The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-16
FORBES SEES PERIL IN
FILIPINO SELF-RULE
aforementioned Says the
Islands Are Not EconOm-
ically Ready.
MARTIN EGAN MAKES PLEA

LAKE MoHoNK. Oct. Nv Cameron
Forbes eX-Governor- General of the Philip
pine Islands. delivered an address on our
Philippine Policy" at the Lake Mohonk
Conference to-day. MIR. Forbes said in
part:
There seem to be two schools OF thought
among students Of the matter of our con-
troll OF dependencies. The first believes
In establishing and maintaining the best
form OF government possible over these
peoples. allowing them supervised d-
rection OF the lesser units Of government.
such as the municipalities. townships. &c,
ana still more rigidly supervised Ill
rection Of the larger units such as the
provinces and such bureaus and offices
as may safely be placed In the control
OF the natives and IN filing the lower
positions wherever II can be done eff
clently with natives. Gradually the ma
tives would come surging up from beneath.
II II the belief OF this school TO which |
belong that this policy constantly adhered
to will result In the establishment OF a
stable government conducted principally
by the natives. very much quicker than
any other way.
The second school seems TO work upon
the theory that the only way for a people
to learn to govern is by letting them do
the governing themselves placing the
important and responsible positions In
their hands whether at the time they
are ready or not. and letting them make
their mistakes and learn by them. The
adherents OF this policy contend that the
people Will be more contented II governed
by their own people even though tho gov
erument Is not Of the best, and that the
officers will learn competence by expert
ence and that the people will become
strong through blows and knocks.
There Is much that can be said IN
favor OF both schools. regret. however.
that In the case OF the Philippine Islands.
which with cuba. Porto Rico, and to a
lesser degree Panama, are cases in point,
the merit of the first policy naugurated
has not been given a littla longer time
to be tried out
Explains His own Position.
II now want to say "A few words ex-
planatory of my position and policies. be-
cause | have been generally criticised by
those who have opposed me or my poll
cies. as one opposed to Philippine indie
pcndence. who did not believe in their
ideals and aspirations. and who had
worked to bring about "A permanent con
troll on the part OF the United States
against the wishes Of the Filipino people
These representations are widely at vari-
Ance with the facts
4 have never advocated permanent re-
tention OF the islands By the United States
against the will OF the Filipino people, al
though | am not at all sure that some
permanent aiiiiation wouldn't be the best
thing for both countries; neither am ]
sure that II would. My position, outlined
at the time that took up the rens OF gov
eminent and constantly adhered to in
every public utterance that | have made
from that time to this, has been very
simple one.
Il have said. and l saJ now. that
don't know what political relationship
will prove 10 DE the wls,st for both coun-
tries 10 assume at any given time IA the
future. that. without entering into the
political capacity of the Flipinos for self
government. they are not economically ~
to maintain separate government be-
cause they can't maintain an army and
"A navy and pay the expenses of their own
development from their slender revenues,
and need outside assistance In order to
protect them from being swallowed up
by other countries
Even before the utter wurthlessness
Of international agreements Of neutrality
had been demonstrated los recent events
In Europa ! have ridlcuicd the idea Of
substituting "A SHY scrap Of nimsy paper
for strong administrative control backed
up 10y the guns OF Corregidor. recogniz-
ing as | did that without any outward
gain We would have given up the strong
argument Of our administration, our flag.
our soldiers and our guns, for the weak
one of some verbal promises which would
last only as long as they renal med In
the interest OF all parties concerned ana
no longer"
Martin Egnn's Address.
Martin Egan. former publisher of the
Manila Times, made an address for the
nOu-pariisan treatment OF the Philippine
question Mr., Egan said:
In every essential II is an American
question of surprising importance. ana
| believe this conference should rebuks
In protest with all the force of it's char
acter and authority, III. persistent and
pernlciOus use and misuse of II in par
iisan politics This unfortunate condl-
ton began fifteen years ago, when one
party seized upon II for paramount issue
and with varying intensity has prevailed
to this day,
AT this moment thu popular branch
OF our national Congress is engaged In
"A deplorable partisan contest over thu
Philippines, and II its noise were not
drowned by the louder guns Ut Europe
AZ war the country would h, absorbed.
II not divided, in quarrel that nowhere
can reflect credit and Is unlikely TO make
substantial contribution toward solution
OF the matter in dispute Responsibility
for this unfortunate controversy scanned
at one time to rest largely upon the
shoulders OF one party but NJ this mo
ment it's chief opponent Is doing its best
TO even the score.
This unfortunate partisan contest has
brought a long train of evils. II has
dimmed our vision, cramped our action
N 4 a Il 4 -