The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-15

pfre to national inoepenuence. Ahs is not an unnatural aspiration on the part of any people, it has been known as '.patriotism" In some countries, ana even in the Filipinos 1t is not altogeth- CT wicked. This natural as piration has fed on rich food from Washington. The party which has been in power in the United States ever since the Philip pines came into American possession has repeatedly assured the Filipinos that they would be given independ- ence as soon as they were fitted for H. The party in opposition has lost no op- portunity to demand the immediate in- dependence of the islands. Individual Americans assert that the flag will never be hauled down in the Philip pines. but their word counts for little with the Filipinos. in view of the re- peated assurances from the govern ment and continual agitation by the opposition party leaders.
 Therefore. on the tongue of the Ell fpino, no matter what doubts may lin- ger in his brain, there Is but one ques- ton concerning independence, and that question is: When? The Americans were fit for popular self-government. The Filipino of the educated and polit- teal class neglected to put proper stress on the word popular" in that phrase. Therefore the time came when he ap- preached the Americans, presented a list of "ilustrados" which proved that there were twice as many ulustrious and educated Filipinos as there were ofIices in the government. so that there would be two full sets of officers. They represented that the educated ruling class made up 10 per cent of the popu- lation, and that 90 per cent of subject and working classes was about the right proportion for prosperous rs- public.
 The illustrates" were not a little shocked when the Americans. pointed out the fact that popular self-govern- ment" meant self-government by the whole people, not by 10 per cent class. They were told that they must walt until practically the entire popu- of being able to take an intelligent interest in the government This. in the language of MT. Taft cannot be ac- complished in one generation.
 Thereupon the politicians were dis appointed, and began to murmur. "In- dependence." according to their notion, twill not be worth having unless we are permitted to run things our own way. If we must consult the wishes of all the common people. what is the useT'
 At the same time the common people are going to school They are listening for the first time to a strange political doctrine. one never before preached in the Orient--a doctrine which declares that the government belongs to the whole people and should exert it's forces in their behalf and for their upbuilding, not against them and for their exploitation. They have always looked upon the government as an en- tity expressing robbery Tn It's sublim- ct but gave them nothing In return. Now comes another government which gives them schools, which teaches them to avoid disease, which lightens their taxes. which gives them roads and enables them to obtain carts to use on the roads. And the government is all the time telling them that it is work ing in their interest, for the benefit of the poor tao" and that it no longer belongs solely to the illustrious few.
 When the time comes that this great common people, the 90 per cent, must make choice, 1t may be found that they are willing to retain a practical inde- pendence under the American flag, ra- their than to ask for a nominal inde- pendence under their own flag, with the 10 per cent politicians-at the helm.
 Tn the meantime, the agitation for Independence goes on. It isn't taken seriously now. even by the agitators.
  appeals to natural pride and patriot- ism. and it doesn't injure anything. as the Nacionalist majority in the Assem- bly has found out. No one expects im- mediate release from the guiding strings of the American government, but at the same time no one knows how long it will be before a political upheaval in Washington might cast the Philippines adrift. Therefore 1t be- hooves the practical politician to be up and talking. so that when independ ence does come he will be in line for preferTnent and power.
 The self-seeking politician of the Philippines, bubbling over with senti- ment and having little practical com mon sense. trained in politics in the decadent Spanish school, identifying power and corruption. office and graft this politician does not represent the people of the islands Until the time comes when the people at large have brought up leaders from among them- selves. the gift of political independ- ence would be the worst possible thing that the United States could do for the Filipinos.
 Education, the English language. and commercial prosperity, probably will bring the Filipino nation as whole to a realization of the fact that independence in any event, however remote, would be disastrous. Already there are those who recognize this fact. even among the politicians. There is a member of the Philippines Assem- bly who was a terror in the days of the insurrection. He was one of the leaders Of a band of Filipinos which treacherously massacred- a company of American soldiers fin Samar. It was done in retaliation for the famous or der of "Hell-Roaring'' Jake Smith and was a part of the Philippines War. This man, now in the Assembly, is loud on the stump in his demands for inde. pendence. But privately. talking to Americans. he admits that the inde- pendence agitation isf buncombe. "If the Americans left us" he said. i've would be gobbled up by Japan. and we know we could expect no mercy what ever from that nation. Formosa and Korea are examples Of the Japanese method of colonization. We realize that we must remain under the Amer ican flag, and we demand independ- ence in order that we may secure au- tonomy."
 Notwithstanding government declar- ations and the absence of widespread interest in the fate of the Philippines fin the United States, the Americans in the Orient and in the Islands do not