The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-04-01

Paper Read BEFORE the Chdutn,Qua Circle.
YER since the Philippine Is
lands came under the control of
the United States the Philippine
question has been, and contin-
ues to be. ore of the most momentOus
questions that ever confronted the AM
erican people. 1t is not only question
of nationa, interest but the whole world
knowing that our rockbed principles of
Liberty, Equality and Justice are in
volyed continue to look askance at the
Iyuited States and prognosticate as toI
the final solution of most perplexing
problem.
II is not the writer's intention to dis
cuss the political phases of the ques-
tion but rather to compare the present
conditions in the Philippine Islands
with those prevsiling previous to Am
erican occupancy, and thereby show
what the United States has done and
is still doing toward the uplifting OF
one of the most ignorant and savage
classes of people civilized natitn ever
had to care for.
tits we'll known fact that the as
sumption of control over the Philip
pines on the part of the United states
was not a matter of voluntary action
but was developed suddenly and unex-
pecteily as the result of q victorious
war. and it is safe to say that the
limited States would have sidestepped
ali relations with the Philippines had
it been possible, for American states
men realized from the very first that
control of the Philippines mes !
na..oht hut burden Of unavaiiableob-
lipations which had to be met prompt
ly.
A government had to be built from
the ground up-a government lnvoiv-
ing all the phases of law and conditions
of a people numerically greater tnan
the United States had at tie time the
Federal constitution was adopted
When one takes into consideration the
fact that the Filipinos are people d.
yided into about twt nty different tribes
or clans, each with q dialect or Spanish
patois of it's own, and not always un'
derstood beyond the immediate LOCALITY
in which it is spoken, one will begin &c
get aa idea of the vast amount OF
brains, energy aud diplomacy required
to construct popular government "o1
the people, by the people, and for th'
people" in the Philippine Islands. Bu
that ia lust what the United States i
doing today in the Philippines. regard
less Of the tact that it is nation with
out experience in governing a tropica
or oriental people. In tIanqnilizin
and civilizing as we'll as training an
educating the Filipinos IN the duties o
modern citizenship the United State
is going to enormous expense, whic
has been the source of much complain
from many persons, chiefly among ther
a party known as Anti-Imperiailst'
Some time ago these Anti-lml erialis,
pot together and held meeting !
Faneuil Hall in Boston, and the ou
come of the meeting was that tn
United States government was reques
ed to turn the affairs of the Philippine
over to ten per cent OF the inhabitant
said ten per cent to control and Cover
the islands until such time as the ba
ance of the population was in conditie
to partake in the affairs of a self-gover
ing people. But the United States 9
6ciaIs refused to entertain tie sugge
tion and it was only natural that tn
should not, for were the United Stat
to withdraw from and grant indepen
ence to the Filipinos it would te on
short time until some other nation
Japan for instance-gobbled them
But the United States is in the Phill
pines to stay, until such time as t
United States think they ase cspal
ofseif-government. and in the mes
time the Filipinos are being regener'
ed, and it is of this the writer desires
apeak-or write. Possibly the M
important step taken In the regene
tlon of tho Filipinos is the school 9
tenn that was established throught
the entire Archipelago with cont
Office or headquarters in the capi
city, Manila. One Of the first thir