The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-05-17
FILIPINO INDEPENDENCE.


on foot some time ago to grant
self-government to the Filipinos
after a few years, it is interesting
to note that the interview on this
question given by His Eminence
Cardinal Gibbons and favoring the
retention Of the Philippine Islands
by the United States has been
printed as public document. It
is House Document, No. 1446 of
the Sixty second Congress, Third
Session. It's publication was
authorized by the House Of Rep
resentatives.
In this public statement Car
dinal Gibbons declares that it
would be national disgrace for
the United States to surrender
the Philippine Islands to the ten
der mercies of some neighboring
power or turn them adrift "whol-
ly unprepared to face the future
as an independent people. /"
His Eminence says in part:
II am irrevocably opposed to
any proposal that would commit
this nation to a scuttle policy in
the Philippine Islands--to today, to-
morrow or at any fixed time in
the future and I say this wholly
in the interest Of the social, ma
terial and moral advancement Of
the people of the United States,
Of whom / am proud to be fell
low citizen no less than of the
Filipinos themselves.
I'm my opinion the wisest step
would be for the President in his
wisdom and discretion to select a
committee Of discreet, observant,
patriotic citizens to visit various
portions Of the islands. Thus
would they be enabled to form
their judgment upon observations
made at first hand as to how soon
the Filipinos may have the ability
and education to assume larger
measure Of self-government than
this nation is warranted by condi-
tions today in promising them.
II have no patience with the
argument that the Philippine
Islands are the source Of an an
nual deficit to this country. Even
were that true, the fact would not
warrant a cowardly abandonment
of the clear and accepted duty of
the American people toward the
Filipinos. Surely as nation we
owe that much to the world and
to ourselves. We owe it to the
cause Of peace and good order the
world over.
Il am credibly informed-aye,
| believe-that these islands are
self-supporting, and that the only
item in which the expenditures
exceed the receipts is in the diff
ference of cost between mainten-
ance Of an army there and at
home. Certainly that difference
is not worthy of consideration by
a nation Of our resources and of
our large responsibilities to the
world.
"Now that the United States,
through a considerable period of
years, has with patience and a
firm and steady purpose assumed
the responsibility Of the Philip
pine Islands, | am very firmly of
the belief that it would be a ma
tional dishonor, harmful to all
concerned, for this government to
surrender the Filipinos to the ten
der mercies of some neighboring
power or to turn them adrift,
wholly unprepared to face the flu
ture as an independent people.
"To give them up in such way
would be like mother abandon
ing a helpless child, or like a
father withdrawing counsel and
control from son who has not
| yet come to the years Of discre-
ton.
81 am hopeful of the future of
the Philippine people because
have confidence that the Ameri-
can people will never tolerate a
scuttle policy in those islands.
II speak upon this Philippine
problem with the interest and sim
cerity Of an American citizen,
proud of the record there made
by our government in colonial adj
ministration and hopeful of the
benefcent results which, with the
patriotic pursuance of that policy,
the future will bring. Nor do |
speak without information. have
had frequent conferences with
President Taft upon this prob
lem, which is so near his heart.
| No citizen of the United States
is better equipped with informa-
ton on the conditions in those
islands than ex-President Taft
He is man Of close observation,
| judicial temperament and entirely
disinterested in seeing this coun-
try do well the task set before it.
In his efforts on behalf of the com
mon welfare of those islands and