St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-08-02

what is IT,"
In discussing this question it
seems wise to divide it into five
heads.
LIST, Are.we pledged as a Nation
to give the Filipinos indepen-
dence?
End, What is this independence
that we are to give them?
3rd, How can independence be
best assured to all the Filipinos?
4th, Has the policy followed in
the past been a wise one?
9Th, What policy should be
followed in the future?.
It will take but a short time to
bring all evidence to light that is
available in answer to the first
question. The platforms of both
the Republican and the Demo
cratic parties in spirit il not in
words. They say thrt the Filipi-
nos should be given independence
as soon as they are fit for it.
The platform upon which Wilson
was elected states that the party
condemns the experiment in i'm
perialism, referring to the Phil
pines. The Progressive party
does not seem to have gone on
record in the matter, SO far as
their platform is concerned.
From this evidence we are fore
ed to conclude that we are pledg-
| ed to give independence to the
Filipinos, but note the i'm
portant c~lause-When they are
fit for it. Of course, the United
States, and not the Philippines
must decide the time when the
conditions Of this clause have
been fulfilled. It would be very
foolish to allow a people to de-
eide whether they are fit to get
independence. This must be
left to the wisdom Of others
more fit than themselves to de-
eide. Then comes the real trou-
BILE: what is the meaning Of this
word, Independence" that is
being used so freely? And can
one people give it to another?
President Wilson, in one of his
books, makes the statement that
independence is not the kind of
a thing that can be given to a
people. Since this is his opinion,
and since he will have more say
so than any other man, it may be
that there will be much more
said on the matter before any,
thing definite is done. This
loads to the second question.
In dealing with it there is moth
ing that can be done further
than to give the ideas of some of
those best posted on the subject.
That many people do not agree
with these ideas, goes without
saying. Nevertheless, they de-
serve to be given careful con-
sideration.
The second question: What is
this independence that we are to
give them," is, as has been men
toned before, one that there is a
great deal of diuerence of osinion
upon. A majority of the Filipi-
nos think that it must mean that
they are to be given independence
by the Americans getting out
and turning over all the reins Of
Government to them. A large
number of Americans have the
same view of the matter. How
ever, there are many people,
especially those best posted on
the matter. who think that to do
this would be to assure the Filipi-
no people that they would never
get anything like independence.
Why should these people ask for
more independence than the in
habitants Of the various Terri
tories enjoyed before they became
States? In making the state
nent that the independence we
are to give the Filipinos should
be the independence Of the in
habitants of a Territory of the
United States Of America, the
writer is only expressing the
opinion of the majority of the
disinterested people on the sub
ject. By disinterested'' it is
meant that these people are not
politicians who are trying to get
all they can out of the Philippines
an the Filipino people. This is a
proposition that deserves the
most careful consideration by all
Americans.
Ito be Continued.