Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-03-22

so be placed SO they can draw mon
~ from the public treasury while
about Mr.. Taft's renomina-
lion.
independence for the 10000 civ
ilized inhabitants of the Philippine /
Islands is subject which promises
to loom larger and larger upon the
political horizon from this time on.
Democratic members of Congress
are getting ready to take interest in
the subject, because in the last three
platforms the party pledged
itself to do something definite look
ing toward Philippine independence.
The subject will be discussed more orr
less at the extra session, and in all
probability DIS destined to become one
of the issues in the approaching
presidential campaign.
Democrats in favor of getting rid of
the islands are far in the majority.
Some favor immediate independents.
while others would prefer to have the
date for separation fixed for the end
of five. ten or fifteen years.
1t is agreed by nearly everyone that
il this country was free of the islands
it would reduce to minimum the
possibility of friction with Japan, and
save the country millions of dollars
annually by relieving the necessity
for the tremendous naval expendi-
lures which are declared to be neces-
sary to protect the Philippines.
AL political parties in the Phillip
pines favor immediate independence,
but if they can not secure that they
desire legislation fixing some defin-
lite date for the establishment of a
neutralized Philippine republic.
The report Of the Congressional in
vestigating committee which holds ito
have been with the law the pur-
chase by American sugar interests of
$4,000 acres of rich Friar lands in
violation of the spirit if not the let
ter of the organic act which ex-
pressly prohibits any corporation
from acquiring more than $500 acres
has caused the Filipinos to become
somewhat impatient. 1t has strength
ened a feeling that has been grow
ing upon them for some time that
powerful American, sugar interests
are influencing the Philippine policy
of the United States government
In preference to having the Friar
lands or public lands held in large
tracts by few concerns with the
majority Of the Filipino people mere
farm laborers, the popular desire is
that those lands, be held and cultivat.
ed in small tracts by the natives.
This is declared to be the better
means of developing substantial and
law-abiding communities.
In the Philippines the belief is
growing that the United States is
clinging to the islands more because
it makes it handy for American cap.
italists to exploit the vast natural re.
sources of the islands than because
the Filipino people are not ready for
Independence That the sugar trust
and other big American concerns in.
tend that the United States shall re-
tain the islands forever they have
little doubt The Filipino people are
looking to the Democratic party as
the only source from which they are
likely to receive their freedom.
Examination of the last three dem.
ocratic platform would seem to make
1t appear that the triumphant Demo.
Gratis are duty-bound to look into the
subject of Philippine independence
Here are few excerpts from these
platforms:
From the platform of 190O-"We
favor the immediate declaration OF
the nations purpose to give the Fill
lpinos; first, a stable form of gov.
eminent; second, independence, and
third, protection from outside inter
ference"
From the platform of 19O4-"We in
sist that we ought to do for the Fill
lpinos what We haveldone already fol
the Cubans, and it is our duty to
make that promise now and upor
suitable guarantees of protection tc
citizens of our own and other coun
tries resident there at the time o.
our withdrawal, set the Filipino peo
pie upon their feet, free and indie
pendent to work out their own des.
tiny"
From the platform of 19O8-"We
condemn the experiment in imperial
ism as an inexcusable blunder which
has involved us in enormous expen
ses, brought us weakness instead oil
strength, and laid our nation oper
to the charge of abandoning a funda
mental doctrine of self government.
in recognizing the Independence O.
the Philippines, our government
should retain such land as may be
necessary for coaling stations and
naval bases"