Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-24
PLEADS
FOR Freedom OF
THE PHILIPPINES

I'LL lJBASl lVAVI
Mohonk Lake. N. Y, Oct. 23.--The
Lake Moaonk Conference Of Friends
Of the Indians and other Dependent
Peoples heard today a plea for the
independence Of the Philippines,
voiced by DR.. John r. McDill Of Nil.
waukee.s who returned from the Is.
lands last year after spending twelve
years as surgeon and professor Of
surgery in the university Of the
Philippines. DR.. McDill said that
signs Of dissatisfaction among the
Filipinos were unmistakable and
asked: '.- .:. ,.
is this country prepared to fight
another country Tor the islands. or to
again take up arms against the Flip
mos themselves. should they revolt?'
The recent report on slavery In the
Philippines he characterized as an
"otticiai calulnny" and It's treatment
by tho press as "hystcrical." The
slavery conditions described he said.
ARE far worse in this country"
Imposition Of American sovereign.
ty BY force of arms" he asserted, was
a %grievous mistake. The policy OF the
last Is years has been a ~corollary Of
hat blunder. 81
THE only solution Of the problem
is tho application of right principles.
An erlcan people are not correctly in
fo1 med Us to Filipino character, in
dustrial and political capability, and
as to their determined opposition to
American rule. Americans in the is
alnds arc all. more or less, depert-'
ent on the government and informa-
ton from them is controlled by a cen
sorship Of subservience and fear 80.
Public ocinion. a. we know it,. does
not exist in the Philippines. When
dealing with conditions with which II.
is familiar the American public in the
end generally dcGided political mat.
ters fairly but it cannot act intelli-
gently. concerning a foreign. people.
with which 1t is unfamiliar, guided on
ly by reports, which como from 4 limit:
ed, number Of persons: and which are
i .nsdlV OF iRGo1nisistencies. 70
~..~~-,. 10 Much, To DO,
"a conservative estimate shows
that 50 per cent Of our people and 95
per cent Of our capital has too much
to- do on this continent fir years to
come to ever take any interest in the
Philippines, and any argument is vel.
coined that pstities our conduct as a
nation.
"The facts as to h~omegeneity, lang.
wage. literacy. and desire for indepen-
dence are all in favor of the Filipinos.
The religious denominations and in
~vestors have nothing to fear from a
change Of government. Filipinos have
been Roman Catholics for. 300 years.
Compare the rNno1nental success
Of the British through friendly CO.
operation with the same race in the
Federated Malay states, which. did not
cost England.a farthfng ora lite. with
what has happened to US. in the Philip:
pines after employing an, army OF
100000: men, for six years and Ell
pending fro 100000 to one billion dol.
lars to date; enough treasure to build
three Panama canals. We have Civ
en-. the Filipinos the best we have,
and paid. for it with their money.
All of our large hopes and plans for
their. industrial development from
Taft to the present time had total
lack of cooperation, open hostility
and evolved the slogan, 1--WE proper
poverty and freedom to prosperity
and subsection" .u...>
Reckon With Prejudice.
"A popular and deep seated preju.
dice Of any people is not to be disre
garded because it cannot stand our
tests Of reason or evidence. It must
be reckoned with. Asia is awaken.
ing SO rapidly that Occidentals will
soon find nc foothold tenable among
its 500 millions of people. ,g
1--WE have already been twice ex-
posed to international complications in
WHICH the Philippines would be first
attacked. and the General command
ing the native constabulary has just
reported officially. and no American
has a truer touch on the pulse, of the
Filipino ipeople, that signs. OF, revolt
among the Filipinos are unmistable
and are due to our failure to declare
a policy in regard to independence.
Their present political status is SO
improved that 'Filipinization of. the
service can now occur as rapidly as
their wise men advice. and our ,seps
aration Of ourselves from their affairs
should soon-eonle-aboHt without dam.
age. to them or loss Of dignity to u.s."
ro:sEtEcTa QUEEN or cows