The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-09-28
Situation Is Summed Up.

my friends, | have discussed the
Philippine question only generally,
and have not gone into great detail.
The people of the islands in a genera
ton will all be talking English; in
two generations they will have had
experience in partial self-government
OF kind that hope will fit them for
complete self-government. They are
not now in condition to make that
safe or satisfactory. We have insti-
tuted a commission by appointment,
part of whom are native Filipinos. We
have a national assembly, all of whom
are Filipinos, and the two chambers
make the laws of the country. We
have judiciary about evenly divided
between Fflipinos and Americans. We
have body of civil servants, a large
proportion of whom are Filipinos, and
We have made as rapid progress as
possible in the general extension OF
control of things In the Filipino peo-
pie who are fit Only about fifteen
or twenty per cent. of the people come
within the rules OF eligibility for vot-
ing. This percentage will increase as
the education and property-hOlding Of
the Filipinos increase. We are guard
fans, not Of one part of the Filipino
people, not of the educated part who
think they are entirely competent to
run the government as a class, but We
are the trustees of all the Filipino peo-
pie, not alone the educated, but the
ignorant. And there falls upon US the
burden and responsibility Of maintain
ing government there under our con-
troll until We can be sure that the gov
eminent which will succeed us will be
popular In the sense that the lowly
the humble and the ignorant may be
sure of protection, encouragement and
due process Of law. Were we now to
Fart with the control of the islands,
am very sure from my knowledge Of
the islands that those institutions Of
civil liberty which We have introduced
in the islands and maintained there
would suffer under an aristocracy OF
the now comparatively small class OF
educated Filipinos.
Complaint is made OF the burden
of cost upon the national government
OF the Philippine Islands. This has
been greatly exaggerated. The entire
expense of the civil government is
paid out OF the taxes raised in the
islands. The only expense that the
national government has at all is the
added cost OF maintaining that part OF
20 In ha
aud transportating them thither and
back at the end OF tour OF duty.
This does not cost s5,000,000 a year.
The army which we maintain is by no
means too large. even II we did not
have the Philippines. 1t does not ex-
coed one soldier in a thousand per.
sons. Therefore the additional cost
is only that which involves our main
tenance OF the army in such distant
islands as the Philippines and the
transportation thither and back.
TT may seem to you that this is a
revival OF very old Issues, and that the
Philippine question was settled some
years ago, but invite your attention
to the fact that resolutions are being
introduced into congress looking to an
early separation OF the United States
from its guardianship and trust OF the
Philippines, and that the question will
recur again. When 1t does, I hope
that you, with all other lovers OF our
country. with due sense OF our re
sponsibility to the world and to civil
ization, will look at the question. not
IN a narrow. selfish spirit and desire
to get rid OF burden. but from the
standpoint of the brotherhood Of mar
and of the obligation on the part Of
prosperous and powerful nations Il
render neighborly service to those
whom Providence has brought undel
1 ~ - ..,,a "a - ghl.,