The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-07-16
PHILIPPINE NATURALIZATION.

gnats ana making mountains Of mole |
PHILIPPINE NATURALIZATION.
What shall We do with the Philipplnesi
Like Banouo's ghost. that question will
not down. During this generation no
question OF profounder interest has en-
gagged the attention Of the American peo-
pie. The great struggle for the Presi-
dency in $50 ragged around that question
as paramount issue The Democrats con-
tended, for reasons with which the coun-
try Is familiar, that Independence should
be granted to the Filipinos. reserving GER
tain important privileges and rights to
this country. What the Republicans stood
for In that campaign has never been
clearly or definitely known. About ell we
know Is that they opposed the Democratic
policy. and even now no man can tell
what their ultimate policy Is with regard
to the islands and their people. Nothing
serves better to illustrate the incompe-
tency Of the Republican party as con-
csion and uncertainty with which II sur
rounds this question. In fact, II has no
policy; II Is simply drifting like a rud-
derless ship. True, an insular government
has been established. education promoted.
sanitary conditions improved. and indus
trial enterprises In small way encour-
aged. But all that relates to current and
necessary administration. As long as we
retain jurisdiction we must administer
make is that the Republican party has
never definitely declared an ultimate pol
| Icy with respect to the islands There Is
no conoensus OF opinion among the Re
publican leaders on the subject: on the
vided. Secretary Taft has declared that
| the United States should retain jurlsdic-
| ton over the islands at least until the
rising generation shall be old enough to
direct their destiny. He leaves the I'm.
period the question Of philippine auton-
omy may be considered. Other eminent
Republicans, like Senator Hale of Maine.
are anxious to sever our political connec-
ton with them as speedily as possible
The Chicago convention of last month did
not outline or foreshadow policy for the
party. All the platform says on the sub
ject Is that Instruction has been sup
pressed. law established. life and prop
practical experience are advancing the
capacity Of the people for government
That. however, at the best, Is only a
declaration Of things done. The aggre-
gated wisdom Of the Republican party,
massed in the Chicago convention, was
unable to go farther or do better. than
that. Upon the all-important question OF
the ultimate disposition Of the islands,
the convention was silent. assert with
out fear that the Republican, party ss is Is
/
are simply drifting. Nevertheless, the
question Is ever present: what shall we
do with the islandsT'
visited the Philippines In 1907. trav-
eled over and became fairly familiar with
them from personal observation. They
are beautiful islands, with great natural
resources. The bulk of the population,
the Filipinos, are an amiable, Intelligent,
Christian people, In whose hearts burn
the fires Of an intense patriotism. In
| nf tho Islands there triOaS.
more or less numerous, who are primitive
and half-civllized. But the great majori-
ty of the natives, the Fflipinos proper
are, as have said, not only civilized,
turies They are the Christian people OF
moment In all the Orient / do not hest
tate to affirm that the average or intel
ligence among the Fillpinos Is superior &c
that of the people Of Cuba. and equal &c
countries to the south. The Chief Justice
of the Philippine Supreme Court Is a ma.
tive Filipino, and / was told by some OF
his American associates on the bench
and by the Goyernor-General OF tnt
range of learning. as we'll as In native
force and ability, he would grace the Su
preme Court Of the United States. Thu
Attorney General Is a Filipino, and l!
have ever met. There are several ma
tives on the Supreme bench, and ma
jority of the trial judges are also Fill
pinos. The provincial governments, AM
the governments of the large municipali
ties outside Of Manila, are administers.
governors mayors and other publ
officials, and conduct their own publ
. affairs with fine intelligence and high IN
tegrity. They have successful bankers
/, | the learned professions areA edorned. %.
many men Of high repute. Xpat tines
PEOPLE aTel qualified for se1&agov1 D@en.ss ),
that government modstU1 49, ouv
/ would be best suited to their condition
and temperament, but neithe/ would 1t b
| to the Japanese or to otherSswho success
fully maintain governments Of their owl
: What they most desire above all othe
things Is national independence. Upo
that proposition there Is practical una
nimity. We are holding these people
capable of establishing and administerin
, impatient desire for such a government
| subject to our Jurisdiction against thei
will and protest. The present status o
! the islands is so anomalous as to b
, and yet not definite part Of our terri
tory. We govern the people, but they d
not enjoy the privileges of American clti
zens. They are neither home folks no
foreigners. neither domestic nor alien
years. am opposed to holding thes
Islands in this way, and opposed to thi
policy of non-action. Those people hav
some rights in the sight Of Heaven an,
Of honest men, and we ought to Civ
know what we mean ourselves to do. I
we intend to hold them forever In thu
grasp of our stronger hand. then W,
ought to say so and end the agony. nee(
not say that for US to do that would b
a crime against our own institutions, ou
own ideals, and all the high things W,
have stood for before the world. More
over, as mere vulgar proposition o.
commercial investment, It would be :
do? My countrymen, what We ought t.
do is to fix definite date for granting
Independence to the Filipinos, and then
as a part Of the scheme, open negotiations
with the leading powers Of Europe ant
Independence Of the islands shall be as
sured by making them neutral territory,
not open to the occupation OF any otheI
nation, as the independence Of Switzer:
have no kind of doubt that the leading
powers, including Japan. would willingly
enter into conventions Of that character
Such treaties would remove all fear OF
the United States had Withdrawn. We
ought to declare for some definite and
humane policy Of that character and
promptly inaugurate the work Of bring
Ing 1t about. But the Republican party,
as now organized, IL incapable Of dealing
with the question. Its utter failure to
deal with It intelligently demonstrates its
incapacity. II the American people want
to grant to the Filipinos the boon Of lib
erty for which they 30 devoutly pray,
the work Of developing q policy to that
end must be entrusted to some other par
ty. To have liberated these generous
and gentle people from Spanish thraldom,
to have helped them along for years al
enormous expense. to have established
! schools and aided them to promote indus
trial Development, and then finally to
crown them with the high dignity Of ma
donal Independence, with protectinl
shields around them. would, all In all,
constitute one Of the most glorious chap.
tiers In the history Of men. II would lift
| iiCht among the nations OF the world.
And now I close this subject by quoting
q significant statement made by Presi-
dent Dias Of Mexico In March last to
| Pearson's Magazine:
/ -lv~>- a..