The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-07
DEcElvING THE FILYPINoS.
S~earchlight on the Adminlstratlon's
Independence Policy.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: In
the hearings before h Congressional
committees on the Philippines the Demo-
cratic party. under the shrewd II not
ingenious leadership of Secretary Gar
rison. developed the theory that the Jones
bill and its preamble are Justified II not
suggested by the previous declarations
Of President Taft and other Republican
leaders. Quotations from Mr.. Taft and
ex-Governor-General Forbes were ad-
duced as binding on the Government n
the pseudo-cOmplaisant Democratic Ad-
ministration In his last pronuncia-
mento In reply TO Mr.. Taft Secretary
Garrison uses the same quotations In
support OF the SNUG proposition h a the
Democratic programme 10 precisely the
same as the Republican programme. n
publican attack.
Now. something certainly happened in
tho Philippine Islands al soon as Gov
ernor-9eneral Harrison assumed control.
Business was paralyzed and a period OF
distress n dismay succeeded an era
OF growing confidence and prosperity.
This result vas not due to the discharge
Of numerous o~ficehoiders but to the be-
lief. shared by the merchants Of Manila
with the Filipinos themselves and the
people of the United States, that the
tio W AAoI-
rison mean an entire change of policy
leading speedily to the surrender OF con-
troll of the islands. No such business
paralysis would have occurred II the in
tention OF the Democratic party to fol-
low the Republican programme had been
understood. Doubtless Secretary Garri-
son deems II mighty adroit politics to
distract attention from the facts as
every one understood them. and to pre-
tAnd HhaN k~ ~.
cratic party was to continue the con
sentative programme of Governor-Gen-
eral Forbes and President Taft. but It
can hardly be called sincere. Mr.. Taft
n Mr.. Forbes said many things. and
to understand their intention all they
said should be'quoted. not occasional ex-
tracts. Their declarations taken as a
whole had been interpreted and were
perfectly understood by Fllpinos and
Americans alike. and by no one better
than the Democratic leaders. whose an
nounced purpose was to get away from
the Republican programme Of continued
American sovereignty to such a time.
generations In the future. as the Fill
pinos should ave demonstrated ability
for complete self-government.
There are Jones bills and Jones bills.
The one which the Democratic party APP
proved In the Baltimore platform prom
Used independence at a fixed time. eight
years distant. President Wilson after
his election, in a speech at Staunton. Va,
stated In a way that was universally
understood that the limits Of American
sovereignty were to be- curtailed by the
surrender OF Philippine control. In view
of the Democratic platform and Mr.. VIII
sons speech II Is absurd for Secretary
Garrison to contend now that the Demo
cratic policy Is simply an extension OF
local autonomy in accordance with Re-
publican promises.
There Ls no question that Mr.. Bryan,
Mr.. Jones and Mr.. Wilson all looked
forward to cutting loose from the isl.
ands. and this was generally under
stood. And while II was hoped by Ma
Mia merchants that the Administrative
might be persuaded away from such q
disastrous curse. Governor-General Har.
r!son's speech at his Inauguration. his
intimate association with Sefor Quezon
the o~utspoken advocate OF immediate
independence. followed by The accelera'
ton OF the Philippinization of the com
mission and the civil service. convinced
them that the Democratic party INTENDED
to put through the Jones bill as ap'
proved at Baltimore. That such was
their original plan and II A 1t is still
the prctence they endeavor TO impose OF
Filipino credulity IL too palpable 70
dispute. and Secretary Garrison. as al
apostle of ~frankness. should admit II.
The truth Ia the Democrats, as soor
as they were In power. learned a Who'll,
lot about h Philippine question they
didn't know before, Evidences of tn
disastrous consequences 70 follow .
grant OF Independence, the impossibilit,
that there could be any real genuine in
dependence. the certain disaster tina
would overwhelm he Filipinos In cas-
OF surrender OF American sovereignty
the realization that Independence mean
in all probability the transfer OF sever
millions of Christians TO the jurisdiction
OF a pagan nation ave the bcldest Dem
ocrat pause. The Administrators four'
itself In an embarrassing situation. Nj
merous ambitious and eloquent Philip
pine politicians. led by Senior Quezon
had taken the Democratic platform ser!
ously and assumed that complete II de
pendence was to ONE and come speed
ily. II was necessary, therefore, for tn
Administration to load Il gun that woul'
kill IL It was bear II miss II Il was
calf. and the Jones bill thereupon wa
revised. amended. reVainptd n recon
structed. so that viii ITS preamble /
would fool the Filipino into believing
the Democratic party intended 20 fulfi
the pledge OF the Baltimore platform
while in reality the question would h
temporarily set aside and. as the Admin
istration hoped. permanently shelved.
To trace tho Democratic change o
heart read the Baltimore platform, MI
Wilson'S Staunton speech. the origlna
Jones bill and The amended article, III
preamble as Jones wrote II and the pre-
amble as Secretary Garrison quotes II
and consider the Secretarys recent per
ferv!d declaration that n intimatio
that tho Jones bill means Philippine In