Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-14
FUTURE OF F|L|P|NOS
Movement to Further Their
Independence.
NATIVES INCAPACITY
DO NOT EVEN KNOW THE MEAN
ING OF F-GovERNMENT.
The Educated a Small Percentage Of
the pulation-Secretary Taft's
Views on the Subject.
NATIVES INCAPACITY
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Chicago Record Herald.
MANILA, May 49, 1904.
1 find in an issue of the Record Herald
which came by the last mail, an announce
ment that forty-two gentlemen prominent
In religious, educational. literary and bust
ness circles have united in what they call
the philippine independence committee,
and are seeking signatures to a petition to
both national conventions, urging the
adoption of resolutions pladging to the
people of the Philippine Islands their I'LL
innate national independence upon terms
similar to those offered in Cuba"
Among the forty-two names are those OF
President ]. G.. Schurman of Cornell Uni
versity. who member of the first
commission sent out here by President Nc
Kinley. He is the only man in the list
who has ever visited the islands. and he
has not been here for more than four
years. 1 also see the name of Rev. W. r.
Huntington of New York, a very eminent
and honorable divine but / warrant that
he has never asked the opinion of Bishop
Potter who has been here, or Bishop Brent
of the Episcopal Church. who is here now
In charge of this diocese. If DR.. Hunt
Ington will take the trouble to consult either
one of those gentlemen, In whom he must
have confidence, l am confdent that ne
the list Charles Francis Adams President
Charles w. Eliot of Harvard. President
David Starr Jordan of Stanford University
Professor Henry Vandyke OF Princeton
Bishop McVickar of Rhode Island and ex-
Senator Gray of Delaware appear in the
list, and William H. Baldwin, jr., president
of the Long Island railroad. who IS an
earnest honest. practical man-so honest
and so practical that If he should ever visit
Manila or any other part of the Phlpplnes
he would promptly take his name off the
petition and would never forgive himself 1or
the folly of placing 1t there ,,
If the request. of these gentlemen shoulu
be granted by either of the national con-
ventions there would be another revolution
In these islands. in the opinion of men most
competent to judge. They ask for uiu-
mate independence, but the fLlipi IN
doesn't know what ultimate means. ne
does not know what Independence means.
He does not know what liberty means
The speeches of Senator Hoar and other
members of the United States Senate anu
the action of the anti-imISeriallsts IN the
limited States however well meant and con-
scientious prolonged the war many months
and cost hundreds of precious lives, Simply
because the insurrectos believed thtt they
had solid support in the United States and
that our government would soon be com
PEELED to yield if they kept on hghtlng.
When they ceased to receive encouragement
from Senator Hoar and other good men
they surrendered, and there has been peace
ever since. But If they can convince them
selves that any considerable pupnc sentI-
ment In the United States is behind them
they will organize another revolt, and we
shall have to send the army over here
again.
The Filipinos Described
They are children; they have not the
slightest conception of government; they
do not understand what 1t means. Ihey
have no character and no principles What
they seek Is the Offices they want the
money that is collected by the tax gather
ers: the power to reward their friends ana
punish their enmies and to enjoy them
selves without labor. They crave the right
selves by high-soundng titles and 10
march with a banner behind band They
want authority to Issue COMMISSIONS anu
proclamatons. That is their idea OF ND
erty and independence, and they are willing
to wade through blood for 1t. They nave
very strong ambitions and hysterlcal
emotion they call patriotism. But In thelr
vanity they misunderstood Whatever Is sdiu
in their behalf.
In talking with very respectable and
we,l-educated. but rather restless Filipino
politician the other day. l was surprised to
hear him assert that the government OF the
United States had promised independence,
and ne asked my opinion as TO when II
would be granted. l explained that he was
mistaken, that the government had never
made any such promise, and that the Phil
ippine independence was rot only improD-
able. but Impossible, now or at any other
time because, If IL We're granted-and he
agreed reluctantly. to the proposition-there
would be anarchy all over the islands until
one of the European powers took posses
sion. Then, without doubt, its right to do
30 would be disputed by other European
powers and a universal war would follow.
In reply he insisted that the Senate had
pledged independence on behalf of the gov
eminent, and that the people of the United
States had passed resolutions to the same
effect To prove his assertion he produced
several speeches delivered by democratic
senators. and one speech delivered by Sena-
tor Hoar and several documents published
by Edward Atkinson & anti -imperialst liter
airy bureau in Washington When | tried
a nd
declarations from such sources had no sig
nifoance or value he folded the documents
envelope and did not appear disposed to
continue the conversation The air with
which he did II seemed to mean:
IF we cannot trust such persons az Mr.
Hoar and other members of the United
States Senate, who is worthy OF our conf
dence?"
The Filipino Program
You will find. II you come here, that this
gentleman Is an example of consderab BILE
portion of the educated community, and
although Re reluctantly accepts the situa-
ton as II is at present. he is convinced
that the government of the islands would
be IN much better hands II he and his po-
ltical associates were In charge. He Is
firmly convinced that the Flipinos are en-
titled to sef-government; that the United
States should withdraw all of its civil off,
Gals and military forces now in the islands
ana permit their places TO be nlled by ma
tives When that Is done the next step will
be to eXpel every foreign bishop and
priest. confiscate all of the church property
and establish native church with native
bishops, native teachers and native schools
with native teachers. After the what is
called foreign religious tyranny is re-
moved the profitable commerce OF the ia
lands will be taken away from foreigners
and given to natives. Foreign bankers.
merchants manufacturers and other bust
ness men will be treated kindly and hon
tly hut
nese must go first, and IL is a question
whether they would be allowed to take any
of their property with them. because they
gained most of II by doing work that be
longed to the natives or course. other
foreigners will be Unidentified, because
otherwise they would appeal to their gov
ernments and make trouble, but the Philip
mines belong to the Filipinos. and no one