The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-22
Expensive---In Five Years, at Most, hide

meant that they wanted the protection
of laws made by the Spanish them
selves, do not know. If that is the
meaning of their demand, they must
be credited with understanding the inn
portance of principle to which some
Of our own public men seem to be
blind. The evil Of a colonial policy,
the gross injustice of it, arises largely
from the fact that the colony Is gov
erned by laws made for it, but not
binding upon the country which makes
the laws. The Mexican who does not
participate in the making of the laws
Of his country has at least the protee-
| ton Of living under laws which bind
! the makers as we'll as himself. So
with the Japanese who does not vote,
| the laws which he must obey must be
obeyed by those who do vote, and the
those VINO enjoy the franchise.
But under colonial system the sub
!ject must obey a law made for him
by one who is not himself subject to
| the law The distinction is so plain
that it ought to be apparent to anyone
upon a moment g thought.
It is objected that but small pro-
portion of the Filipinos are educated;
it may be answered that the number
of the educated is increasing every
day. The fact that the Filipinos sup
port the schools so enthusiastically,
| even when those schools are established
by outsiders, and when the teaching is
in a language strange to them, speaks
elouuently in. their behalf. Nor is this
a newborn zeal The Aguinaldo gov
eminent provided for public schools
and, cock-fghting being prohibited
cockpits were actually turned into
schoolhouses in some sections over
which the authority Of his government
extended.
| It is objected by some that the in,
telligent Filipinos would, under indie
pendence, use the instrumentalitles OF
government to tyrannize over the
masses. This is not a new argument;
it is always employed where an excuse
for outside interference is desired. but
there is no reason to believe that the
Filipinos would be less interested II
the people Of their own race and blooC
than are aliens whose salaries are suct
as to make it impossible for them tt
claim that they serve from purely altru
4 istic motives.
That those in power in Washington
|
mitted. unless those who speak for tn
administration intend gross deception
In his speech on the evening of Ria
day. December last, General Smith
one Of the Philippine commission an
head of the educational department
said: .- ...--
popular self government for tn
Philippines is the purpose Of both pee
pies. If either seeks to achieve it II
: | - h. - hn
is doomed to failure. If both work for
harmoniously, there is no reason VIII
it should not be accomplished. If it
accomplished, the history Of the Phi
g ippines will hold no brighter page tina
= Ithat which recites the struggle. of
= simple people to fit themselves for il
dependent government. If it Is accom-
:, plished, the fairest page in America
g history will be that which records tn
y creation Of new nation and the unse
! fish development Of an alien race:
; If this is not a promise OF ultimat
;, independence, what possible meanln
u can the language haves If the admin
L tration does not intend that the Fill
pinos shall some day be independent, Il
= representatives should not hold out tn
!. hope. ..a
But there is even higher authorit
: for the hope Of Independence. Whe
: the so.called 'tTaft party visited tt
8 Philippines last summer, Secretal
10 Taft made a speech in which
e assumed to speak for the presiden
n Referring to the presidents opinion,
e said: sfHe believes, as I believe, ar
q as do most Americans who have hs
9, great familiarity with. the facts, thu
d It is absolutely impossible to hope th'
: the lessons which it is the duty Of Il
$, United States to teach the whole F.
Il ipino people, can be learned by thel
as a body, in less than a generation
and that the probability is that it W;
= take longer period in which to rend
"a them capable Of establishing and mai