The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-04-16
URGES FREEDOM
FOR PHILIPPINES
Manuel L. Quezon, One of the Philippine
Commissioners at Washington, Took
That Position in Address at
Cleveland.

Independence Of the Philippines was
strongly advocated by Manuel 1. Quezon,
one of the Philippine commissioners at
Washington, in an address last night
before the Cleveland Chamber OF In
dustry.
"The duty OF the United States to the
Philippines, is plain said Mr.. Quezon.
"Congress should enact law giving the
Filipinos their independence. The
reasons are these:
This country has promised, both ex-
pressly and by implication, to withdraw
it, sovereignty from the Philippine is
lands. By implication, when upon the
declaration of war between the United
States and Spain the government Of the
United States asserted that that war
was not waged for territorial aggran-
dizement or commercial expansion; ex-
pressly, in that the past Republican and
the present Democratic administration
have both declared it to be the policy OF
the United States to give the Filipino
people their independence when they
can establish and maintain govern
ment of their own, competent to dis
charge its obligations both domestic and
foreign.
1.-THE fundamental propositions upon
which the Declaration of Independence
was based and from which it acquires
its obvious justification are the great
and complimentary principles: That all
governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed, and
that the right is inherent in every peo-
Pile to establish such government as to
them shall seem best"
Referring to the time when independ
ence should take affect, Mr.. Quezon
said
"The question of time is all important.
Those who promise an independence to
be granted when YOU and / and our
sons and grandsons are all dead and
buried are either insincere and too
shrewd to disclose to the American peo
pie the real purpose which underlies
their projections, or il they are honest
they have been fooled. What could that
promise amount to, when you, who
make it, shall not redeem it, and we, to
whom the promise is made, shall not live
to see it realized? Can you by your
pledge bind generations yet unbom"
As to Filipino capacity for independ-
ence Mr.. Quezon said;
"The argument of Filipino incapaeity
for self-goyernment is hypocritical. 1t
is the veil with which the American of
flee holder covers his desire TO keep his |
place 1t il the ambush behind which |
Turks the company which monopolies our
hemp, and the sugar interests which !
have already acquired in defiance of an |
act of Congress sixty-five thousand acres |
- Ia, 1
get more if given time and opportunity" |
Concerning the present administration |
policy toward the islands, Mr.. Quezon |
said:
President Wilson has adopted a
policy whereby the question can be set
tied in the only practical way. After
the oft-ayowed policy that
is the goal toward which |
you would move as rapidly as the safety |
and permanent interests of the people |
Of the Philippines would permit, the
president has appointed majority of
Filpinos in the upper house, thus giving
rs the control OF both branches of our /
legislature so that We may fully show
our legislative capacity. The governor
general of the Philippines at the same
time, in harmony with the policy OF the
president, is appointing Filipinos to re-
,ponsible administrative positions. If, in
his test, the Filrpinos are successful,
he speedy end of your occupation of
lie islands should come. If the Fill
linos fail, there will be halt, and.
friends of colonialism may claim, at
east, temporary victory
Mr.. Quezon paid tribute to Gov
,rnor General Harrison, and in concIu-
non said:
Give the Filipinos their liberty aud
here win be nothing they will not
daddy concede to you, their trade and
heir gratitude. Americas flag may then
ease to fly over our public buildings,
nut her influence will be our inspira-
ion and we and our children will bless
he day when Dewey entered the bay of
danils."