Amador ledger., 1907-08-16

any possible fear that the policy of
the philippines for the FiIIpinos"
would ever be endangered. The de-
velopment of Mindanao would use up
all the American energy that could
be introduced into the archipelago
for almost century, and by that
time the American government would
have fair idea Just how much of the
country the FIlipinos are capable OF
taking care of, and there will be no
excuse if they fail to make goud."
The Manila Lines is quoted as fol-
lows:
" We know only a few of the
American settlers in Mindanao. but
they evidently have bunch of hustl-
ers down there. They are of the kind
that pry the sun up of morning and
when the lark gets ready to Tilt his
lay have put in a good half days
work.
eli their scheme of territorial
government meets with approval, ard
on its face we see no reason why it
should be denied, it is likely to mean
that Mindanao will become the Mecca
of the energetic and enterprising
Americans who come to these Shores
All the opportunities of Luzon or
Leyte or Albay will be there with
few of their draw backs, and there will
be very few blanks in the lottery of
oriental exploitation. or, to use
more soothing term, development.
Town Topics favors the plan. 1t
says:
1--WE are altogether in sympathy
with the resolution adopted by the
Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce
touching the creation of that portion
of the Philippine Islands lying south
of the Surigao Straits intu a separ-
ate territorial form of government.
The ground for the presentation of
the memorial are sufficiently cogent
to call for immediate action by con-
gress. We are thoroughly in accord
with the reasons advanced and we
sincerely hope that the prayer of the
mortal will be granted"
The Manila Cablenews says:
'"The petition of the people of Min
danao for territorial government for
the islands south of the straits of
Snriago has something of the flavor of
the old days when the Americans we're
busy with the wilderness of the west.
The average citizen of the United
States is full of lighting courage-pro-
vidng he can see the stars and stripes
floating above him, and feel that the
land wrested from the desert is to he
his own. AS matter of fact, this
southern country has always been
separate from the Islands north of
the Straits. Spain never maintained
any sort of sovereignty there, but
confined her operations to the occupa
ton of few coast towns, for which
privilege she paid annual tribute to
the dattos. The petition says that
1.-THE native population of the Moro
country is very small, and conse-
quently imposes no obstacle to Amer
lean colonization" The smalIness of
the population may pass without dis
pute, but tine records will hardly
bear out the proposition that the
Moro opposes no obstacles to coIoni-
cation In totals, though the petit
tioners have the right of it, and the
Moro would in time either make an
energetic citizen or disappear from
the march nf progress, as have other
savage tribes before the industrial
arts of peace ''Ihere are at present
no satatistics at hand to indicate how
many American settlers have taken
root already on that fertile island.
But one thing is certain: there is a
more or less steady influx OF Amer
leans there going on at present. The
discharge of the quartermaster en-
ployees has added to that immigra-
ton. Men who have no funds of
their own are staked by Others So
that into the very heart of the island.
ranches are being opened up, planta-
tious being laid out. Even American
women have made their way to these
interior settlements and American
homes are being built, and vegetables
such as are grown in American gar
dens are tiouishing on soil that never
before was touched with the hoe.
"These facts point to but one result
for Mindanao. They indicate unmis.
takably that great island which has
been left practically a waste by Malay
and Spaniard for centuries is to be
colonized in these latter days by
Americans. 1t means also that while
the war department is building forts
and the navy is providing docks and
land Notifications for the better de-
Tense and the surer protection of
these islands in PAL ticular and Amer
lean rights in the east in general,
while the United States chooses to re-
main here these silent and unobtrus-
i've settlers on the island to the South
are building up sureI and more sub
stantial defense to American interests
in the Orient in the form of an Amer
lean colony, with American institu-
tions first hand, with American in
d1ctrioc with Aroorioo,, rpboro