The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-27
PARKER and THE FILIpINOS.
HIS ATTITUDE DISCUSSED BY
THE PRESIDENTS GUESTS.
A Letter From Gov. wright which Says
the Agitation for Filipino Indepen-
dence Is Having the Eject to Restore
the influence OF the InsurrectO Leaders.

| tue hnHuence OF tue InsufrectO Leauer
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26.-Nine out every
ten Of the Presidents visitors nowadays
talk politics to Mr.. Roosevelt, and the one
topic Of political conversation this morn
ing was Judge Parker's letter Of accept
ance. One OF the earliest visitors was
I Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president Of the
University Of California and former ly a
member of the Philippines Commission.
He talked with the President about tn e
Philippines question in view Of the Parker
| letter. and 1t happened that his views corre-
sponded exactly to some opinions expressed
In letter, dated Aug. is, 1904, which Mr..
Roosevelt has just received from Luke E.
Wright, the present Governor OF the islands.
The letter has a special significance on
the day of the publication of Judge Parker's
letter of acceptance, and President Roose-
welt caused the following extracts from
1t to be given out this afternoon:
THE effect of the continued discussion
as to the capacity Of the Filipino for self
government and his immediate or ultimate
independence is having its effect here and
makes our task more difficult than it other
wise would be. The less man is equipped
with intelligence and those qualities which
make for good citizenship the more easily
can he be persuaded that he Is the rossessor
OF all these qualities. This people have
their full share OF ambition and vanity, and
they also have their full share Of reckless,
half formed characters who are ready for
intrigue in any direction which promises
them profit or power 1t is this class which
has largely given force and direction to
the Aglipayan movement and has recruited
its ranks from the ignorant and dangerous
elements.
in this general connection may say
to you as matter of information that the
agitation in the United States for Filipino
independence, and the spoken and written
utterances OF prominent men there who
are urging il. are all brought here and
published in the native newspapers and are
being made the text for editorials insisting
that the Filipino people are now ready to
become an independent nation. The effect
OF this is distinctly injurious. It's tendency
Is to restore the influence Of the old in
surrecto leaders and to make them active
In preaching the old propaganda This,
in turn, has the effect Of demoralizing and
weakening the more conservative and
thoughtful Filipinos, who fear that il they
speak out as they really think they would
and lose their prestige with them. Those
OF the more prominent and best educated,
and who naturally have their ambitions,
are inclined to join in the general cry
Mr. Wheeler expressed his views in Wig
orous fashion after his call upon the Presi-
dent this morning.
"On the Philippines question" he said,
Judge Parker's views will not strongly
appeal to many people. Not one-half OF
! per cent; OF the people Of the United State
favor independence for the Philippines
now or ever. Independence and self-gov-
can citizen will favor education of the
Filipino until he is At for self-government
and he may reach that state In the course
Of some, years. but he will never attain
Philippines. but we viii possess other ter
ritory II it becomes necessary cross
the continent Of this country six times q
year on business and ! come in contact
few who regard the Democratic
position on that question as sound.
AS to tie criticism OF President Roose- |
welt on account Of the pension order, the |
views of Judge Parker are not calculated |
Of the action Of President Roosevelt. but
Of his methods. He proposes |
to do the same thing by act Of Congress-. |
As matter Of fact, Congress has approved |
this action already. Congress-, realizing |
tHo VI tHo OxQ6T Vi ulo fT66lQ6lt,
money for the increased PEN |
sions and did everything in the way Of APP |
proval except in passing an act OF that |
kind"
Commissioner OF Pensions Ware was one |
Of the Presidents callers this morning |
After coming from Mr.. Roosevelt's office |
he was asked to express his views about |
that paragraph Of Judge Parker's letter
which had to do with the pension Office.
He declined to discuss it, however, except |
to say:
ooh. guess the Judge hadn't read up
much about the pension business. II he |
had he wou ldn't have written what he did,"
Secretary Taft, as the former Governor |
Of the Philippines, is matt rally much inter
ested in what Judge Parker had to say
bout the Administrations policy in the
islands, and he called on the President |
shortly after 10 o'clock and remained until |
after noon. He will soon leave on a cam |
paigning tour, and from now un til November |
he and Secretary Shaw will be the chief |
Of the Administration on the |
stump.