The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-13
America in The Philippines
XIII AMERICAN PHILIPPINES POLICY


Americans think with improper arro-
gance-and he looks the American or
any other man straight in the eye
without finching.
The Filipinos are thoroughly imbued
with patriotic nationalism. and they do
not love the Americans. 1t will re-
quire at least one new generation be.
fore gratitude will wipe out the men,
DRY of the recent clash of arms. The
conditional promise of independence
conveyed to them in many ways from
the American Government results In
more or less constant agitation. When
this agitation Is permitted to pass I'M
rebuked as It always is unless there
is Indictment to violence. the Filipino
Is astonished.
The ordinary Filipino regards the
Government as his natural enemy. I'm
til the Americans came II was SO. and
he hasn't had time yet to grasp the
American idea. Therefore when a pol
itician comes along and makes a rad
ical speech, demanding immediate in
dependence his auditors look upon him
as something Of hero. In the Span
ish days. as they know full well. he
would have paid the penalty of his life
for such utterances When the Amer.
lean Government does nothing, the nat
ural conclusion Is that the Americans
are too weak or too timid to enforce
IL.
taking kindness for fear is not TO be
easily eradicated from the minds OF a
people having no memory Of govern
ment except as a cruel tyranny.
Despite this din1culty, and the con-
slant agitation of the Filipinos, despite
the determined opposition of a certain
class OF Americans in the islands who
insisted upon retaining the full powers
of a conquering nation, and despite
much hasty and unwarranted prejudice
at home, the Americans in the islands
kept on with their policy OF a govern
ment of the Filipinos by Americans and
Filipinos, for Filipinos.
Consequently Filipinos hold the great
majority of the administrative oflces
In the islands, they have a majority OF
| the judges of every bench except that
of the Supreme Court, where they have
| three out of four, and they have en-
tire control Of the lower house OF the
Legislature with a respectable minor
ity in the upper house.
The great diplomatic stroke of the
whole experiment was the establish
ment of the Assembly. Being entirely
| Filipino, elected by the people, and
having no responsibility to the Ameri-
| cans in any way the Assembly Is made
| TO share in every positive act of the
government. Nearly all the politicians
| Of influence are either members of the
ship. They cannot adversely criticize
| the administration in the islands with
out rejecting upon their own body. As
| part and parcel of the government, the
| AssembIymen are forced to defend the
| administration. AS nearly every i'm
portant measure was passed with prac-
| teal unanimity, and without party
strife. the entire assembly Is thus held
in pledge.
Among the people, also, this division
of responsibility has Its effect. In
stead Of asking why the Americans do
not do thus and so, they ask why the
Assembly doesn't act. The people
write letters to the Assemb1ymen rath-
err than to the American commission
ers. In this condition lies the begin
ming of the end of opposition to Amer
lean rule, and the promise of the ulti-
mate success OF the American theory of
colonial government.
This theory Is attacked by two
classes OF Americans in the islands.
One is that element in the army which
regrets the abrogation of the military
government. The other 10 composed Of
that class Of Americans who, as bust
ness men, wish to exploit the Islands.
or those American politicians who de-
sire control of the ofices for Ameri-
cans. Fortunately this class is not
very large and. even more fortunately,