The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-10-21
PHILIPPINE POLICIES,
Discussed by Presidential Can
didates In Magazine Articles.

Absence OF a Protectorate - Mr..
Bryan Says Our Policy Regarding
the Islands Should Be Announced.
Naturalization of Islands.
New York, Oct. 2O.-The two presi-
dental candidates, William II. Taft
and William j. Bryan, appear as Joint
contributors in the issue of Every
body's Magazine to be published to-
day in articles dealing with the Phil
ippines. Mr.. Taft has for his text
What the United States has done for
the Philippines and Mr.. Bryan dis
cussed "Why the Philippines Should
be independent"
In opening his discussion of the sub
ject Mr.. Taft declares that after the
treaty Of Paris was ratified the ques-
tion as to the wisdom of the acquisi-
tion of the islands no longer was an
open one. There could be no differ
ence thereafter, he argues, as to the
extent Of our obligations to the Phil
ippine people.
Party Lines Were Not Drawn.
Party lines were not drawn in the
senate when the vote was taken on
the question of the ratification of the
treaty" adds Mr. Taft. "The senator's
voting evidently dealt with the sub
iect from a purely non-partisan stand
point and as involving a great ques-
ton of national policy, as they should
have done. Democrats were found
voting for the treaty and Republicans
against 1t, and vice versa Mr.. Bryan
appeared at the Capitol and was in
conference with doubling and oppos-
ing Democratic senators, urging them
to vote for the ratification Of the
treaty; and it does not admit of doubt
that but for his efforts and influence
the treaty would have been rejected"
That these circumstances led Mr..
Mckinley to make the commission
which was to establish civil govern
ment In the islands non-partisan is
Mr.. Tafts conclusion and he goes on
to say that mo consideration of par
tisan politics at any time entered into
the question of appointing the numer-
Gus officials and employees of the gov
ernment. There were perhaps as
many Democrats as Republicans thus
appointed. This policy has never been
departed from, and today the governor
general Of the Philippine islands is a
lifelong Democrat.
"The undertaking policy of the COM
mission, however, has been, as fast as
vacancies occurred which could be
filled by Filipinos as well as by Ameri-
cans, to give the former the prefer
ence. As result Of this policy today
three members of the supreme court
of the islands are Filipinos. The at
torney general Of the islands Is Fill
pino. Fully half of the judges of the
courts Of first instance are Fillpinos.
The governors of provinces and a ma
jority of the provincial boards are Fill
pinos. All of the municipal officials
and at least So per cent of the off,
cials and employees of the insular gov
ernment are Filipinos"
Then the establishment of the Fill
pino government to take the place of
the commission created by the presi-
dent and the Inauguration of the pop
ular assembly year ago is described.
"In the light Of these undisputed
facts" declares Mr.. Taft, II Is difficult
TO understand how the action OF the
chief executive, the congress Of the
United States and the commission as
above set forth can be denominated a
disastrous experiment In Imperialism.
$50 far from its being an expert
ment in Imperialism, It is an expert
ment, and a novel one, In preparing
for self.government an undeveloped
people who had for nearly four hun
dred years been under the domination
OF medieval monarchy"
Mr.. Bryan's Article.
Mr. Bryan thus begins his article:
Honesty requires that our policy
regarding the Philippine islands be an
nounced. The Filipinos have a right
to know; other nations are entitled to
the information, and our own position
would be strengthened by a declara-
tion of the nations purpose.
80 long as there is doubt there will
be discussion; so long as there is un
uncertainty the Filipinos will suspect
the worst, other nations will accuse
us of inEincerity, and our own peo-
pie will be embarrassed in the advo-
cacy of the principles of government
which we apply here and refuse to ap-
ply in the Philippines.
"a republic cannot hold colonies,
for a colonial government rests upon
force, while in q republic the gov
ernment rests upon the consent of
the governed. To say that the Fill
ipinos have no right to voice in their
own government and in the shaping of
their own destiny raises a question as
to mans inalienabe rights, and the
citizens OF free country cannot ar
ford to raise such a question"
Mr.. Bryan tersely says then that i'm
provement in the islands does not
mean that a better policy might not
have brought greater Improvement.
He declares the experiment in i'm
perialism TO have been an expensive
one and he charges the increase in
army and navy expenditures to nothing
that has happened in the United
States to make them necessary but to
the foreign dangers connected with
tho noscpseinn of tha phi1inninps
Mr.. Bryan protests that the Dem
ocratic policy does not contemplate
Immediate withdrawal from the Is,