Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-23

prison some of the men who have
violated the federal laws and have
gained millions thereby, the Demo
Gratis say he will do more perhaps TO
bring the people 10 a mind that the
Democracy is the right party in the
right place than any other cabinet
officer can do, no matter how energet-
ically he performs the duties of his
Office.
The incoming attorney general will
find pending several trust prosecu-
tons Of major nature. Naturally it
is to be supposed that he will take
them up and push them under the
laws as they exist. The United States
Steel Corporation case hardly can be
completed before Mr. Wilson takes Of
flee Then there are the international
Harvester company's suit and the
New Haven railroad case. 1t can be
taken for granted that other trust
prosecution cases will be before the
public eye not long after Mr.. Wilson's
attorney general takes Office. No one
pretends to believe that all Of the
combinations Of big business which
are open to attack on legal grounds
have been attacked.
FiIipinos to Wait
1t seems to be assured that if the
bill introduced by Representative
William A. Jones of Virginia to
give qualified independence in gov
eminent to the Filipinos for a
period of eight years passes the
house Of representatives at this ses-
sion, it will be killed in the senate.
The Jones bill has been reported ia
vorably by the committee which pass
ed upon it, and it is now on the cal
endar of the house waiting a vote.
There has been marked change in
the attitude Of some of the Demo
| cratic leaders recently toward the
question of the wisdom Of the pass
age Of the Jones measure.
1t is certain that the bill, If it
| does reach vote at the present ses-
sion, will be passed by a large ma
| jority in the house. The senate is
| Republican, and it probably will mega
| tive the measure. At the next SEES
sion, with a Democratic senate, it is
| probable the bill would go through,
| but, as has been said, there are some
| indications that the Democratic lead
ers are becoming afraid Of the bill.
| and it is possible that if it is defeat
| ed by the senate at this session, it will
not be allowed to come up in the
house at the extra session.
| Since the year 1900 Democratic ma
| tional platforms have declared for the
| recognition of Philippine independ
| ence under an American protectorate.
| The party, therefore, is committed to
the measure, and it naturally is ex
| pected that an attempt will be made
! to pass it as soon as the Democratic
party comes into full power in the gov
eminent The trouble seems to be
| that some of the leaders after haV-
| ing read the reports of government Of
| ficials who are intimately acquainted
with conditions in the Philippines, ap-
pear to have doubts as to the real
ability of the Filipinos at the present
time to govern themselves, even I'M
der the limitations of the partial indie
pendence which the Jones bill would
| give them for the next eight years.
All Favor Ultimate Freedom.
AS far as the Washington inquirer
can learn, nearly all the members Of
congress, regardless of party, believe
in ultimate liberty for the Filipino,
The Republicans, following the exam
pie of President Taft, who once was
| governor of the islands, seem to be-
lieye that Uncle Sans eastern wards
will not be ripe for freedom for many
seasons to come. Not even the ex-
| IRENE conservatives, l.en who have
| been called imperialists. will say one
word against the final freeing of the
islands from American control. The
controversy In congress therefore, re-
lates wholly to the date when it will
be wise to write a Declaration of In
dependence for the Little Brown
| Brother.
It must not be understood from
what has been written that the Demo
Gratis ir congress as a body have re-
ceded from their position in regard
to Philippine independence. It is sim
ply a case of fear on the part, of some
Of the leaders that too much haste
may have been made in providing for
qualified independence, and that it
would be better to wait until the
American system of education has
done more for the Filipino before TAX
ing definite action looking to giving
him his political liberty.
President Taft said some time ago
, that it would be 40 years before the
Filipinos would be ready for com
plete independence. Some other stu
dents of conditions in the islands say
that 90 years ought to suffice to put
the i-lands on self-governing basis.
Government officials who have
served in the Philippines. and whose
duty it is to keep in touch with the
conditions there. have put down In
black and white some figures and
some supposed facts which possibly
may be responsible for the growing
may not be wise just yet to give the
} qualified form proposed for some years
to come. 1t is asserted that there are
only about II 600 Filipinos who can be
: put into the fairly well educated class
, There are 5000, 900 people in the IS
lands, and so i, is said that the pro.
, posed Filipino republic, if establish.
| ed, would have only a comparatively
small field of competent men to draw
from for the purpose of keeping the
, islands well governed
I tho wonders Of the skin with its mil
lions of pores that had to be kept open