Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-05-20

sugar and other products of the
Islands, have the natives been great
ly benefited, as the outlet not alone
gave more employment but it also
advanced the returns to the pro-
ducer. and this enabled them to pay
higher wages. Our occupation has
been of vast benefit to all classes not
alone financially but also intellectual
ly, for excellent schools are to-day
teaching the growing Filipinos to
speak and write the English language.
Even iii the interior, so | was i'd
formed, our language is sufficiently
understood SO one would have nc
difficulty in making their way around.
Thanks are due the American teach
erS who we're not content with re-
naming in the larger places bur car
rlcd education both far and near.
Aguinaldo is pursuing the calm and
peaceful life of a tiller of the soil,
just across from Cavite. He is a
/ frequent visitor to Manila and not
only does he take no active part in
politics but automatically avoids
giving even his opinion of things
political.
While some of the natives would
like to be free and independent, the
great majority are content with con-
ditions as they exist. The Ameri-
cans with whom | talked, all ex-
pressed themselves as being against
independence for the Filipinos, and
gave as the reason that there were
many tribes, and if independent each
would want to have the Presidency
and nothing less would satisfy them,
and as there would be only one Pres
ldent's job to be given out, civil war
would be continually going on and
as the larger tribes are about equal
IN numbers, peace would never pre-
vail and it might even come to pass
that the savage Moros would subiu-
/ gate the balance of the tribes as they
afc very numerous and their fight
ing qualities are well known. In
cOpSanpopno Df <boco oo,,lA:oz -
governing power is required and we
are the best fitted. for humanity
not gain-is our guide in dealing
with our outlying possessions. Edu-
Gated natives, with whom l con-
versed, also expressed the wish that
: Uncle Sam would remain in posses
sion, otherwise it would be as in
South America-a continuous revo-
luton.
The resources of Manila are great.
The growing of sugar, tobacco and
hemp, the utilization of her timber
and minerals are capable of enormous
expansion and venture to say that
the Islands will prove of so much
benefit to us, before many years,
that those who were not in favor OF
their retention would set up lusty
protest were the abandonment of
them even suggested. The purchase
OF Alaska was ridiculed-so was our
retention of the Philippin es, but
who to-day would not say we made a
poor bargain in the Seward pur-
chase?
History repeats herself and at no
great distant day people will won
der how the abandonment of the
Islands could even have been sug-
gested. Tho Philippines are so sit
uated that the trade of the Orient
should be secured. Forty million
acres OF forest lands are lying un.
disturbed, and as China, Japan and
Australia annually purchase mil
lions of dollars worth OF lumber from
the Pacific Coast, is it not logical to
presume the Philippines will be able
to secure large'part of the business
as soon as they open up tho country.
Gold also exists in paying quantities
in practically every island of i'm
portance. In 1907, $4,000 was the
value of gold produced, but in 1908
it jumped to 5000, 900 and that of
1909 was undoubtedly greater as
new companies were operating.
Copper has been found in ten
provinces; large deposits of excel
lent iron have been located in five
provinces, and coal is Obtainable at
several places.