New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-01

sively 10 this end. il has been the pol
, icy of the United States to eXpend
, every effort to increase the capacity OF
/ the Filipino people for government
With this end constantly in view. the
! Philippine Assembly was established
and has been made an integral part or
the lawmaking authority OF the islands.
! Every practical step has been taken 10
educate the masses of the people ana L"
inculcate those qualities of self-rei-
/ ance. integrity and right thinking upon
which alone can he built any perma-
nent structure Of self-governmen''
! COMPARED with the conditions as we
found them in 1895. tremendous prog
ress has been made. but infinitely more
/ remains to be done
Became the Arolter.
When. in the latter part Of lS'S the
commissioners of the United States
met those of Spain To negotiate what
! became the Treaty of Paris. il was EVIL
dent that through a decree of fate TINS
country had become the arbiter OF the
future of the Filipino people. To have
restored the islands TO Spain. a Lauoh
with a demonstrated incapacity FOR
colonial government, would have been
to consign the people TO an interim
pable period Of disagreement and
continuous Instruction To have in
trusted them with the priceless boon OF
independence when they were SO Ill pre-
pared either TO exercise or TO preserve
Il would have been cruelty instead OF
kindness. and could have resulted only
in an arstocracy or an olgarch\'
which. coming into existence without
ideals or traditions. could never nave
been expected TO administer the islands
for other than the selfish interests OF
the few. Recognizing these conditions
for which Providence alone was reSpoh-
sible. the United States was compelleh
IN ADOPT the course of him who, us
covering a founding on his doorstep
consigns il to an asylum or OF MIN
who. under like circumstances, aVCep'S
il as a sacred trust, takes it into ms
family and lavishes upon it solicituoe
and affection. tempered with so much
of discipline and restraint as is essen
tial to its temporary welfare ana It's
ultimate development Of character.
President McKinfe% and his repre-
sentatiyes in Paris chose the iatter
course They paid To Spain S2ooo""'
mt nc the purchase price OF the ISLANDS
hut TO reimburse that country io'
moneys expended there and TO ehd 'he
loss of blood and treasure whiCh e'V"
dave continuance of war entai!ed' an
oxnonditure which. because or the hu-
man sacrifice involved couid not w
estimated in terms Of dollars anu cents
tn Fit Filipinos for Independence
WE, the Filipino freed from the woke
~ Spain this country was again CON
,ror,ed with two alternatives. either
=. farm tho islands over To the tender
,,,orcies Of Aguinaldo man VINO mas
been proved 10y subsequent history .
~ heen utterly incapable OF conduct
;no any government but despotc nlc-
,a,orsbip ENJOYING a precarious exist
ence by force Of arms. or TO es'aoiis"
= government by the United states lor
an indefinite period. 10 the enc 'na-
Ultimately the people might be htte1
o., s.,f-goyernment. II chose the lat
ter.
The Filipino people then consisted Oh
: 600 OpO Christians. 100000 only sem
c,,i,ized Moros and 100000 of the villa
tribes The Christian Filipinos we're
divided into six or eight civilized uipes'
sneaking as many different languages
.rhev were childlike and ignorant, bare
l.. moro than : per cent being able 10
o,L cranish Never had they o"en
intrusted with the slightest measure 81
self government From the time -hey
had emerged from savagery they aau
hoo, ruled bv a monarchical govern
mont which. even when il was just. vas
In ALL things paternal. They undersiocd
not the first principles Of indepehdeic"
ar self-rule. And To the glgahtlc tdsN
Of educating these people to a point
where they would be fit for self-soV-
ernment this country pledged itself
with the same optimism and the SAME
altruism that had led it to make war
on Spain that Cuba might be free.
Work Wisely Conceived.
Every step which has been taken in
the Philippines. from the ratification OF
tho Treaty of Paris on April II. 1S39.
IN the present day. has been taken with
this high aim in view, and the success
which wear by year has attended TINS
great work is strongest PROOF tha'
Il WAS wisely conceived and has oeen
aHcientlv carried on. The success
which this government has achieved
in the Philippines has been the wonder
~ nations far more experienced In co.
oniziue work than we. There has bcen
ma naraIlel in colonial government in
the history OF the world.
The prerequisites Of progress in me
task we had undertaken were the edu-
cation Of the people TO think IN ana
sneak a common language and The n
culcation of the characteristics already
referred 10 as the foundation stones OF
every independence which is construct
ed TO endure. English, because OF its
historv its literature. its inadaptabii-