The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-12-08
The Philippines.


In the Philippine Islands there has
been during the past year continue
ton OF the steady progress which has
obtained ever since our troops definite
~ got the upper hand Of the insur-
gents. Tie Philippine people, or, TO
speak more accurately, the many
tribes and even races sundered from
one another more or less sharply who
go to make up the people OF the Philip
pine Islands. contain many elements
Of good and some elements which we
have right 10 hope stand for prog
ress At present they are utterly In
capable Of existing In independence at
all or Of building up civilization OF
their own. l firmly believe that we
can help them 10 rise higher and high
or in the scale OF civilization and OF
capacity for self government. and |
most earnestly hope that in the end
they will be able 10 stand, il 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 il may be indefinitely postponed
II our people are foolish enough to turn
the attention OF the Fillpinos away
from the problems OF achieving moral
and material prosperity. OF working
for stable. orderly and just govern
ment and toward foolish and danger
Gus intrlgues for a complete independ
ence 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
I'm 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 It's coasts the Philippines have
played and will play an important part
and that our interests have been serv-
ed in more than one way by the pos
session 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 MS by the re-
suits OF the war with Spain. We are
endeavOring to develop the natives
themselves so that they shall take an
ever increasing share In their own gov
eminent and. ms far as is prudent, we
are already admitting their representa-
tives 10 a governmental equality with
our own. There are commissioners,
Judges and governors in the Islands
who are Fillpnos and who have exact
ly the same share in the government
Of the islands as have their colleagues
who are Americans, while in the lower
ranks Of course the great majority Of
the public servants are FilipinOs.
Within two years we shall be trying
the experiment Of an elective lower
house in the Philippine legislature. II
the FllipinOs act with wisdom and self
restraint If they show that they are
capable Of electing a Legislature which
I'm its turn is capable Of taking a sane
and efficient part in the actual work OF
government, they can rest assured that
a full and increasing measure ct rec
ognition will he given them.
Every measure taken concerning the
islands should be taken primarily with
view to their advantage. We should
certainly give them lower tariff rates
on their exports to the United States.
IL this is not done II will be a wrong
to extend our shipping laws to them.
I earnestly hope for the immediate
enactment into law Of the legislation
now pending TO encourage American
capital to seek Investment In the Is
lands In railroads, in factories, In plan
tations and In numbering and mining.
The MESSAGE also treats o. rebates In
the matter OF the highways ofcommerce,
irrigation, the consular service, immigra'
tion and naturalization, revision OF nat.
uralization laws, delays In criminal
prosecutions, foreign policy, arbitration
treaties and the policy toward other ma
tions OF the Western Hemisphere