New-York tribune., 1910-06-03
STATUS OF THE PHILIPPINES
Correspondent Asks Whether They
Aren't Ready for Self-Rule.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir. on the 18th instant the Hon. Manuel
I. Quezon, Resident Commissioner In the
United States from the Philippine Islands,
delivered an address upon the floor or the
House of Representatives. in which ne
pleaded with the Congress 10 give lnde-
uendence to the islan1s far off in the Pa
cific Ocean which he represented. He re-
cited at length the achievements or the
Archipelegio Uhe name which he applied
TO the PhiIirpines) showing that there
have been established I'm the Islands pro-
vincial and municipal governments anu
constabularies: that they have built up
system OF education offering opportunities
of learning to both the rich and the poor
that they have Established Supreme court
which is worthy to be compared .Tith any
great tribunal in the world; that they nave
an assembly which, although IT has very
limited power. does to a great extent ex-
press the viii of the people.
The sanitary conditions in the ISLANDS
have been greatly improved, works In ana
about the harbors of the Islands have beeh
consummated, trolley system has oeeh
put into operation, there are over five nun
dred miles of highways and roads and nu-
merous steel and concrete bridges. teIe-
graph wires and telephones have been In
stalled and schoolhouses have been built
even In the most remote districts.
The desire for learning in the Philippines
Is very great and the knowledge OF the
English language among the inhabitants
therein is becoming nearly as extensive as
was that of the Spanish language before
the war.
Nevertheless. despite all these achieve
ments, showing decidedly a capacity for
seIf-government there is still hindrance
TO further development in these Islands
The Filipinos acknowledge with much
gratitude their Indebtedness to the United
States for extensive aid and assistance in
the wonderful achievements Of this land
but, as Daniel Webster said:
NO matter how easy may be the yoke or
a foreign power. no matter how lightly It
sits upon the shoulders. II it is not i'm
POSED by the voice of his own nation and
of his own country he will not. he can not
and he means not to be happy under it's
burden"
The development in the Philippines has
been extremely great but owing TO the
expensive and wasteful government which
now exists therein because of the fact that
there are so many separate departments
which have been organized each doing
practically the same work, the burden or
taxation is enormous. The secretaries OF
the various departmental branches receive
S15, 800. while the secretaries of the depart
ments in the United States receive only
$1,000, and there are other examples OF
undue waste which might be quoted.
I would quote here a paragraph from the
address, of Mr.. QUeZOn:
The revenues from all sources of the
insular, provincial and municipal govern
ments for the last fiscal year. ended June
80. 1909 amounted TO over 81, 100000. II We
compare this amount with the $50 l6S. 991 O2
which was the total money in circulation
on that date, we find that the taxation is
such as to require the payment to the
government OF the entire circulation once
in each year"
l believe that the Philippines have exhib-
tied capacity for elf-government. and
beg leave 70 request your paper kindly TO
advise me through its columns whether II
believes that these islands have arrived at
q stage IN their development where the
United States can safely extend to them
their liberty and request the European
powers to extend treaty courtesy TO them
LOUIS s. RAPPAPORT.
New York Nav q 1910