Evening star., 1914-12-26
Native Commissioners to U. S.
Declare Reports Are In
spired by Business Men.
"PSYCHOL LOGICALLY TIMED
TO Defeat JONES BILL
Quezon and Earnshaw Declare Small
Police Cases Are Exaggerated to
Influence Public Opinion.

show, the two commissioners from the
Philippine Islands to the United
States, who are resident d. Washing
ton and have seats on the floor of the
House of Representatives, today made
the charge that the reports of revolt
and insurrection which are coming
from the Philippine Islands almost
daily are inspired by American busi-
ness men in the islands and others who
are opposed to the Jones bill now
pending in the Senate.
These reports, the commissioners in
an interview with reporter for the
Star, declared. "are psychologically
timed" inasmuch &C the Jones bill now
pending in the Eenate extends the
promise of ultimate independence to
the islanders and makes immediate
changes in the organic law of the
archipelago.
Mr.. Earnshaw has just returned from
the Philippines, where he said today he
went to investigate conditions and
where, he declared. he found every
thing highly satisfactory" from the
Filipino point of view.
Denies Truth of Report.
There is no truth in the report ca
bled to this country" Mr.. Earnshaw
said, that Ricarte, the former general
Of the Philippine army, who refused to
take the oath of allegiance to the
United states and was exiled by Forbes,
when the latter was governor general.
has now returned to the Philippines,
and Is organizing a society Ricarte,
stirring up revolt. The fact is that
Ricarte is living in Hong-Kong."
Speaking for Mr.. EarnshaW as we'll
as himself, Mr.. Quezon said:
This Is the least probable of any
time for possible revolution in the
Philippine Islands. 1t is certain from
the reports l am constantly receiving
from the speaker of the Philippine as
sembly and others that Harrison is the
most popular governor general the
islands have ever had. He is the only
governor general who has ever got his
appropriation bills through the Philip
pine assembly by unanimous vote, and
this happened again this year as well
as last
"As the Philippine Commissioners
resident at Washington, we deprecate
the publication of these startling cable
grams from the islands, declaring tina.
there is revolt and revolution there,
and we do not believe this alleged
news to be based on fact.
I'VE are convinced that American
business men as we'll as foreigners
resident in the Philippines, who object
to independence, and who prefer to
continue to do business under the
American flag, are furnishing these
wild reports to the newspaper men in
the Philippines, and exaggerating
them, and that because of the fact that
the Jones bill is pending in the Senate
now, ordinary. small police cases are
made to assume proportions out of all
reason.
No Charge Of Organized Plot.
I'VE do not charge that there is any
organized plot by American business
men In the Philippines to prevent the
passage Of the Jones bill, but we do
know that they would be glad to see it
defeated.
Ever since the beginning of the pres
ent administration such cablegrams have
been sent to the United States, as well
as cablegrams exaggerating bad business
conditions there These cablegrams are
undoubtedly the result of the announced
intention of this administration to extend
independence to the Filipino people.
I'VE admit that there may be some
little disturbances in the Philippines, but
these are small police cases, and it would.
in fact. be impossible to arouse the whole
Philippine people, or any great proper
ton of them. There is not enough reason
among the Filipinos for revolution.
"A real revolutionary movement can
actually under oppression. The Phil
ippine people are not oppressed. They
never were as happy as now.
1T is unfortunate that these rumors
may produce a bad effect in the Phil
ippines. small riot. caused by local
issue, may grow. Public opinion here
In the United States might demand that
harsh measures be used to suppress
such a riot. Then there would be dis
content among the Philippine people,
and they might be aroused and eventu-
ally do rash things. That is what
happened during the Spanish regime.
Small police cases had big results.
European War Hurts Revenues.
Things are bad enough in the Phil
ippines without making them any
worse. Owing to the war on the other
side of the world our revenues have
been down about SO per cent, although
they are picking up now. Most of our
customs revenues, of course, come from
the importation into the Philippines of
European goods, and as Europe is not
shipping goods now, we lose by it..
American goods, of course, come in
duty free. Then, too, we cannot sell
anything to Europe at this time, so we
lose that way, also"
The commissioners spoke of their
well known views in favor of Phil
tppine independence. Speaking particu-
larly with regard to the present per-
centage of educated people in the is
lands, Mr.. QueZon said:
THAT Is matter of controversy. The
census of 1903 gave US percentage of
ffty-fve illiterates. That representa-
ton, however, included practically only
the people educated in the Spanish
schools. The census was taken before
the American schools had had oppor-
tuntty to have effect. From that date
to this the report of the bureau of ed
ucation shows that more than 5000. 900
children have been educated in Eng
iish. and I should say that today ahoIt