The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-12-11
eminent, and that the only way in

eminent, and hat the only way fl
which any body of individuals can es,
cape the necessity of being governed
by outsiders is to show that they ar,
able TO restrain themselves. to keeI
Town "~rongdoins and disorder. TIL,
fll1plno people. through their officials
are therefore making real steps in tn,
direction Of self-gOVernment. \ mop,
ana believe that these steps mark thu
beginning of a course which will con
tlnuo till the Filipinos become fit tt
utcide Tor themselves whether they de.
sire to be an Independent nation. Rut
1t is we'll for them (and well also fol
tloSc Americans who during the pas
decade have done SO much damage t.
the t1iliplnos by agitation for an i'm
mediate independence for which they
were totally unfit to remember tbs
Self-gOVernmcnt depends. n must
depend upon the Filipinos themselves
All we can do is to give them the op
p~ortunity to develop the capacity for
self government. If We had followed
the advice of the foolish doctrinarieS
VINO wished us at any time during the
last ten years to turn the Filipino pro-
pie adrift, We should have shirked the
plalnest possible duty and have in
llcted a lasting wrong upon the Fill
Pine people. We have acted in ex-
actly the opposite spirit. We have
given the Filipinos constitutional
a government based up
on justice: and we have shown that
we have governed them for their good
and not for our ACKNOWLEDGMENT
At the present time, as during the
past ten years, the ineXorahle logic
or facts shows that this government
must be supplied by us and not by
them. We must be wise and generous;
we must help the F%ilipinos to master
the difficult art of self-control, which
Is simply another name for self
efnm"ht. But we cannO give them
self government save in the sense OF
governing them so that gradually they
may. If they are able. learn to govern
themselves. Under the present system
or just laws and sympathetic admins
tratlon. We haV" every reason to be
l1eNe that they are gradually acuuir-
ing the character which lies at the
basis of self-goyrrnment. and for
which, II it be lacking. no system of
laws, no paper constitution. will in
any wise serve as a substitute. our
people IN the Philippines have achiev-
ed what may legitimately be called a
marvellous success in giving to them a
government which marks on the part
OF those in authority both the neces-
sary understanding Of the people and
the necessary purpose to serve them
hlslnterestedly and in good faith.
trust that within a generation the time
viii arrive when the Philippines can
decide for themselves whether il is
well Tor them to become independent
or 10 continue under the protection
or a strong and disinterested power.
able to guarantee to the islands order
It nome and protection from foreign
invasion. Eut no one can prophesy
the exact date when IL will ho ,.;~.
to consider independence as a fixed
and DEFINITE policy. 1t would be wors.
than oily to try to set down such a
date IN advance. for it must depend
the way in which the Philippine
people themselves develop the power
self-mastery.
Porto Rico.
| again recommend tina American
be conferred upon the peo-
pie of Porto Rico.
Cuba.
IN CUBA our occupancy will cease in
ABOUT TWO months time; the Cuban
nave In orderly manner elected their
own governmental authorities, and the
island will be turned over to them.
Our occupancy on this occasion has
a little over two years. and
Cuha mas thr1ven and prospered under !
IL. our earnest hope and one desire
is that the people of the island shall
now govern themselves with Justice
so that peace and order may be secure.
we VIII gladly help them to this md;
out l would solennly warn them to
the great truth that the only
way a people can permanently avoid
being governed from without is to
show that they both can and will
govern themselves from within.
The Army.
AS regards the army | call attention
o the fact that while our junior Of
icers and enlisted men stand very
the present system of promotion
~ seniority result in bringing into
ne hlgher grades many men of medi-
'cre capacity who have but a short
me 10 serve. NC man should regard
I as ms vested right to rise to the
highest rank in the army any more
hahn in any other profession. 1t Is
curious and by no means creditable
that there o be so often a
allure on the part of the public and
ts preventative to understand thc
.feat need. from the standpoint of the
and the nation. of refusing to
respectable. elderly incompe-
ehts. n higher places should he
wen 10 the most deserving men with
W regard TO seniority: at least semi
''NS '''ttiH Wv ifdltu as OnlV on,
.ohslderation In the stress Of modern
lcuStrlal competition no business firm,
ould succeed if those responsible for
s management were chosen sirnlv
n the ground that they were tho old
st people in its employment; vet thi.
the course advocated as regards th.
rmy, and required by law for al
rades except those of general officer,
9 a matter of fact. all OF the best {
f1cers in the highest ranks of the /
are those who have attained I
heir present position wholly or in
by a process of selection. {
The scope Of retiring boards should
e extended so that they could con 2
der general unfitness to command TO- 6
ny cause, In order to secure a far 8
'ore rigid enforcement thar at present {
the elimination Of officers for mental :
MYSTICAL or te~mperamental disabilities n
ut this plan is recommended ONLY r. A
le congress does not see fit to pro- +
de what in my judgement is far her I
r: that is, for selection in promotion a
nd for elimination for age. Officers n
fail to attain a certain rank nv > a.
'rtain age should be retired-for in d
alice, II a man should not attain g,