The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-07-08

/ ieSt, dlluucu VIII regrets TO the Ill
feeling between Americans and Fill
pinos in the islands, but expressed his
conviction that the next decade would
change that condition. In 1909. six
years after this statement was made,
another governor general, before the
Quill club, deplored that the gulf be-
tween Americans and Filipinos was
growing wider. Last May an Ameri-
| can, who has lived for nearly ten
years in the Philippines, wrote in one
of the magazines, Our yoke today is
far more odious to the native educat-
ed and uneducated than when we
started
These statements show that every
year that has rolled by with the policy
SO far pursued has witnessed a grow
Ing misunderstanding between the Fill
ipinos and their American associates
From this it should be clear to all
thinking men that material prosperity
alone will not satisfy the Filipinos. In
other words, it is not your philanthro-
Ply, your religious, commercial or gov
ernmental aid that we need or desire,
it is your recognition of our right to
claim and to enjoy that which is most
dear to you-Freedom.
Arguments of Opposition.
81 know there are two forthcoming
answers to this remark of mine l
have heard them many a time. / have
read them in print-first, that it is not
true that the masses of the Filipino
milo \
the contrary, they are perfectly con-
tent to live under American rule; that
they do not know what independence
means and would not know what to
do with it If they had it; that only a
small and noisy group of irresponsi-
bic demagogues, office seekers and pol
lticians who hope or expect to be in
power in the event of Philippine in
dependence, is crying loudly against
American rule.
Second, that the words of Presi-
dent Wilson are not applicable to the
present condition of the Filipfnos, be-
cause, although they do not have ma
tional Independence, they have indi-
vidual freedom.
To those who hold the first theory
let me say that they are deadly wrong
The FilipinOs have given all possible
evidence in words as we'll as in costly
deeds of their unanimous and very
earnest desire of becoming an indie
pendent nation. Only an inexplicable
blindness can fail to see this fact.
Force. and very superior force alone.
can keep the Filipinos in subsection.
Not Free People.
ITO those who assert that the Fill
pinos, although under American guard
ianship, are a free people let me saw
that freedom and guardianship are
two incompatible ideas The fact that
the Fllipinos are given in the organic
act the same individual rights that
the American citizens have, with the
exception of the right to bear arms
ana be tried by jury, does not make
the Filipino as free as an American
citizen, as has been alleged. A free
man is he whose rights are secured by
himself and cannot be taken away
Irom him at will. Our so called indi-
vlduai rights are granted to us by con
gress, which has reserved the right TO
take them away from us at any time.
The case of Canada, Australia and
other self governing British colonies
has been cited to prove that a people
may not have national independence
and yet be free. But the people of
these colonies are a free people be-
cause their very loose connection with
Great Britain is of their own WILL and
the mother country may not interfere
with their affairs Our status is who'll
iy at variance with the Canadians or
Australians. We are not free either "a
people or as individuals.
Growing National Spirit.
Nov. gentlemen, 1 am sure that I
am correct when l say that nothing
short of Philippine independence grant
ed now or promised to be granted
within comparatively short time will
satisfy the Filipinos, and every days
delay in doing this makes the Fill
plnos more unhappy and disconnected.
And my knowledge of the feelings of
my people cannot be successfully chal-
lenged
Il have been fortunate enough to be
associated with all classes of Filipinos.
L have mingled with the poor as well
as with the rich Moreover, l have
witnessed from my childhood this
growing sentiment of nationality and
aesire for independence. was reared
by that same feeling. When l express
the feeling Of my people l am sure
that am not wrong. because l am ex-
pressing my own feelings, and when
| express my own feelings / know that
L am expressing those of my people.
because mine have been inspired by
the national spirit that fills the atmos-
phere throughout the islands"
FREE CLOTHES FOR OFFICIAL. /