The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-08
THE PHILIPPINES.
Making Progress, but Not Yet Fit
ted For Self Government.

Real progress toward 20 govern
ment is being made III the Philippine
Islands. The gathering Of n Philippine
legislative body and Philippine assem-
bly, marks process absolutely new in
Asia, not only as regards Asiatic colo
MES of European powers, but as re-
CARDS Asiatic possessions of other Ash
attic 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 re-
straint and has seemed in practical
fashion to realize the eternal truth
that there must always be government
and 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
wrongdoing and disorder. The Filipi-
no people. through their officials, are
therefore making real steps In the d.
rectior of self government / hope
and believe that these steps mark the
beginning of course which will con-
tinue till the Filipinos became fit to
decide for themselves whether they
desire TO be an independent nation.
But 1t Is we'll for them, and well also
for those Americans who during the
past decade have done so much dam
age to the Filipinos by agitation for
an immediate independence for which
they were totally unfit, to remember
that self government depends and
must depend upon the Filipinos them
selves. All we can do is to give them
the opportunity to develop the capaci-
ty for self government. If we had fol-
lowed the advice of the foolish doc
trinaireS who wished US at any time
during the last ten years to turn the
Filipino people adrift we should have
shirked the plainest possible duty and
have inflicted a lasting wrong upon
the Filipino people. We have acted in
exactly the opposite spirit. We have
given the Filipinos constitutional gov
eminent. a government based upon
justice, and we have shown that we
have governed them for their good and
not for our aggrandizement.
AT the present time as during the
past ten years, the memorable logic Of
facts shows that this government must
be supplied by us and not by them
We must be wise and generous. We
must help the Filipinos to master the
difficult art of self control. which is
simply another name for self govern.
ment. But we cannot give them self
government save in the sense Of gov
erning them so that gradually thew
| may, II they are able. learn to govern
! themselves. Under the present system
of just laws and sympathetic admin
istration we have every reason to be-
lieve that they are gradually acquiring
( the character which lies at the basis Of
self government and for which. II II
be lacking, no system of laws, no pa
| per constitution, will IN any wise serve
as substitute. Our people In tho
HA'APPii'SS navy sitHlcNGu NDHt nav
legitimately be called a marvellous sue
cess in giving to them a government
which marks on the part of those in
authority both the necessary under
standing of the people and the neces-
sary purpose to serve them disinter-
estedly and in good faith trust that
within a generation the time will ar
rive when the Philippines can decide
Tor themselves whether it is well for
them to become independent or to con.
anue under the protection of a strong
and disinterested power, able to guar.
intee to the islands order at home and
protection from foreign invasion. But
no one can prophesy the exact date
when 1t will be wise to consider In.