The Washington times., 1911-06-01
PHILIPPINE ISSUE IS
AGAIN THRUST into
VIEW OF CONGRESS
Plan To Get Rid of Islands
Will Be Put Up to Z.
House.
CLINE PREPARING
A NEW RESOLUTION
Hoosier Statesman For Insular
Freedom With Guaranteed
Neutrality.
By JUDSoN C. wELLIvER.

Representative Cyrus Cline, of the
Twelfth Indiana district, is just now the
chief popular hero of the Philippine Is
lands. The Filipino Assembly has in
vited him TO visit the islands next sum
mer, and promises to feed him real
Occidental ice cream and all the delica-
cies of the season, pull off a few bull
fights in his honor, receive him at the
palace, and generally show him a bully
time. Mr.. Cline is afraid he can't go.
It's all because Cline introduced a
resolution declaring the intention of this
country to give the islands their inde-
pendence as soon as they are ready to
govern themselves, under an inter-
national agreement of the powers for
their neutrality.
The Filipinos have heard vaguely of
Theodore Roosevelt; they know there
10 q man named Taft, who has some
thing to do with this Government; they
understand that one Washington used
to be quite a parsonage in these parts;
but when IL comes to building monu-
ments, paying honors and hotel bills
speechifytng, and all that sort Of thing,
they know only one supremely great
American statesman-the~ Hon. Cyrus
Cline, of Indiana and the world.
Cline Sounds Statesmen.
Mr.. Cline doesn't take it all so seri-
ously. He has been nosing around to
find out how Congress feels about his
resolution, and is convinced that among
Republicans and Democrats alike there
is a strong majority that wishes We
didn't have the islands on our hands,
would be glad of an honorable, square
way to unload them and our respons-
ibility for them.
To this end, Mr.. Cline, in association
with a number Of other public men, is
redrafting his resolution and proposes,
IN the new form. to press 1t later. 1t
will be introduced with few days, IN
such form as to command Congressional
attention and produce the least emoar-
rassment to people who do not want to
commit themselves unduly TO proposal
as yet rather penumbraL
This question Of what to do with the
islands Is going to be pressed with some
vigor during the next session OF Con-
gress. Representative Cox, OF OHIO, has
introduced a resolution caillnS az, on datsne ene
as to what the maintenance of our posi-
tions in the islands has cost this coun-
try The Treasury people have opined
that it will take three or four weeks
while there is much guessing as to the
sum. A billion dollars is the most
popular guess, being good, round
mouth-filling sum that suggests pros
perity. Democratic advocates of smaller
military expenses protest that they are
going to cut off one of two new battle
ships from the annual naval program,
and will save about $35,00o,Co0 a year
In naval management and large part
of that sum in army conduct. They cal
culate that II We had not had the
expenditures of the last fifteen years
would never have been incurred.
Whatever the Treasury may report
as to the costs Of our management of
the Philippines, the figures VIII be Wig
orously attacked.
Delegates Are Active.
Taking advantage of every opportun-
ity to develop public sentiment, the
delegates from the Philippines. Benito
LeEarda and Manuel 1. Quezon. are
conducting a campaign of education,
making speeches, and in every way try
ing to convince the American people
that the Fflipinos are competent to pad
die their own canoe of state, and ought
to be given the chance. NJ. Quezon
left last night for New York and New
England points to make, series of ad
dresses before college commandments
and civil organizations on these topics, |
and will shortly make a speech before a
very notable gathering in New York;
cember, 1909. knowing no English what
ever. The following March he made a
good and thoroughly understandable
speech on the floor Of the House. His is
accounted one of the most brilliant men
of the younger Filipino leaders, was
an officer and chief of STAFF under
Aguinaldo, is a university graduate. and
an excellent lawyer.
He and his colleague are giving at
tention to ell opportunities TO cultivate
a better American conception of the
Filipino people, and they strongly hope
that before a decade the islands will be
placed in a new relation to the family
of nations