Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-07-15
WEDNESDAY, JULY Is, 1914.
PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE.
According to reports, the Jones b!

According to reports, the Jones bill!
providing for, or paving the way for
Philippine independence, is being
whipped into shape. and il its amend
ed form it will be presented as IN ad-
Ministraton bill. One of the ar
aounced purposes is to make good the
declaration in the democratic plat
form that the United States would at
an early date make lorna, declara-
ton OF its purpose to grant to the peo-
pie Of those islands full separate ma
iona! existence as soon as the people
were fitted for it.
On one subject all who are IN the
least degree familiar with Philippine
matters are agreed, namely, that the
people are not now fitted to assume
the responsibilities Of independence.
But as to the future there are two
Contrasting opinions. n that there
should be an immediate declaration
Of purpose to grant independence Al
some future time, and the other that,
not knowing what may be wise or
-SS - - - 80
wise to commit ourselves to any pro-
gram whatever save that Of giving the
Inhabitants Of the islands the best
possible government, aiding them in
every possible way to assume the du-
ties OF self-goverrment. and permit
ting them to govern themselves as
Ear and as fast as the are able.
S~-1@-~>
ted itself definitely to the former pro-
gram. Generally the republican par
ty has taken the latter view. And
the latter plan appears to be the only
safe and wise one. We may declare
now that it is our purpose to do a
tant time when that time has come,
and when, possibly, those conditions
have been reached, it may be much
better for both parties that some diff
ferent course shall b. pursued. At
b very best it will be years before
the government OF the Philippine ISL
acds car be turned over to the natives
with any degree Of assurance that they
will be able to organize g government
which IS stable and efficient even IN a
moderate degree. We have right ct
our doors the experience OF Cuba,
where the nrobem was simplicity it.
self IN comparison with that pre-
sented in the more distant islands.
The Cubars are a reasonably homo
geneous people. They had reached
In appreciate stage of civilization be-
fore the Spanish exodus. The coun-
Try Is compact and the people had
come IN contact with modern life and
modern industry. And yet, after our
armies had left he soil INC had left
what appeared to be q stable and
Ar.Aly established government, it was
and restore the order which the local
government had beer unable to main
tain under what appeared to be very
favorable auspices. Since then the
Cuban government has several times
been - he very brink Of dissolution,
and there IS 10 reason to doubt that
the prospect OF permanent occupation
by the forces OF the United States
was the one thing which prevented
the utter collapse OF local selt-gov-
ic Cuba.
The conditions IN the Philippines
have beer too often described to need
more thar bare mention row. The
population IS divided by ace. religion,
tradition and stage Of civilization into
e score Of dtseordant elements. The
various tribes range from the educat-
ed Inhabitants Of the cities OF Luzon
to the savages who inhab.t he NOUN
famous regions OF distant islands.
selt-government for the entire popu-
ation Is out OF the question now, and
viii remain so for generations. The
question is not whether some OF the
people are able to govern all the other
Inhabitants OF the islands. Some
where, and IN ora way, FOR many
generations q majority OF the people
there must be governed by aliens.
Whether those aliens shall be Ame-i-
cans, or TagalogS. or japanese, the
imposition Of authority from without
viii be unwelconne. It VIII be small
comfort for the Inhabitants Of Min
danao to learn that they are to be
turned over to the tender mercies Of
their hereditary enemies Of Luzon.
Yet that is what Philippines indepen-
dence will mean Tor many long day.