Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-06-17

agant and expensive, q condition that
1t promised to reform, and, despite the
fact that the great majority Of the
offices In the government have been
voluntarily turned over to Filipinos, In.
sisted that more Filiplnos have Office.
Like its teacher. 1t proposed to work
backwards; It wanted immediate indie
pendence, and was willing to take the
chance Of learning afterwards how to
use 1t and how to maintain 1t. But
these were popular cries in the limited
number who are active in politics and
the party scored q victory. 1t has a
reckoning, however, when 1t again
faces the people, because its promises
Of independence simmered down to a
vote in the assembly on the abstract
principle, that was not made as either
demand or even request, that the
Filipino people aspire to independence
and that they are capable Of conduct
ing an independent government. The
fact is that a great many of the men
who voted on the abstract resolution
know that their people are not capable
Of self-gOvernment and would have
preferred to have not voted. The Is
sue was raised by one of those mis-
chances that happen in every leglsla-
ture, and they voted on 1t and for 1t
because they must account to their
constituents. They also found that
the American government was not ex-
travagant and failed on their financial
reform program. They did land some
political Offices for members Of their
party, as Governor General Smith has
decided for the principle of recognize
ing the dominant party in the appoint
ment of public officials. The party
has in Speaker Osmena developed one
man Of conspicuous ability and num-
Der Of men who show marked ability
and capacity for government.
Labor has organized In Manila and
elsewhere and has taken some part In
politics, but evil leadership has re-
tarded the movement. The labor lead
ers have generally been disreputable
professional men who have taken
part only for what there is In it for
them. But labor Is learning and will
in time develop leaders who will lead
for labor's sake and not their own.
There is a great conservative class
which has kept aloOf from politics and
politicians. In some instances they
haya 0i1yay, oofiya old kO tho Amarioan
government, but the great majority Of
them seem to be awaiting eventual
ties. They are not antagoniZing the
active politicians for reasons that are
obvious-their interests would be at
the mercy of the politicians II the Uni.
ted States should withdraw from the
Philippines, and they are what the
American politician would describe as
being right" There are many indica'
lions that they favor maintenance
of that security to life and property
and that protection to credit which the
American government has estab-
lished.
The active electorate is so far lin
tied one, as the following figures will
show: Population, 1885, 426; qualified
to vote, 5S9, 7O4; voted in the last elec'
ton. 1865.
But small as It is, It is very active,
and the politicians and the editors who
represent 1t have made independence
the chief issue and the only one that
o,,ount, ~ onvthinU hacouca n an
braces the whole question of Ameri.
can participation. 1t is largely limited
to the fiat demand and contemplates
practically none Of the important sub
sidlary questions involved. You tell
the advocates that 1t can only come
by voluntary act Of the American peo.
pie and only when the American peO-
pie are convinced that they may with
security take the responsibility In.
volved in starting them alone, and they
answer by seeking to further antag.
onize American interest and belittling |
the mission and accomplishment of
the American people here. You point |
out future difficulties Of maintaining |
their craft in the stormy sea OF Orien- |
tai politics and with confidence that |
is seemingly ignorant Of the simpler
facts of the situation they tell you |
they can take care Of themselves
You urge that they are 20 peoples |
without q common means Of commu-
nication and they tell you they are a
unit. The fact is that the Tagalogs |
would either control or fight their
neighbors, providing the Moros did
not make combination a necessity on
the part of all the Christian peoples.
Meantime your Uncle Sam, working
backwards from the extravagant
grants that he has made to the people
at large in the matter Of government,
is striving to reach and educate the
=. af..fa,,oI 20 kaanh him hfo viOhfo ond