Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-05

time as regards its political delicacy. and it
has been possible for him to say. since his
return to the United States. many things
about the status of Filipino society, the
ignorance of the masses, the selfishness OF
a great proportion of the aristocracy in
wanting class privileges for themselves for
which the majority of the people are not
ready. in general. the unfitness for self
government Moreover, at home Secretary
Taft has been talking to American audi
ences for the purpose of justifying his be-
lief that the Filipinos are not ready for In
dependence. Some of these remarks have
been ca bled back to the islands in abbrevi-
ated and garb1ed form. So that, while the
very radical Filipnos who have said that
Taft is not SO much a friend of the Fill
pinos as he pretended to be will admit In
detail, in private conversation all the i'm
peachments that have been brought against
the masses for ignorance. and against the
caciques. or local bosses. for self-seeking
and abuse of their power over nine-tenths
of their fellows, yet these radicals too often
talk in public. and sometimes persuade
themselves. apparently, that their people
are all as advanced as themselves In edu-
cation and in political sentiments.
AS a matter of fact, the columns of their
own newspapers bear the refutation of this
every day: 1t is, indeed. one of the en-
couraging signs of the times that the young
Ffipinos of today are conducting cam
paign against caciquism. But the element
of radicals In question. who resisted 10
some extent the efforts of Taft to ally
them In office with the government during
the time when conditions were more deli
cate than now. have interpreted some of
the statements made by Taft in the United
States during the past year and a half. re-
garding the unfitness of their people in
general. regarding the benefits wrought by
the friars Historically, while not withdraw
ing at all from his opinion of 1900 that the
friarS had outlived their usefulness and
were political and socially danger if left
in the Philippines), as indications that he
had changed front somewhat, and in a
sense unfavorable to the Filipinos. This is
an instance of bad Interpretation.
Visit Of Taft Will Correct This.
1t is almost safe to predict that it will
be corrected with this visit of Taft to
the islands. and without his altering in a
single particular his estimates of Filipino
society as hitherto given out. The writer
has seen Filipino criticism melt before
the manner and words of this man be-
fore, and nothing is ventured by saying
that the Filipinos will be at his feet once
more as they have been before This aside
from the fact that they are now hanging
on his coming. The element in question
was disposed to enthrone Wright few
months back as man who spoke more
frankly to them.
AS Secretary Taft said, he was
unaware of any reason for a Taft
party as in distinction from Wright
party and the whole matter is largely
matter of Filipino misconception In so
far as a Wright party was formed,
however, some months back, by certain
Filipinos (some of whom opposed great
Filipino reception to Taft on his return
this time, but who speedily came into line
on that question:, that party has been
dissipated by the campaign upon the con-
stabulary. Governor General Wright has
disciplined the cOnstabulary vigorously
in several instances. but these Filipinos,
as well as others who We're not in the
movement which dubbed Wright that
man of crystal" do not think he has been
energetic enough in this respect. This,
again, without touching the merits of the
question at all, but simply to show what
are the understand of Filipino opinion,
and on what confused notions it ofttimes
turns.
The split of opinion in this respect
not only affected the federal party in it's
recent convention twherein the imprac-
ticable ideal of future statehood was
finally abandoned in definite way. after
having been practically dropped by the
federal party for two years back), but
also reaches into the Philippine commits
sion, at least among the Filipino mem
bers thereof. Hence one more reason
why the developments of this trip must
be both interesting and important.
Other problems to come up of the more
important sort, aside from endless mat
tiers of detail. personal petitions and
claims, &c, are the matter of the new In
ternal revenue law of the Philippine gov
eminent, the claim of the Filipinos that
the places in the civil service, high and
enough and the religious question. par
ticularly in two phases, viz, the settle
ment of title to the landed estates of the
Dominican order for which estates the
government has not yet paid over the
purchase price it has in waiting, and the
establishment of a special tribunal which
may settle the ownership of the church
buildings of the Philippine parishes,
claimed and occupied in some cases by
the priests of the Roman Catholic Church
and in other cases by the priests of the
Aglpay schism.
The latter is delicate question.
on other grounds as well. and has
its practical political well as Its
legal aspects All these various matters
will be made the subject of separate let
ters in this correspondence. The internal
revenue law involves delicate differences
of opinion within the ranks of the Philip
pine commission itself.
Bold in Criticism.
Some of the things sketched out above
win indicate what is fact. viz, that one
familiar with Philippine conditions might
make out very pessimistic report on them
just now. That is only slightly more true
today than at any time since the present
Philippine government was established
On the other hand, 1t Is encouraging to one
who approaches the matter from the stand
point of sympathy with Filipino self-gov-
eminent that the Filipnos are becoming
more bold and vigorous in their criticism of
their government and governors. They have
had free press of their own for but four
years. In some ways. it is still a toy for
them, but If 1t Is to be used we'll and eff
fectually. it must be because they learn
how to use it right by using it in
dependently.
One could not sum up the whole sit
uation of the moment better than by relat
ing an incident of this anti-constabulary
campaign When the Filipino press
fairly started in it's campaign, and the
Spanish press had joined in, exulting at the
opportunity. Libertas, the organ of the
friars turned>with a sner and said: $50
you FilipnOs have only exchanged masters.
You have the same abuses today you used
to complain of when the Spanish civil
guard was in existence" Promptly Ell
Renacmiento. the organ of the best rad
ical sentiment among the Filipinos. came
back thus: Yes, we have some of the same
abuses that the civil guard formerly perpe-
trated.
But the difference between the new
regime and the old is that under the old
we dared not whisper against the civil
guard, for fear Of being deported as sus-