. It is true that in the islands are
a number of tribes which by a stretch
Of the Imagination may be called a
people. No bond of union exists be-
tween them and there is no national
cohesion. When not at war with
some outside power those tribes are
wont to war upon another. The
same may not De SalO VI LAe CuOduS.
Sufficiently homogenity obtains
among them to justify their general
ization as a people. Not so with the
Filipinos. Years will be required and
patience almost without end will
have to be exercised to bring the diff
ferent tribes to a degree of civiliza.
ton and understanding that will en-
able them to form themselves into
a government held together by a bond
| of union national in spirit and strong
| enough to give the suitable guaran-
tee of protection to citizens of our
in the democratic platform as a pre-