New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-18
Leaving Rule of Wild
Tribes to Natives Called
Serious Defect.
GOVERNORS HANDS
TIED BY MEASURE
Insular Affairs Committee Menu
Der Doubts Senate Will
Pass II.

iFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Oct. 1.-THE Jones Dill
providing limited independence Tor 'he
Filipinos and committing this govern
ment to a policy guaranteeing the VII
mate freedom Of the islands rs heIa
nv REPRESENTATIVE Horace NJ. Towner'
of Iowa. ranking minority MEMBER VI
the House Committee on lnsular Al
fairs. TO be full of imperiectiohs'
Temporary political buneompe' ne
calls the measure. h
"One Of lis fundamental defects he
avs "is the extraordinary preamble
enacting into legislation the un"lSe
promises of the Baltimore platform &c
garding the REIMBURSEMENT OF the Isl
9nds The second great defect rs the
provision regarding the goverhme!n,!t ',
the non-Christian and non-e'V'i'@eu
tribes Of the Philippines. -.
"The Jones bill provides that me
proposed elective Senate ana iouSe Vi
the Philippine Islands snail soneIi
these tribes. There are one mlllon
Of these non Christian people Mofos'
Igorrotes and negritos. Many OF the
tribes are utterly uncivilized; all are
nreiudiced against the sO-called higher
grade FihpinOs.
~ we grant that the Filipinos are
canable of governing themselves it -
impossible to grant that they are yet
capable of governing others. lncse
nom Christian tribes are fairly content
TO be governed by the United states,
but they hate the Filipinos and VIII
cause trouble from the outset. can
not hope that these wild men will SUB
nit to laws and regulations made by
Filipino Assembly.
"Republicans made an effort in the
House to provide commission form
of government for the on-Chrlstlan
tribes. We believe it would be Tar
preferable TO put these tribes under
the jurisdiction Of commission named
by the President Of the United States,
but the majority OVERRIDE our sugges-
ton. 80,
Another cardinal defect IN the DI!
as il passed the House Is the provision
that the Senate. which is to be COM
posed entirely of Filipinos. shall con-
firm all appointments made by the Gov
ernor General of the islands. The most
minor appointment in the adminstra-
tion Of the islands is subject TO review
By the Filipino Senate. and TINS ~ n
dangerous provision. tying the hands
of the Governor General, who is named
bv the President of the United states
The Filipinos have much 10 l"1rn
about administrative affairs. and some
of the officers appointed, such as SAM
tary officers, may be unpopular with
the islanders and their appointments
may be blocked by the Senate.
Another defect is that the Governor
General has no absolute veto over the
acts Of the Filipino Assembly. The
local government may override The Feto
by a two-thirds vote The Governor
General hasn't absolute check, Tor in
stance. on cXtravagant appropriations.
Ii is true that the President Of the
United States retains an absolute Teto
power over the acts Of the proposed
legislature but this il a rather cunt
bcrsOme arrangement. and the powers
OF the Governor General. who is on the
ground. should have been greater.
THE bill provides suffrage qualiil-
cations for the Filipino voters. includ-
ing the ability to read and write either
spanish. English OF a native language.
There is provision, however, that
any person who held Office in the
ISLANDS prior to 1898 shall be entitled
10 vote regardless of the lack OF other
qualifications. Former ofliceholders are
plentiful in the Philippines and many
OF them are ignorant, yet they have
the ballot.
1--WE attempted 10 strike out the
clause 'or native language in the
literacy test section. for practically
all Filipinos will be able to write or
read some name or sentence committed
to memory in their own jargon.
1T is we'll known that the Jones
measure makes no reference 10 or pro-
vision for the neutrality of the Philip
pines in the event. of their contem-
plated freedom. Ii will be easy to have
nations recognize the neutrality of the
islands, but some nation must guaran-
tee that neutrality or else recognition
will be worthless. 1t will be incumbent
upon the United States to guarantee
neutrality, but il we approach other
| nations with a suggestion Of guaran-
tee they will Immediately inquire What
do we get out Of it?' This is just one
of the difficulties in the way Of turning
the Philippines loose.
"The dangers of the international
complications which may arise by re-
lnqulshlng the Philippines have been
pointed out in our minority report
That the islands will be fighting con-
tinually among themselves or become
the prey of some stronger nation is ia
be genuinely feared The objection.
able preamble Of the Jones bill saws
however, that II is and always ha,
been the purpose of the United State,
10 withdraw their sovereignty owe,
the Philippine Islands and to recognize
their independence as soon as a stabl,
government can be established therein.
There is no particular harm, per
haps, in granting the Philippines gov
eminent power to enact tariff laws
subject to the approval Of the Presi.
dent of the United States. but | fear
that the entire scheme to turn over
the administrative affairs of the isl.
ands to the natives will breed trouble
for Us and discomfort for the islanders
Considering the bills imperfections-
and they are many those opposed IN
the Democratic measure take comfort
IN the Thought that il is meaningless
political buncombe and will not pass
the Senate IN its present form. No one
can say when the Filipino will be pre-.
pared for self-goyernment, and for the
present 1t is far preferable TO retain
the commission form of government :