Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-12-15
The PhiIIippinss.

Philippine Islands In his message as
follows:
In the Philippine Islands there has
been during the past year a continu-
alton Of the steady progress which has
obtained ever since our troops de-
flnitely got the upper hand OF the in
surgents. The Philippine people. or
to speak more accurately. the many
tribes. and even races sundered from
go to make up the people OF the Phil
ippine Islands. contain many elements
of good. and some elements which
we have right to hope stand for
progress At present they are utterly
incapable of existing in Independence
at all or of building up a civilization
OF their own. firmly believe that we
can help them to rise higher and
higher In the scale of civilization and
of capacity for self-government, and
most earnestly hope that in the end
they will be able to stand II not en-
tirely alone. yet In some such relation
to the United States as Cuba now
stands. This end is not yet in sight,
and 1t may be indefinitely postponed
II our people are foolish enough to
turn the attention OF the FiliDinos
away from the problems of achiev-
ing moral and material prosperity. OF
working for stable. orderly, and just
government. and toward foolish and
dangerous intrigues for complete
In f<.,. iph thay
yet totally unfit.
On the other hand our people must
keep steadily before their minds the
fact that the justification for our stay
in the Philippines must ultimately
rest chiefly upon the good we are able
to do in the islands | do not overlook
the fact that in the development OF
our interests in the Pacific Ocean and
along its coasts. the Philippines have
played and will play an important
part. and that our interests have been
served in more than one way by the
possession OF the islands. But our
chief reason for continuing to hold
| them must be that we ought in good
faith to try to do our share of the
worlds work. and this particular
piece of work has been imposed upon
us by the results of the war with
Spain. The problem presented to lis
in the Philippine Island is akin to
but not exactly like. the problems pre-
| scented to the other great civilized
powers which have possessions in the
Orient There are points of resem
biance in our work to the work which
is icing done by the British in India
| l'y the Russians in Turltr inl. Ly The
| Japanese in Formosa: but more dis
| tinctly than any 1f these powers We
ar. endeavoring to develop the natives
| themselves so that they shnll .nkr IT
ever-increasing share in their owl
government and as far as is prudent
we are already admitting their rep
| resentatives to governmental equal
| ity with our own. There are commits
sioners, judges and governors in the
| islands who are Filipinos and who
| have exactly the same share in the
government of the islands MS have
| their colleagues who are Americans
while in the lower ranks, of course
| the great majority of the public ser
wants are Filipinos. Within two years
we shall be trying the experiment o
an elective lower house in the Phil
ippine legislature. 1t may be that the
Filipnos will misuse this legislature
and they certainly will misuse II
If they are misled by foolish persons
here at home into starting an agita
ion for their own independence or in
to any factious or improper action. Ir
such case they VIII do themselves nc
good and will stop for the time be
ing all further effort to advance
| them and give them a greater share
| in their own government. But II they
| act with wisdom and self-restraint II
they show that they are capable o
| electing legislature which in ii.
turn is capable q taking sane ant
| efficient part In the actual work oI
government. they can rest assured
that full and increasing measure
OF recognition will be given them
Above all they should remember thai
their prime needs are moral and in
uuo''oi' ho' poiiticdi. IL lS sOOU
thing to try the experiment of giving
them legislature; but it is far bet
ter thing to give them schools. good
roads, railroads which will enable
them to get their products to market
honest courts, an honest and efficient
| constabulary, and all that tends to
produce order, peace. fair dealing as
between man and man, and habits OF
Intelligent industry and thrift II they
are safeguarded against oppression
and If their real wants, material and
spiritual, are studied intelligently and
in n spirit of friendly sympathy much
more good will be done than than by
any effort to give them political pow.
er. though this effort may In its own
proper time and place be proper