The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-09

v
 changed The importation of coolie labor has practically ceased and there is now developing such q diversity In agricultural products as to make pos sible a change in the land conditions of the Territory so that an opportun- ity may be given tp the small land owner similar to that on the maln- land. To aid these changes the na- uonal government must provide the necessary harbor Improvements on each island. so that the agricultural products can be carried to the mar kets of the world, The coastWiso ship- ping laws should be amended to meet the special needs of the islands, and the alien contract labor law should be so modified in its application to EIa- wall as to enable American and Euro pean labor to be brought thither.
 We have begun to improve Pearl harbor for a naval base and to pro- vide the necessary military fortfica- tons for the protection of the islands, but l can not too strongly emphasize the need of appropriations for these purposes of such an amount as will within the shortest possible time make those islands practically impreenable, It Is useless to develop the industrial conditions of the islands and establish these bases of supply for our naval and merchant fleets unless we insure, as far as human ingenuity can their safe- ty from foreign seizure
 One thing to be remembered with all our Qualifications is that 1t Is almost useless to make them impregnable from the sea If they are left open to land attack This Is true even of our own coast, but 1t is doubly true of our insuar possessions. In Hawaii, for instance, it is worse than useless to establish naval station unless we es- tablish it behind Qualifications so strong that no landing force can take them save by regular and long con tinued siege operations
 The Philippines.
 Real progress toward self govern ment Is being made in the Philippine Islands. The gathering of a Philip pine legislative body and Philippine as- sembly marks a process absolutely new in Asia, not only as regards Asiatic colonies of European powers but as re- sards Asiatic possessions of other Asl- stic powers; and, indeed, always ex- cepting the striking and wonderful ex- ample afforded by the great Empire of Japan, it opens an entirely new de- parture when compared with anything which has happened among Asiatic powers which are their own masters, Hitherto this Philippine legislature has acted with moderation and self restraint and has seemed in practical fashion to realize the eternal truth that there must always be government, ar'l that the only way in which any body of individuals can escape the ne- cessity of being governed by outsiders Is to show that they are able to re- strain themselves, to keep down wrong doing and disorder The Filipino peo- pie. through their officials, are there fore making real steps in the direction of government I hope and believe that these steps mark the beginning of course which will continue till the Filipinos become nt to decide for them- selves whether they desire to be an in- dependent nation. But if Is well for them (and well also for those Ameri- cans who during the past decade have done so much damage to the Filpinoe hy agitation for an immediate inde- pendence for which they were totally unhD to remember that self-govern- ment depends, and must dNncnd. upon the Fiipnos themselves All we can do Is 10 gIve them the opportunity 10 develop the capacity for self-govern- ment If we had followed the advice of the foolish doctrlnaireS who wished US at any time during the last ten years to turn the Filipino people adrift, we should have shlrked the plainest possible duty and have inflicted last ing wrong upon the Filipino people, We have acted in exactly the opposite spir- It We have given the Flliinos constl- tutional government; a government based upon justice; and we have shown trat we have governed them for their gcod and not for our aggrandizement. ht the present time, as during the past ten years. the inexorable logic of facts shows that this government must be supplied by us and not by them We must he wise and generous. we must help the Fiipinos to master the difl- cult art of sclf-control, which Is sim ply another name for elf-governmcnt. But we can not give them self-govern- ment save In the sense of governing them so that gradually they may. fl they are able, learn to govern them selves. Under the present system of just laws and" sympathetic administra ton, we have every reason to believe that they are gradually acquiring the character which Hes at tho basis of self-government, and for which, if fl 'be lacking, no system of laws, no pa per constitution, will In any wise serve as a substitute. Our people in the Philippines have achieved what may legitimately he called a marvellous sue cess in giving to them government which marks on the part of those ip authority both the necessary under standing of the people and the neces- sary purpose to serve them disinterest edly and in good faith. I trust that within a generation the time will ar- rive when the Philippines can decide for themselves whether it Is well for them to become Independent, or to con tinue under tho protection of a strong and disinterested power, able to guar antee to tho islands order al home and protection from foreign invasion But no ono can prophecy the eyaot date