The Irish standard., 1913-03-22
CARDINAL GIBBONS
OPPOSES MEASURE
The Jones Bill, Now Before Con-
gress, in Reference to
the Philippines.
People on the 5000 Islands Not
Equally Advanced, He
Declares,
And Their Abandonment Would
Result in a Reign of
Anarchy.

Cardinal Gibbons, in an interview
printed in the Boston Transcript, op.
poses the Jones bill, now pending in
congress, which commits the nation
to an abandonment Of the Philippine
Islands in 1921. He says:
"The gradual progress and devel-
opment of the Filipinos and their edu-
cation in the difficult science Of self
government under the wise and be-
nevolent policy pursued by this ma
tion since the American occupation.
lis threatened by the proposal pending
before congress to commit the gov
ernment to abandon these islands at
fixed time in the future-and that
only a few years away.
"Those islands were taken as war
measure. Some may think it would
have been better for us never to have
exercised our Jurisdiction over them.
but once American sovereignty was
established in that archipelago the
responsibility for the welfare and de-
velopment of the Filipinos devolved
upon the American people, and upon
our shoulders it rests today am
irrevocably opposed to any proposal
that would commit this nation to a
scuttle policy. in the Philippine Isl.
ands today, tomorrow or at any fixed
time in the future, and say this
wholly in the interest of the social,
material and moral advancement of
| the people of the United States, of
whom am proud TO be fellow citi
zen, no less than OF the Filipinos
themselves.
Filipinos Are Not Consulted.
| I'm the first place. maintain that
the Filipinos-the vast majority OF
them, at any rate-have never been
consulted regarding their indepen.
dence. The islands composing the
, archipelago number more than 5000,
, and are widely scattered. The people
Of one island have little or no rela.
tion with the inhabitants of another.
No attempts had been made to ascer-
tain the views of these segregated
groups upon the question so vital to
them, as to whether they shall be
! turned adrift to shift for themselves
"But even could it be demonstrated
that large number of Filipinos de.
sired that independence, in my judg.
ment the inhabitants of those islands
as a whole are utterly unprepared to
shoulder the responsibility which in.
dependence will place upon them.
III we were to withdraw now. it
is much to be feared that these peo.
pie would lapse into state OF bar
barous infidelity and thus undo the
work of 300 years.
ITO withdraw from the Philippines
at fixed time in the future, regard.
less of conditions in those islands,
would work serious injustice to the
many Americans and far-seeing citi'
zens of other countries, who have in.
vested their money in developing the
resources Of those islands.
Says It Would Be DishonorabIe.
i "These investments have been made
on the assumption that the Philip
pines would continue under our pro-
lection indefinitely. For the United
States to reverse it's repeatedly de-
clared policy with respect to those
islands would in my earnest belief be
a dishonorable act. 1t would work
great harm to those investors, as well
as to the Filipinos themselves for this
country to withdraw and witness re
sultant reign Of anarchy.
"If another step is to be taken in
j the policy Of leading and helping the
Filipinos to deserve through increas
ing capacity large measure of self
government. let US 60 about the mat
ter with deliberation. In my opinion
the wisest step in this direction would
be for the President, in his wisdom
and discretion, to select a committee
OF discreet and observant patriotic
citizens to visit various portions ol
the islands. Thus would they be en-
abled to form their judgment upor
observations made at first hand al
to the time when the Filipinos ma,