The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-26
SLAVERY IN THE PHILIPPINES

SLAVERY IN THE PHILIPPINES.
When il was made known some time
ago that Secretary Dean G. Worcester of
the Philippine Commission had stated
that slavery exists in the Philippine
archipelago, Manuel Quezon. with the
Philippine rooters at his back in Wash.
imgton, made heated and shocked de-
NAL. They protested that Worcester
was telling lies about the Filipinos for
the purpose Of defeating the efforts of
the Philippine lobby in Washington in
favor of the Independence of the IS
lands They assailed Worcester in the
most vicious manner, and demanded
that be should either retract OF re-
sign.
Taking notice Of this accusation and
denial. the Manila Times Of July 18th
supported Secretary Worcester emphat.
ically in his proposition that slavery
does exist in the Philippines. It praises
his report as Zone Of the most mas
terly OF the many noble pieces Of work
which he has performed during the
years Of his service with tho Philip.
pine government; and passing judg-
ment upon his array Of facts, The Times
says: cit is n damning indictment of
the Assembly, which, four times and
without discussion, has thwarted the ef-
fort Of the Commission to secure the
passage Of bill which should make the
i,,b pt.h HI I, IL,
it is expressly forbidden by the Bill of
Rights The Times further consid-
ers that the report established be-
yond the shadow Of doubt that the
practice of holding human beings in
slavery, is common in those provinces
which are subject to tho legislative con
troll of the Philippine Assembly, and it
carries the charge Of peonage up to the
very doors Of the Assembly itself -
After considering the whole question,
the Times puts the case squarely up to
Quezon and his Philippine rooters, in
the following convincing style:
When, in May last. there was read in
the Senate OF the United States a letter
written by Secretary Worcester IN which
listed I'm the Philippines. Quezon in Amer
lea and score Of writer's In Manila ex-
pended themselves in passionate denial OF
the charge False and slanderous" were
the epithets chosen by Quczon who,
"a Filipino familiar with the facts" went
TO the length OF asserting that there
is not. and there never was. slavery i'm
the territory Inha bitcd by the Christian
FilpinoS." Are Pa ampanga, Tarac Ba-
taan, Zambales. Isabel. Cagayan, iphab-
tied by Christian Fiipinos? In all these
provinces and in others proof. hnal and
overwhelming, has been found and SUB
mitted by the Secretary Of the Interior
showing the existence OF slavery. II Que
zon is "a Filipino familiar with the facts
he has falsined them-if not. then he has
little right TO be resident commissioner:
and less right TO use the public press for
the display OF his ignorance. And what
is true OF him Is true OF others in Manila.
10 a degree only less because their i'm
portance is less, and their position rela-
Slavery exists. and even In Manila-but
what OF Deonage? There is hardly n mu-
niclpaity In the Islands that is not rotten
with II. THE hard truth is" says Mr.
Worcester, that peonage today lies at
the root Of the industrial system OF the
Philippines" or cases gathered at ran
dom. but verified by evidence, there were
concerned with the household Of Philip
pine assembymen. members OF the body
which four times and without discussion
laid on the table n measure which struck
3t tle prdcllCe Ot winch tney were guilty.
There Is no loophole OF escape from the
obligation OF honor which this report
forces on the Assembly-the obligation 10
pass at its next session an act which
shall extend 10 those provinces under rs
Legislative control the pains and penalties
which today await the slave dealer ;he
slave owner and those who would thrive
on peon labor in the non-Christian prov
inces.
Nov that this report has hcon ur5-
lisIed. 81 - possible 20 apply test ~ ~'r-
certy. In the face OF evidence which
would convince an aTrnN .cG doTh,o~@ wf',
those who have called Secretary Worcca-
| marliuess 10 admir- that they werc wrong
| In their confident declaration that slavery
| is unknown among Christian FiiiDincs? II
| so. then they are entitled 70 the aSsulnp-
| tion that their previous statemeDts-how-
ever bitter-were made I'm good faith and
| in their native country But IL not then
are they self-conyictcd Of contemplate
| and deliberate falsebood. Of the infinite
| meanness OF lying 20 advance a political
| cause,
The Times il surely right in It's claim
that the report puts the matter square
| ly up to the Philippine Assembly TO
make such enactments as viii do away
with slavery throughout the archipelago
In the meantime, il is a clear case that
those who denied Secretary Worccster's 3
charges, which are abundantly support
ed by facts. are either igr1rant OF the
| conditions within their own country or
they are willfullv living in order TO at