The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-07

reason for continuing to hold thenI
must be that we ought i'm good fa1th
to try to do our share OF the worlds
work. and this particular piece of work
aas been imposed upon us by the re-
suits Of the war with Spain. The
problem presented. to us in the phil
ppine Islands is akin to, but not eX-
1ctly like the problems presented 70
he other great civilized powers which
nave possessions in the Orient There
are points of resemblance in our work
10 the work which is being done by the
British in India and Egypt, by the
French i'm A1giers, by the Dutch in
Java by the Russians in Eurkestan,
by the Japanese i'm FOrmosa: but
more distinctly than any of these pow
ars We are endeaVoring TO develop the
natives themselves so that they shall
AXE an ever-increasing share in the
own government and as far rs is plu
dent we are already admitting their
representatives to a governmental
equality with their own There are
commissioners, judges aud governors
in the islands who are FilipinoS ano
who have exactly the same share IT
the sovernncEt Of tn. islands rs have
III J" colleagues who are AInC:l' ans
While i'm the lower ranks of course
the great majority Of the public SER
>
we shall be trying the experiment of
an elective lower house in the Philip
pine legislature. 1t may be that the
Filipinos win misuse this legislature
and they certainly will misuse it if
they are misled by foolish persons
here at nome into starting an agita-
ton for their own independence or in
to any factious or improper action. IN
such case they will do themselves no
good and will stop for the time being
all further effort to advance them and
give them greater share in their own
government. But if they act with wis
dom and self-restraint. if they show
that they are capable of electing a
legislature which in it's turn is capable
of taking a sane and efficient part in
the actual work of government, they
can rest assured that a full and IN
creasing measure of recognition will
be given them. Above all they should
remember that their prime needs are
moral and industrial, not political. 1t
is a good thing to try the experiment
Of giving them a legislatures; but it is
far better thing to give them schools,
good roads railroads which will en-
able them to get their products to mar
ket, honest courts, an honest and eff
cient conStabulary, and all that tends
to produce order! peace. fair dealing
as between man and man, and habits
of intelligent industry and thrift. III
they are safeguarded against oppres-
sion, and if their real wants, material
and spiritual, are studied inteliigently
and in a spirit Of friendly sympathy
much more good will he dome them
than ny any ,ffort 10 give TN IN politi-
cal power, though this effort may IN
its own proper time ana place be
proper enough.
Meanwhile our own people should
remember that there IS need for the
highest standard Of conduct a'uong
the Americans sent Ii the Philippine
Islands, not only among the public
servants but among the private midi
viduaIs who go to them 1t is because
feel this SO deeply that in the adj
ministration of these islands [ have
positively refused to permit any dis
elimination whatsoever for political
reasons and have insisted that in
choosing the public servants consider
alton should be paid 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 SER
vice than we have in the Philippine Is
lands under Governor Wright and his
associates. SO far as possible these
men should be given a free hand, and
their suggestions should receive the
hearty backing of the Executive and %
the congress. Ihefe is need OF q Wig
liant and disinterested support of our
public. servants in the Philippines by
good citizens here in the United States.
Unfortunately hitherto those of our
people here at home who have special
~ claimed to be the champions of the
Filipinos have i'm reality been their
worst enemies This will continue to
be the case as long as they strive TO
make the Filipmos 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 on
~ unwise, but are most harmful to
the Filipinos, who do not need the IN
dependence at all, but who do need
good laws, good public servants and
the Industrial development that can
only come if the investment Of Amer
lean and foreign capital i'm the islands
is favored in all legitimate ways.
Every measure taken concerning
the islands should be taken primarily
with view to their advantage. We
should certainly give them lower tar
if rates on their exports to the United
States; If this is not done it VIII De
a wrong to extend our shipping laws
to them. / earnestly hope for the i'm
mediate enactment into law of the leg
islation now pending to encourage
American capital to seek investment
in the islands in railroads, lin factories
in plantations, and in numbering and
mining.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, December 5.