University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1914-05-24
2G. THE PHILIPPINE PROBLEM.
Continued from page one)
Americans came?'

+ Americans came"
- He will reply. yes
= Ask him if he is happier under
;, American rule and he will reply he is
:. Then ask him if he wants independ
i. ence and he will answer in the affirm.
;. ative also
:. He doesn't know what's good for
him."
8 The question of the duty of the
= United States i'm regard to these is
lands and their peoples resolves it
, self into whether or not they are ca
pable of governing themselves and
maintaining law and order as an indie
pendent nation. If they can do this.
even those persons in Manila most
violently oppose TO self-government
would agree. though with reluctance.
that it should be granted. No one
here-at least in public-is opposed
+ to ultimate independence or self-gov-
ernment when the Filipinos are capa-
Bile of government" to use the
phrases of common speech. The diff
ference is as to the time In two
centuries at the present rate of prog
ress. said one American. In a gem
Grafton or two" said another, while a
third. shrewd observer without the
conversation of capital invested in
the brewery or timber or other local /
business, said: The FilipinoS are
capable of governing themselves and /
maintaining peace and progress on the /
islands now. And how can We say for /
certainty that they are now unless
We give them a chance to demonstrate
their capacity? As to maintaining
themselves against outside aggression.
that is another matter. AS for self
government. look at the work of the
Philippine Assembly. That throws
light on the problem. if it does not
solve it"
Assembly Equals L. :. Bodies.
The Philippine Assembly, the legis-
lature of the islands, had just adjourn
ed. 1t is composed of two houses. The /;
lower house consists of members elect
ed from the various provinces by .
voters who have certain educational
and property qualifications. Its MEM !
bership is of course entirely native ,
The upper house, called the Commits I
sion, is composed of the Governor Gen G
'ral and eight commissioners, appoint {
ID by the President of the United
States. Until recently five of this
We're Americans and four
'ilipinos Under President Wilson's &
administration, however. five of the
'ommission-a majOrity-are Filipi
los. The work of this Assembly was a
qual to that of Legislative bodies in h
ther and western lands. 1t compares T
avorably. in discussion of measures n
nd final decision, with the state leg n
5latures in America. There was har- h
lony between the two houses and is
ach passed about the same number G
{ bills originating i'm the other house j,
n appropriation of money the Assem-
ly was notably careful and discrim- is
lating Osmea, the Speaker. from st
ebu. would have easily been a leader W
any legislative body and Palma. the he
.nior member of the Commission, eli
ould rank among the foremost mem r,
ars of any upper house. The whole tn
Ssembly was characterized by fine
Iblc spirit.
In local civil government, in the
on commissions. in the con- p,
abulary, and as soldiers the FilipinOs
I'VE shown an unexpected and grow
9 capacity. In this view the oppO-
tn
,nts of independ ance agree, but in
81 they succeed only when they are
lder some white mans .-uthOrity.
lomas A. Street formerly professor
the Law School of the University of
ssouri. now member of the code
of the Philippines, bears
tness to their rapid growth i'm the
alities needed for successful state :.
wi
cd. Major b. b. Buck, of the regu-
r army, formerly commandant of
dets at Missouri, testifies to their
ility as soldiers. Indeed, the uni
rsal opinion classes the FilipinOs as
: most superior of the Malayan peo-
:. did
Religious AntagOnism Less. Ga iac,
There are several different peoples Pri'
ong the S.0o0,000 Christians who in
bit the 1000 or more islands making "