Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1908-12-10

able to- restrain themselves, to keep
down wrongdOing and disorder. Tn:
Filipino people. through their ofIicials.
are therefore making real steps In the
direction Of self government. 1 nope
and believe that these steps mark the
beginning Of q course which will coi,-
tinue till the F'ilipinos become At to
decide for themselves whether they de-
sire to be an Independent nation. But
Il 10 well for them (and well also for
those Americans who during the past
decade have done 30 much damage to
mediate Independence Tor which they
were totally unit to remember that
eelf- government depends. and must
depend. upon the Filipinos themselves.
All we can do In to give them the OPP
p0rtunity to develop the capacity for
self-government. II we had followed
the advice Of the foolish doctrinaries
who wished US at any time during the
est ten years to turn the Filipino peo-
s'ainest possible duty and have in
fitted lasting wrong upon the Fill
pinO people. We have acted in ex-
actly the opposite spirit. We have
given the Filipinos constitutional
government: government based up
on Justice; and we have shown that
we have governed them for their good
anu utOI lVr OOT OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
At the present time. as during the
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 difiicult art of self-control, which
IL simply another name for self gov
eminent. But we cannot give them
self government save in the sense OF
governing them SO that gradually they
may. II they are able. learn to govern
themselves. Under the present system
OF just laws and sympathetic admins
tratton. we have every reason to be-
lteve that they are gradually acquir-
Ing the character which lies at the
basis of government, and for
which, II 1t 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 OH the part
OF those in authority both the noces-
sary understanding OF the people and
the necessary purpose 20 serve them
disinterestcdly and in good faith. /
trust that within generation the time
will arrive when the Philippines can
~
well for them to become independent
or to continue under the protection
Of strong and disinterested power,
able to guarantee 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 independence az a fixed
and definite policy. 1t would be worse
than folly to try to set down such a
date in advance. for 1t must depend
upon the way in which the Philippine
people themselves develop the power
Of self mastery.
Porto Rico.
I again recommend that American
citizenship be conferred upon the peo-
pie Of Porto RICO:
In Cuba our occupancy will cease in
about two months time: the Cubans
have In orderly manner elected their
own gevrnmental authorities, and the
island will be turned over to them
Our occupancy on this occasion has
lasted . little over two years. and
Cuba has thriven and prospered undel
\ It. Our earnest hope and one desir.
is that the people of the island shall
now severn themselves with justice
SO that peace and order may be secure
We will gladly help them to this end
but ! would s0lemnly warn them t.
remember the great truth that the onl,
way people can permanently avoit
being governed from without Is Il
show, that they both can and vii
govern Themselves from within.
Tire Army.
/ AS regards the army call attentio,
to the fact that while our Junior Of
ficers and enlisted men stand yer,
high, the present system of promotion
\ by seniority results in bringing int.
the higher grades many men Of medi
Ocre capacity who have but shor
time to serve. No man should REGARD
| u as his vested right to rise to tn,
/ highest rank in the army any NOR,
thafn In any other profession. II Il
q curious and by no means creditabl,
fact that there should be 30 often
failure on the part Of the public an.
Its representatives to understand tn,
great need. from the standpoint of tn
service and the nation. of REFUSING I,
promote respectable. elderly incoMpe
tents. The higher places should b.
given to the most deserving men with
out regard to seniority: at least semi
oritk should be treated as only on
confederation In the stress Of moderl
industrial competition no business FRI,
could succeed II those responsible 70
its management were chosen simpl,
on the ground that they were the old
est people In its employment; yet thi
is the colrsa advocated as regards tn
army. and required by law for al
grades except those OF general Officer
AZ a matter of fact. all Of the bes
omcers In the highest ranks Of tn
army are those who have attaine
their present position wholly or Il
part by process Of selection.
The scope Of retiring boards shout
be extended go that they could con
slider general unfitness to command 70
any cause. in order to secure a fs
more rigid enforcement fho,, Of ,,ro....,