The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-06

right to hope stand for progress. At pres
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 nope that in the end they will
be able to stand, if not entirely alone, yet
in some such relation to the United States
as Cuba now stands. This end is not yet
in sight and it may be indefinitely post
poned if our people are foolish enough to
from the problems of achieving moral and
material prosperity, of working for sta
pie erdeTiy ana 19sI iretr ana for
complete independence for which they
are as 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 Phil
ippines must Ultimately resi- c me upon
do not overlook the fact that in the de-
OCEAN and along r it's coasts. the Philippines
have played and will play an important
part, ana nc tnae our te[gsIs nat We nos
session of the islands. But our chief rea-
son for continuing to hold them must be
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 US in the
Philippine islands is akin to. but not ex-
actly like, the problems presented to the
possessions in the Orient. There are
points of resemblance in our work to the
work which is being done by the British
in India and Egypt, by the French in AL
giers, by the Dutch in Java, by the Rus
slams in Turkestan. by the Japanese In
Formosa; but more distinctly than any
of these powers we are endeavor1ng 70
they shall take an ever increasing share
in their own government, and as far as is
representative to a governmental equality
with our own. There are commissioners,
are Fflipinos and who have exactly the
same share in the government or the IS
Americans, while in the lower ranks. of
course, the great majority of the public
we shall be trying the experiment of
elective lower house in the PhilipPi pine leg
viii misuse this legislature, and they GER
tainly will misuse it if they are misled
by foolish persons here at home into
starting an agitation for their own indie
pendence or into any factious or improper
action. In such case they will do them
being all further effort to advance them
and give them a greater share in their
wisdom and self-restraint, If they show
that they are capable of electing legis-
ing a sane and efficient part in the ac-
tual work of the government, they can rest
assured that a full and increasing meas
Above all they should remember that their
prime needs are moral and industrial, not
pertinent of giving them a legislature; but
it is a far better thing to give them
enable them to get their products to mar
ket, honest courts, honest and eff
produce order, peace, fair dealing as be-
tween man and man, and habits of intel
safeguarded against oppression, and II
their real wants, material and spiritual,
are studied intelligently and in spirit Of
friendly sympathy, much more good VIII
be done them than by any effort to give
them political power, though this effort
may in it's own proper time and place be
proper enough.
Meanwhile our own people should re-
member that there is need for the highest
standard of conduct among the Americans
sent to the Philippine islands, not only
among the public servants but among the
private individuals who go to them. 1t
is because feel this so deeply that in the
itiveIy refused to permit any discrimina-
have insisted that in choosing the public
solely to the worth of the men chosen and
to the needs of the islands. There is no
higher body of men in our public service
than we have in the Philippine islands I'M
der Gov. Wright and his associates. So
a free hand, and their suggestions should
eGeiye the h he 6a9ng both Of the e
of a vigilant and disinterested support OF
our public servants in the Philippines by
Unfortunately hitherto those of our peo-
pie here at home who have. specially
pinos have in reality been their worst en-
emies. This will continue to be the case
as long as they strive TO make the Fill
pinOs independent, and stop all Industrial
development of the islands by crying out
against the laws which would bring it
on the ground that capitalists must not
exploit" the islands; Such proceedings
are not only unwise but are most harm
full to the F'ilipinos, who do not need in
dependence al all, but who do need good
laws, good public servants and the indus
trial development that can only come IL
the investment of American and foreign
capital in the islands is favored in all
legitimate ways.
Every measure taken concerning the is
lands should be taken primarily with a
view to their advantage. We should GER
tainly give them lower tariff rates on
their exports to the United States; II this
is not done 1T will be a wrong to extend
hope for the immediate enactment into
law of the legislation now pending to
encourage American capital to seek in
vestment in the islands in railroads, in
factories, in plantations and in numbering
and mining.