The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-08-09
America in the Philippines
VIlI.-AooPTINe THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
BY Frederic }. Haskin.

ciple of partnership as contrasted with
domination"
That there has recently been in evi-
dence a certain amount Of opposition 10
the adoption Of English is the natural re-
suit OF the activities of demagoglc NJ
Pine politicians OF the 'ilustrada class
These agitatoTs talk Of immediate ihue-
pendence and urge the useiessness OF
learning the language OF the AHleI-
iCanO.' As a matter Of fact, II the amer
leans were 70 withdraw immediately alteT
having made English the common lam
guage the Filipinos would be m posses
sion of a valuable asset. spanish mas
never been their language, and, II learned
would never be as useful to them as Eng
Hsh in communication with other nations.
That there has recently been q failing
off ia the interest Of adult Fllplnos IN
English is pointed to as an evidence OF
the uncOnqu s~able dislike Of the islanders
for the Americans, and an Illuminating
demonstration of the FilipinOs total lack
of gratitude. But the bureau OF educa-
ton insists that this condition IS closely
related 10 the failure of the insuldf gov
eminent to provide sufficient funds 10
keep open the night schools established
five years ago IN the large towns IN the
archipelago. As the Manila night schools
still remaining open are well patronized'
The bureau of education seems TO nave
the better of the argument The post
pOnement until 1911 OF the adoption OF
English as the official language of the
familiarity Of a number of lawyers with
English. also had its effect in lessening
the interest of the older Filipinos.
Some interesting and unlocked FOR re
suits have followed the effort to give
the FilipinOs a language that viii promote
their prosperity and cause the upgroWth
of their national spirit. There is, for cX-
ample, q stimulated interest in Spanish.
Discussion of educational projects have
paved the way for the opening of many
private schools. and in these Institutions
Spanish is usually taught It is stated
By persons in q position to know that
there are more Spanish speaking natives
than there were ten years ago. As
knowledge OF the two languages is use
ful TO persons IN commercial work "a
the islands, as well as valuable to any
enc aiming at scholarly attainments, the
American educators are delighted to OBJ
serve the growth of this bl-product Of
their industry
There has sprung up recently. especially
in political circles, an interest in the pre-
servatiOn of native dialects. Few Fill
pinos. even the most erudite and the most
sentimental. advocate the retention of ali
of them, but a number of native tongues
have their champions in the forum. One
asSembiyman has gene so Tar as to in
trO0uce q bill providing that the language
of each tribe should be taught in the
schools within the scope Of its present
employment The Joker" in the bin was
a clause giving municipalities the power
to decide what language should be
taught As this might have resulted in
the abandonment of English in some
provinces, the bill was not passed
II has been proposed that Tagalog
should be made the Philippine language.
The idea is chimerical. I'm view of the
fact that only about % ner cent of the
Christian natives speak TagalOg, and the
pride of the various tribes would prOba-
bly, arouse fierce opposition If an at
tempt were made TO extend this Ian
guage throughout the archipelago.
AS the nrnha hfH1Fz- 81 fha me- f,-r- ~f
eighty-fOur tribes agreeing to talk Taga-
log is about as remote as the prObabil-
ity Of the BOntoc IgorOtes becoming Mo
hammedan MOr0s. or Christian Visavans
adopting the language and customs of the
savage NegritOs. the only opportunity for
the many peoples of the archipelago to
become one, and to build up a national
strength based upon internal peace and a
common desire for DEVELOPMENT. is to
adopt a foreign language. English is the
best suited to their need. and IL is the
only hngua franco that anyone has pro-
Vided. While FiNpinOs in politics insist
upon early independence. their class
alone attempts to stand In the wav of the
requirement of English throughout the
Philippines.
But for the fact that the members of
the present Philippine assembly have
Spanish as a common language, il would
be impossible for the assembly to trans
act business, and therefore impossible for
II TO exist The aSSemblymen are of the
small illustrious" class who owe their
illustriousness in no small measure to the
TACT that they possess what America IS
now trying TO give to the whole Filipino
people, regardless of race. color or pre-
vious condition Of servitude." The ell
lustrious' politician who protests against
the adoption of English is, therefore, I'm
queer position as a patriot. AS an ad-
vocate of independence he stultifies him
self completely.
TomOrrow-Americ7 in the PbiliDDines
lX--Great Agricultural Resources.