The Washington herald., 1912-04-30
THE PEOPLES FORUM
Why the Philippines Should
Not Be Given Independence

To the Editor: Apropos of the pro-
posed bill for the granting OF Philippine
Independence, II may not be out Of place
to examine a few OF the statements ap-
pearing In an article, reprinted in the
Congressional Record for April 8 by the
Hon Manuel L. ouezon. Resident Com
missioner from the Philippines.
Contending that they should Immediate
Iy be set free, the Commissioner asserts
that the Islanders are capable OF self
government, basing the assertion on the
fact that there are enough intelligent,
educated, and cultured Ftlipinos COM
petent 10 hll the political Offices. This
argument is not new. being first ad-
vanced. in fact, during the early days
when our President was Governor OF
the islands. Gov. Tafts answer to this
argument is as potent now as It was
ther:
I'VE are the trustees and guardians OF
the whole Filipino people, and partic-
ularly of the ignorant masses, and our
trust Is not discharged until those mass
es are given education sufficient to
know their civil rights and maintain
them against a more powerful class, and
safely to exercise the political franchise
But the present government OF the
islands, Mr.. Quezon interposes, Is no
more than an oligarchy, and at that a
foreign oligarchy. Would not a native
oIigarchy be preferable?
Decidedly no. What the ordinary na-
tive becomes in the hands of his brethren
OF wealth and culture Is well evidenced
by the system, originating during the
times Of Spanish misrule. Of "caciquism." l"
A Filipino oligarchy' would have no
further aim than, by keeping their un-
enlightened subjects in state OF con-
tinual servitude and ignorance. to make
possible the perpetuation OF their own
rule An American government, on the
other hand. is in sympathy with Ameri-
can aims. the training Of the Filipino for
his future role OF popular self-govern-
ment.
Nor does the argument that a Filipino
oligarchy would BE hailed with de-
light by the natives carry force. The
rank and file OF the Filipino people are
so poverty stricken. so ignorant, so de-
void OF knowledge of everything that
Is going on around them that they are
in no position to comprehend anything
beyond their immediate needs and per-
sonal comforts, much less matters OF
government Ask a native from the
provinces, him whom the demagogical
orator has stirred up by emotional ap-
peals to his sense OF nationality, what
he hopes to gain by immediate lnde-
pendence. The answer will probably be
to the effect that when that Millennium
is attained he will secure from the
government a certificate OF some kind.
which. placed in his pocket, will exempt
him from all further labor.
Mr.. Quezon tells us that his people
are as ready for self-government as are
our own: and as proof OF this conten-
ton he likens conditions in his land
with those in ours. The objection that
the Filpinos have no common language
he tries to parry with the thrust that
neither have We.
DO the Pennsylvania Dutch speak a
language which the Minnesota Norwe-
gian, an East Side Hebrew, or a Boston
Italian can comprehend"
The Resident Commissioner seems to
forget that what In his land is the rule
is in our land the exception. Were our
land like his, populated with scores OF
heterogeneous tribes having no common
language. and few common aims, We
should indeed be in sorry plight; nor
could we under such circumstances long
endure an independent nation. 1t is
States, containing small. isolated re-
gions where English is not the prevail
ing tongue, with the Philippines, where
there is no prevailing tongue at all.
Similarly, the objection that the
Fihpinos largely live in huts and are
children in farming" is met with the
counter-charge that these conditions
prevail also in America. This reply needs
but to be stated before an American
acquainted with the Philippines to make
apparent its absurdity. Life in our
land under Philippine conditions would
be unbearable.
There is another potent argument
agsinst the establishment at this time
of a native government. The Ameri-
can forces experienced great difficulty
in estal ,ishing order. SavaRes had to
be subdued. brigands captured or an
initiated, the various warning tribes
pacified. Were we now to leave the
Islands in control Of q native govern
ment. chaos would again ensue. Mr..
Quezon quotes Gov. Gen. Forbes state
ment that under American rule. "12o,-
900 savages, whom nobody before has
ever been able to deal with or bring
under control" now live under an order
ly government. How long. then. under
a powerless native regime before the
Moros would again overrun the islands?
Advocates OF immediate independence
should go slowly. Our government Is
committed to a policy which from its
very inception has looked forward to
the ultimate independence Of the islands.
In the meantime We are improving the
mental and material condition Of the
natives with the double purpose in view
Of placing them on a higher mental
plane and emanclpating them from their
condition Of abject poverty. When they
shall have at length attained the rJ-
diments OF a civilization. when they
shall have obtained the elements Of an
education. when they shall have beeoms