The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-22

iarfty with the facts, that it is abso-
| lutely impossible to hope that the les
sons which it is the duty of the United
States TO teach the whole Filipino peo-
pie, can be learned by them, as q body.
in less than a generation; and that the
probability is that il will take a longer
period in which to render them capa-
bic of establishing and maintaining a
stable independent government
What Taft's Words Mean.
This, it is true. states when indepen-
dence cannot be hoped for, rather than
when it can be hoped for, and yet. no
honest man would use the language
Secretary Taft employed without hav-
ing in his mind the idea that indepen-
dence would be granted at some future
date But his concluding words even
more clearly present the hope of ulti-
mate independence, for he says: "AlI
that can be asserted is that the policy
which has several times been authori-
| tatively stated, that this Filipino gov
eminent shall be carried on solely for
! the benefit of the Filipino people and
! that self government shall be extended
/ to the Filipino people as speedily as
/ they show themselves fitted to assume
and exercise it. must be pursued con-
sistently by the people of the United
states or else they shall forfeit their
| honor"
Here Secretary Taft pledges the
American government as far as he has
power to pledge it-and he pledges the
president alSO-tO extend Self-gOveru-
ment to the F'ilipinos as rapidly as
they show themselves fitted for it. The
great trouble about these utterances
and similar ones is that they are not
binding upon the government, and the
FflipinOs are constantly disturbed by
doubts and fears Both at Manila and
in the United States ridicuIe is often
/ cast upon the aspirations of the F'ilipi-
no people, and plans are made which
are inconsistent With ultimate indepen-
dence- The attempt on the part of the
commission to issue perpetual fran
/ chiseS is naturally. and 1 think rightly
! opposed by all FilipinOs. If our occU-
/ patton is to be temporary, why should
+ our legislation be permanent2 Why
/ bind the ward in perpetuity so that he
cannot control his own affairs when he
] reaches years of maturity What Is
needed is an immediate declaration OF
the nations purpose to recognize the
/ independence of the FilipinOs when a
| stable government is established. It is
| not necessary that a definite time shall
! be stated, nor is it important just when
! the F1lipinOs are to have their indepen-
| dence, as it is that the nations pur-
/ pose shall be made known in an
authoritative way and that the subse.
/ quent acts of our government shall be
/ in harmony with that declaration
| believe that a stable government can
! be established within a short time and
| that independence could be granted
with advantage to our government and
with safety to the FilipinOs within five
/ years at the fartheSt. But whether in
/ dependence is to be granted in five or
! ten or fifteen years or after a long
period, there should be no longer delay
about announcing a policy. I have
tried to impress upon the FilipfnOS the
necessity of leaving this question to
the people of the United States and
the Importance of proving in every
possible way, the virtues. the charac-
ter and the progress of the people:
have pointed out the folly of insurrec-
ton and the damage done to their
cause by resOrting to force of arms.
but / am equally anxious to impress
upon my own countrymen the import
ance of dealing frankly and fairly with
the FiliDinOs.
Candid Statement of Purpose Needed.
We have more at stake in this mat
ter than have the Filipinos. They still
have their national greatness TO
achieve; our position is already estab-
| llShed. We have the greatest republic
known to history; we are the foremost
champion of the doctrine of Self-gOv-
eminent and one of the leading expo
nentS of Christianity We can afford
aye, our honor requires us to be can
NAAd W III tic Il liAl J4llOS anu 10 take Inem
into our confidence We dare not make
them victims of commercial greed or
use their islands for purely selfish pur-
poses 1t is high time TO announce a
purpose that shall be righteous and
carry out that purpose by means that
shall be honorable.
In my next article I shall endeavOv
to elaborate plan which Will, in nv
| judgment, bring independence to the
Fflipinos, relieve us of the expense of
colonialism, secure every legitimate
advantage which could be expected
from permanent occupation of the
islands and, in addition, enable orr
ration to set the world an example in
dealing with tropical races.
Copyright. 1906, by Joseph B. Bowles
Copyright in Great Britain-AII rights