The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-06-26
PLAIN TALK TO THE FIuPINOS
BY A MINDANAO NEWSPAPER

the government a representative one
Otherwise the government must eth
or be dictatorial or monarchial, in
fact If not in name
Cuba, though so-called republic,
is in no sense a representative, indie.
pendent one. She maintains m.
tional existence only by the generos-
ity and protective power of the
Enited States. Let this be withdrawn
for a day and her credit would be-
come nil, her bolstered-up govern
ment would topple and her property
be destroyed by revolution and brig
andage. Yet students of political and
economic conditions say that the mass
es of the Cuban people are infinite
~ farther advanced in qualifications
for naturalization than the masses
Of the Filipino people.
1t takes time and patient work to
build a national sentiment. The Unit
ed States government began this
work in the Philippines with the in
PRODUCTION of its American school sys-
TEN. But this work is but barely be-
gun. There must be thousands of
your teachers trained to 20 out and
extend this work to the millions of
inhabitants, as yet, practically UNI
reached. Thus there may be gradually
developed a common language, com
mon aspiration, national spirit, that
will be representative of the masses.
The Outstanding Pledge.
The pledge has been made ana
ventually-but We believe not soOl
the Philippines will be rendered in
dependence The United States, in
all sincerity, made an embarrassing
mistake when she established Cuba
as a republic without period of
preparation. 1t has cost her the
necessity of making two invasions OF
Cuba in the interest of peace and
stability and the necessity OF main
tanning a protectorate Tin fact, if no.
III name); and it has placed her in
an apologize position before the
world. We believe this lesson will
cause her to move more carefully as
to the Philippines. The responsible
ity of a protectorate here, except fog
territory retained, viii surely not he
tolerated by the American people
The situation of these islands at tie
very door of the most populous sec
ton of the world now merging from
medieval to modern life involves re-
sponsibilities which cannot be gra-
tuitously shouldered by America
Policies Of Factions.
There is a small faction in the
United States which favors granting
Philippine independence at an early
date, claiming friendly interest in
your future welfare. There is a small
faction which favors releasing the
Philippines as a troublesome and eX-
pensive proposition There is a large
and dominant faction which is in IA
vor of carrying out the policy out
lined by President Mckinley, and
with that in view there has been a
consistent effort to establish schools,
reestablish the ruined industries and
Filipinize the civil service as rapidly
as the competence of the Filipino PEG
PIE permits. EXponents of this domi.
nant faction, including President Taft
have placed the date of probable
qualification for stable self-govern.
ment at from thirty to fifty years
hence.
We assure you, in all sincerity that
we firmly believe that the Jones
Bill or anything resembling this
bill, cannot come anywhere near
passing the democratic house of rep
Tesentatives. Many of the leading nd
able democrats oppose it. The fate
of the recent "Friar Lands Bill" in
the democratic house assures us that
the Jones Bill" will fare worse.
! Withdrawal Would Be Calamity
To those FilipinOs having prop
erty interests, a withdrawal of the
American government from these isl
ands before the mass of the people
shall have become qualified for self
government will be a calamity Only
the office seeker, seeking power fol
self-gain, can be even temporarily
benefited by such distuIbed cundi
tons as must follow.
Bear in mind that an Independent
republican form Of government calls
for representation "of the people, 10y
the people and for the people" Tn
der a representative republic the
pagan and Mohammedan tribes are
as fully entitled to voice in pub
lie affairs as the most highly educat
ed. Thus far these people are skill
ed in asserting their desires through
the medium of the bolo rather thar
the franchise. Prudence would seen
to dictate that the public school b,
utilized to prepare the masses for al
appreciation of the responsibilities 0