Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1914-01-30
PLANS FOR WARDS
ADMINISTRATION INTENDS TO
SATISFY OUR OBLIGATIONS
TOWARD ISLANDERS.
PORTO RICANS DESERVING
Probably WIN Be Made Citizens Of a
Territory - Problem Confronting
the Democrats in the Philip
pines Is More Complex.
By GEORGE

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-In his address to con-
gress at its opening President Wilson
said: I'VE can satisfy the obligations
Of generous justice toward the people
of Porto Rico by giving them the am
pie and familiar rights and privileges
accorded u own citizens In u w
territories, and our obligations to-
ward the people of Hawaii by perfect
ing the provisions of self-government
already granted them, but in the Phil
ippines we must go farther"
1t apparently is the intention Of the
Democrats, before the end OF the pres
ent congress, to make American
citizens out OF the people Of Porto
Rico. 1t is also believed to be the in
tention Of the present administration
to attempt to put things on what the
Democrats consider to be a better
basis in Alaska, Hawaii and the Phil
ippines. Every political party has ex-
pressed in It's platform the determi.
nation to advance the interests Of the
peoples who ave come under our con-
troll by conquest or by other means
- 'Soho w
this end by the parties have been as
different as the parties themselves
but the end sought In every case has
been the same.
Not very much appears, compare
lively speaking. in the public press
about the Porto Ricans, their aims.
their ambitions, their industries and
their present condition personally and
in a business way. The Porto Ricans
are progressing and one has only to
read the government reports, espe-
prove the point. The government has
promised that it will do more for the
Porto Ricans before long. 1t probably
will do the thing which seems best to
inspire the islanders with confidence
in this country, giving them the full
rights of citizens of a territory of the
United States.
Progress in Porto Rico.
IN 1898 when the United States
took Porto Rico over from Spain there
was only one building in the LAND
which had been especially built for
school purposes. The total enroll
ment in the public schools was less
than 10000 children. Something under
20 per cent. of the entire population
was able to read and write. Today
there are nearly 400 public schoo
buildings in the island and there is
a school enrolment OF 162, 900. The
general percentage Of illiteracy hal
been reduced more than IA per cent
- H. fo-, ~, - q, NyDr,tcaI tho,
it virtually will disappear.
For a long time the Porto Rican'
were regarded as being an indolen
people. Finally the "laziness" wa
discovered to be due to disease caused
by the nook worm. Within a shor
time 60, 900 Porto Ricans have beer
cured Of this disease by American
physicians and they have passed from
lethargy to energy.
The problem which confronts thu
Democratic administration in thu
Philippines is much more compile,
than the one found in Porto Rico. II
the Philippines there are many DIFF
! ferent types of people, different IL
customs, in religion and in stages o
| civilization. 1t is held by the people
whom we know as Filipinos prope
thai they are capable of self-govern
ment and can answer all the perplex
ing questions of local home rule which
may present themselves.
More Liberty for FilIpinos.
The present American administra
ton seems to feel hat the Filipino
are not quite ready for self-govern
ment, and it can be said that appear
ances indicate the Democrats will
push into the future the first sug
gested date as the one IN which thu
Little Brown Brother could be turned
loose to care for himself. However
1t is the intention seemingly Of thu
Democrats TO grant more and more
liberties to the wards across the ses
until the day shall come when they
can be given absolute freedom.
Recently some of the leading Fill
pinos have said that they would pre-
to have the United States announce
a pro]tectorate over the islands. Thi!
would be a formal notification, O
course. to the powers Of the worlC
that the United States would defend
the Filipinos' liberty at all hazards
Owen for Bill Experts.
Recently In these dispatches atten
ton was called to the possibility tina
the Democratic majority in congress.
would pass a bill to creat a "burear
of bill experts" the duty Of which
would be to scrutinize bills Of which
before their introduction to see tina
they would do what they were intend
pPOV0ThTinM al i TIM EDC6T