Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-12-09
OPPOSES filipino
SELF-GOVERNMENT
War Secretary Stimson Says
Natives Are Still in "Help-
less" Condition.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-Unsparing
condemnation of those who would
from misplaced sentimentality or
lazy self-interest" east the Filipinos
upon the world in the state of help
lessness and before they had ac-
quired the full benefits of American
civilization Is a strong feature in the
annual report of Secretary of War
Henry L. Stimson. Many other sub
jects of interest are treated in the
report, such as the relations of the
National Guard to the army, the i'm
provement in the army tactical meth
DDS, the i~nadequacy of the present
reserve law, the crying need of citi-
zenship for the Porto Ricans, the
conservation of the national water
powers in navigable streams and the
advisability of amending the Panama
canal toll act so as to relmpose tolls
on American coastwise shipping leav-
ing the water way.
A strong plea is made for the pass
age Of the militia pay bill. now pend
ing, because the 100, 900 men now In
the National Guard. eager and am
CAtAOh6 ~ NO VI bEINlC6 III GdS6 Oh
war, are practically unavailable
under present conditions. These men,
the secretary says. should not only
be trained for wal in time of peace
and paid by the national government,
but 1t must be possible to transfer
them Immediately into the general
military force. and not militia. in
time of war.
For the Porto Ricans the secretary
urges citizenship. declaring that it
was promised, and that it had been
earned by loyalty. The island should
also have a department of labor and
agriculture and a department of
health and sanitation, as well as a
rigorous civil service law, and all
judicial officers, non-elective, should
be made appointive.
A remarkable recital of the develop
ment Of the Philippines in ways of
civilization during the fourteen years
of American occupation is given in
the report. 1t is declared that there
is no other. instance in history where,
after four years of war and insur-
rection. to over 7.000,0 900 of an entire
alien race have been so soon given
not merely the forms of civil con-
troll, but immediate and extensive
participation in their own govern
ment. Similarly" says the secretary,
there is no parallel to the material,
mental and moral progress shown in
these ten years of civil government
by so many millions of people, held
for centuries in ignorance and in eff
feet in political and economic bond
age" After making this statement
Secretary Stimson proceeds to detail
at length what has been accomplished
in each separate direction in the
islands; the sanitation, the education,
the development of new industries,
the opening of the lands to small
farmers, the construction of harbor
works and railroads and irrigation
plants. yet with all this progress
our work in the Philippines has just
commenced continued the secretary.
Half of the children born in Manila
die in infancy, and a million chill
dren are without schools; the old sys-
tenn of peonage is still accepted by
the masses, who unless protected by
Americans would fall ready victims
to the rich and educated Philippine
minority" The American policy, he
says, should be continued to compile
ton for until that time all pro-
posals for independence are pleas for
national recreancy on our part, and
for the reputation of the heavy and
difficult burden which thus far we
have beer bravely and consistently
sustaining