Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-10-03

idISe uepOSltS OF SlIt ana TuuhlSh out
side the wall. it must be apparent tC
the average citizen who has given any
attention to this undertaking that suf-
ficient time has already elapsed within
which this part of the work should have
been accomplished. OF course, there
have been difficulties to overcome. but
this was not one of them. and the
urgency of the matter at this time is
emphasized by the unusually low stage
of the river and the near approach OF
the autumnal rains
FILIPINO INDEPENDENCE
TT isn't enough that the Democrats
in temporary control of the govern
4 ment should upset the business and
industry of the country and that
their promises and pledges have been
ruthlessly broken. They must now so
further and embroil the United States
in further difficulties growing out of
the proposition to give the Filipinos
independence.
Those who have been in the Philip
pines and who have made earnest
investigation of the conditions there
80 < NttA AtN0AiN bblpStb " lAlN NbNl 81 VI
the Administration in this matter.
These don't hesitate to say that the
proposed enlargement of the native
control of this important part of our
insular possessions must eventually
lead to serious complications and pos
sible disaster.
Within Il few days n citizen of Har-
risburg has received letter from a
friend in the Philippines in which he
says:
You ask me If 7 am becoming
tired of the Philippines? No. | am
not. But here again you people IN
conditions have changed since the
new Administration has taken
hold. There Is not an American in
the Islands to-day but who feels
that his days are numbered, so far
as the service is concerned. When
you think that 4S0 designations
have been accepted, out of pos
sible 5000 employees, since Harrison
arrived, you will begin to see what
/ mean. TheN are going about fifty
month. When yoW recall that the o
rate was about five per month dur
ing the old days you can see that il
viii be only question of short
time till we are all gone.
This same correspondent points out
in his letter to his Harrisburg friend
that. the new Democratic representa-
tives of the United States in the
Philippines have created most un-
favorable impression. They are APP
parently undoing all the good that was
done up to two years ago. And all
this, he says, to satisfy the clamoring
Of ha mil ,,.1f4f,f,pg
tinuing, the writer says:
I know that this prattle does not
interest you. 1t does not interest
any one in the States. We are so
far away, and you say what good
VIII they ever do us? They are
only an expense. Turn them loose;
The same kind of talk was heard
when we purchased Alaska. But
who wants to get rid of it now?
We have done so much for the
material benefit of the people. in
the time we have been here, and
there is 50 much to do. to bring the
poor tao up to standard of living
and being as we understand 1t. that
to quit now would be criminal.
The lower classes to q man do not
want independence. They say it
would be the same as in Spanish
times. the wealthy ruling and the
poor classes furnishing the grist
fora mill whose hunger is a thou
sand times more aVariCiouS than
any gratters YOU ever heard of in
the states. venture to state,
without fear of contradiction. that
two years after independence has
been granted. the hospitals, the
roads, the schools, the lighthouses,
the wharVeS. the public markets,
the waterworks ana countless other
improvements which we have in
stalled viii be going to collapse,
neglect and ruin.
Plead with your Congressman to
not allow the American nation to
lose its fair name for square deal
ing, especially in the Orient, at a
time when China is opening up for
millions of American trade, by
hauling down the flag in the Philip
pines. To the Oriental mind. with
drawal from the Islands will mean
nothing less than defeat. They do
not understand gratuitous sur
render for seeming spirit of
brotherlN love.
DO YOU know that China is about
to spend twenty million dollars for
river reclamation work, and that
another twenty millions will be
available upon completion of the
first iob2 But the awakening of
China and the Panama Canal is not
going To do the American nation a
bit of good unless we wake up and
give our shipping better chance.
It is difficult to realize that the
Administration would deliberately ex.
pertinent at such time as this with a
problem that should invite the thought
of our most experienced statesmen
Surely there ought to be nothing done
at this juncture to invite complications
beyond our borders.
All over Harrisburg arrangements
are being made for the reception of our