East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-01-04
Outlook's Review Of the
Philippine Question

current number of the outlook:
Mr.. Ireland, in his interesting and
valuable article on american Ad
ministration in the Philippine Is
lands" contributed to this issue of
the Outlook, thus defines his point of
view; THAT he (the Filipino) can re-
main in his present geographical en-
vironment, free from the constant
oversight of a non-tropical race, and
ye; become, even in the course of
ages, a creature of schools, ballot
boxes, and free political institutions,
is beyond any flight of Imagination
which is checked by the smallest
knowledge of tropical life"
Sometime Self-governing.
That is not the American point of
view The American believes that ev-
cry race of man in every land and in
every climate can become in time "a
creature of schools, ballot boxes, and
free political institutions" That is
more than a political opinion bred in
the school of experience; it is more
than a political conviction born with
the birth of the nation; it is a spiritu-
al faith It is the secret of the Amer
ican spirit of humanity, of its open
door to the foreigner, OF its war for
the emancipation of the slave, of the
enthusiasm which has made it the
progressive and prosperous nation
that 1t is.
II it ever loses faith in man, 1t
ceases to be American. For the loss
of that faith would be more than any
conceivable change in its laws or its
constitution. 1t would be a change in
the spiritual fiber of the people them
selves.
That the American administration
in the Philippines has been accom-
panied by serious mistakes no one
would be quicker to admit than some
of those who have been conducting
that administration.
That the system of taxation needs
radical change is recognized by the
Philippine commission and by them
urged upon congress. That the is
landers need good roads and generous
expenditures for that purpose is rec
ognized by the recent action of the
United States senate.
That the school system should
make more adequate provision for in
dustrial education is very probable.
That the expenditures may be re-
duced is possible; though it must not
be forgotten that it costs more to
make a people self-governing than II
does to govern them.
Education Necessary.
But no arguments can change the
conviction of the American people
that expenditures for an education
which makes men add more to the
wealth of a community than expendi-
lures which make roads, irrigatine
systems, forest conservancy, and good
market places.
No arguments can shake their faitf
that it is possible to make of the Fill
pino people a people of schools, bal
lot boxes, and free political institu
tions. If this is an ideal of imagina
ton. it is one to the realization Of
which the American people have
committed themselves, and from theil
self-appointed task the outlook does
not believe any arguments derived
from the experience of the past will
induce them to draw back
Ever since American sovereignty
has been established in the islands Il
has been used with one end kept con-
stantly in view. namely, the develop
ment of a self-governing community
cut of a people who have neither BY
inheritance nor training a present ap
titude for self-government.
American Mission Outlined.
This is the reason why America
pledged her national credit in ordel
to purchase the lands from the friar
and overthrow the ecclesiastical ant
economic servitude which was fata
to self-government; why she devoted
the energies of her army officers
even before the insurrection was ye
over. to establish a system of publ
education which experience has show
to be essential to self-government
why she is reluctant to allow Ameri
can capitalists to become large land
owners, because she wishes to reserv
the public lands for the Filipinos
why she is reluctant to admit tn
Chinese, because she fears the disas
trous effect of their competition o
the less efficient native laboring poI
ulation; why she has organized a con
fessedly complicated and expensiy
system of government because onl
by allowing the Filipinos to manag
and if need be mismanage, their tow
affairs, and to have some voice
their provincial and general goverr
ment, though this involves temporal
lily both poorer and more expensiy
administration, can the Filipinos
taught to govern themselves.
No doubt England has governe
subject peoples admirably, and ii
Crown colony is a simpler and cheaI
er form of government that the or
we have adopted in the Philippine
No doubt, too, under such an autt
cratic form of government the Il
lands would be developed more raj
idly.
Development Not Exploiting.
But America is attempting to d.
Yelop, not the islands, but the q
landers; not to govern them, but
train them to govern themselves, ga
isfied IL while the training is going G
the provisional government can fu
nish a reasonable protection to pc