Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-28
Real FiIipino Sentiment.

Real Filipino Sentiment.
The big party of prominent Filipinos
now touring the country is proving
very embarrassing to the band of little
"antis" whose headquarters are near
Boston. To be sure, the visitors are
not accompanied by Aguinaldo who is
now behaving himself in Manila, thor
oughly convinced that American rule is
the best thing for the islands, but the
other leaders are active in denying and
discrediting the ''anti-imperialist"
claim that the Filipinos desire entire in
dependence from the United States.
While several of the forty Filipinos
composing the party are said to have
had Oh their departure from Manila a
wish that ultimately the islands might
be free, 1t is claimed now that not one
in the party retains this desire. Re
zine had conference with members of
the Philippines delegation. He says
i'm the course of an article on the sub
iect that the delegation are far from
united on what the island policy should
be. But" he adds, they are united
on the general proposition of remaining
under the American flag and in desire
to bring to an end as speedily as posi-
BILE the present anomalous condition in
| FL, -ot
citizens of the United States" Sum-
| ming up, the editor says:
"a majority desire, not separation
| from the United States, but closer rela-
pendcnce. but federation. A few def
| niteIy desire statehood; others are
waiting before they attempt to formu-
late the relationship of the future.
| They appear to be unanimous in their
desire for the organization of a legisla-
| tive assembly to express the national
| will, but the recognized leaders do not
| desire to see that legislature convened
| until general education has been carried
| far enough to make the use of the Eng
lish language common, and so furnish
a medium for the exchange of ideas.
| There is general recognition of the fact
| that no Filipino dialect will serve the
purpose. that Spanish is essentially Il
| provincial language, and that Englis>e
| is a world language; and they testify to
| the enthusiasm for the study of the
| English by both children and adults
among all classes of FilipinOs. Among
| the merchants there is an eager desire
| for American capital and the introduce
| ton Of American railroads, American
machinery and American methods.
| There is a difference of opinion on the
Chinese question. Some desire the ap-
plication of the Chinese exclusion act
| as means of keeping up wages some
believe in n partial admission of the
Chinese. There is a general desire for
| the freest practical commercial inter-
course between the archipelago and the
! United States, absolute free trade being
| the ultimate ideal"
1t has been charged that this Philip
pine delegation is a packed jury"
| brought over for the purpose of con-
| vincing the American people that the
native population are not in favor of
separation, and to make a convincing
| report to the Philippines people on their
| return. To hold this is to hold that
there is neither courage nor honesty in
the Philippines population. The party
is made UP of the leading editors, a
number of judges, prominent mer-
chants, several provincial governors,
some lawyers and other professional
men, and not few ex-soldiers who
| fought against the United States. If
such a body can be deemed packed
jury, capable of lying to the American
| people about the wishes of their coun-
trymen and to their own countrymen
about the projects of the United States,
then it is impossible to find the manly
| virtues in the Philippines population.
In addressing the representatives of
| our government at Washington, DR..
| Pardo de Tavera, one of the ablest men
in all the archipelago, declared that the
Filipinos had gone into rebellion
| against the United States because at
was feared that the civil and religious
tyranny of Spain would be continued
under American rule" Continuing, he
said: Eve did not know at the time OF
the benefcent purposes which animated
you. But so soon as We learned what
these purposes were we were glad to
accept the conditions. None of you Can