Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-19
ROOSEVELT UPHOlDS
OUR ATTITUDE TO
PHILIPPINES
Says United States Has AC.
COmpliShed Great Work
In Taking Care of ISL
and People
COMPARES OUR WORK
TO THE OTHER NATIONS

Washington, ID. c., Jan. 19.-Pres-
ident Roosevelt was the principal
speaker at the celebration of the
American diamond jubilee of the
Methodist Episcopal church here last
night. The president reviewed the
missionary work done by the nations,
paying special attention to Africa,
and In the course of his speech took
occasion to uphold the attitude OF his
administration With regard to the
Philippines.
He pointed out the work accom-
plished by the English and Dutch in
Java and India; the Russians in
Turkestan; the French in Algiers;
the Germans in southwest and east
Africa, and finally took up the case
OF the United States in the Philip
pines. He said in part:
FINALLY, take our own experience
in the Philippines. Spain finally lost
power to be of benefit to the islands;
but do not forget that Spain accom-
plished very, very much for them
during more than two centuries; and
that the islands owe their present
possibilities TO the fact that the Span
Iards took possession of them. Then
we came in. | am sure that when
International history Is written. from
the standpoint Of acclaiming interna-
tionai justice, one chapter will tell
with heartiest praise what our people
have done in the Philippines. Ex-
actly as in the caribbean Sea we have
cndcavored TO give genuine and dis
interested help to the Independent
peoples of Cuba and San Domingo,
50, in the same spirit-though the
task is of quite different character
We are endeavoring to educate and
train the native faces under our SOW
ercignty In the Philippines
"ln our treatment of the Filipinos
We have acted up to the highest
standard that has yet been set as
marking the proper way in which a
! owerful nation should treat weak
er people. Cuba We are at this mo-
ment leaving for the second time, to
work out destiny which we now
hope and believe will be one of sta
BILE and orderly independence and
/ Irosperity. In the Philippines we
are constantly giving an increasing
measure Of lf-goyernmcnt. OF
course, I'm one sense OF the word self
government can never be bestowed
upon any people 1t must be achiev- .
ed by themselves. 1t means in this
sense primarily self-control. self-re-
5traint and If those qualities do not
aXist-that is, IL the people are un-
D Bile to govern Reconsideration, as
here must be government some
u here, it has to come from outside.
But We are constantly giving to the
eople Of the Philippines an increas-
ng share in, an increasing opportu-
iity to learn by practice, the difficult
irt Of self-govcrnment.
If We had abandoned them at the
'utset to their own devices if we
rad shirked our duty and sailed out
# the islands, leaving them i'm a
bloody weltcr Of confusion, the chief
ufferers would have been the Phil
ppine people themselves. We are
cading them forward steadily i'm the
light direction, and We are doing IL
BECAUSE our people at home desire
hat they shall be treated right, and
BECAUSE our people i'm the islands. i'm
he civil government, in the army.
nd among the missionary repre-
cntatiyes OF the various crecds work
primarily for the advancement Of
he people among whom they dwell.
II believe that ] am speaking
With historic accuracy and impair
iality when l say that the Amer
can treatment OF and attitude To-
Yard the Filipino people I'm its COM
'ination of disintarested ethical pur-
.ose and sound common sense. marks
new and long stride forward I'm
dvancc Of all steps that have hith-
rto been taken. along the path of
wise and proper treatment OF weaker
~ stronger races"