Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-12
Secretary Of War Does Not
Believe the United States
Should Seek 10 Change
Customs in Philippines,
PRESENT BILL STEP
TOWARD INDEPENDENCE
All Parties Have Declared for
SeIf-government When IS
lands Are Fitted for II, Is
His Statement
lay noamna lovpa.l sr1elAl llAseo wlNtl

tHY MORNING IoUpsAL SPECIAL LIhsCp wlNti
Washington, Jan. ll.-Prompt pas
sage of the bill 60 extend the scope of
self-government enjoyed By the Fill
| pinos was urged today by Secretary
| Garrison of the war department as
! logically the next step in the long
/ recognized policy of the United States
/ towards the ISLANDERS The measures
preamble. declaring the purpose of
/ the United states TO grant complete
I independence when stable govern
ment has been set up, Mr.. Garrison
declared TO be but a reiteration of
: promises made by successive repub-
! lican administrations
/ The secretary appeared before the
senate Philippines committee as the
last witness at public hearings on the
pending bill that have been In progress
/ for several weeks. He had prepared
a statement tracing the American
/ policy toward the Philippines since
| the Spanish war and explaining that
the present bill, Improperly styled an
| independence bill" would provide
merely for the further test Of the
Ftlipinos capacity for sef-govern-
ment.
Responding to questions, Mr. Gar
rison said from a military standpoint
the Islands were liability, not an
! asset to the United States.
Regarding PoIygamy.
senator Hitchcock asked Mr. Gar
rlson if he thought the provisions of
the bill prohlhlt4g polygamy a wise
one Speaking as a private citizen,
Mr. Garrison replied he did not be-
lieve in attempting to force such mat
ters upon the non-Chrlstians. No
where in Christ's sayings, he asserted,
was there any word against plural
marriage or about the marriage rela-
tion, although lsraelites had practiced
polygamy during Christ's lifetime and
for centuries before.
In view Of the recent exaggerated
accounts Of petty disturbances in the
islands, the secretary said 1t was
particularly interesting to note that
former President Taft, when governor
general Of the islands, had said that
as result of the attitude of the
American press and Of the American
merchant in his hostility to the Fill
pino, every small ladrone fight every
discomfort the constabulary suffered
was exaggerated and made the basis
for inference that conditions in the
islands were relrograding rather than
improving"
Duty To Islanders.
What the United States should do
concerning the Philippines said Mr.
Garrison in opening his statement,
"can only be determined properly by
keeping two things constantly in
mind One, the duty Of the United
States to itself; and the other its duty
in view IF the pledges and assurances
it has made to the Filipino people,
"The United states has assumed re.
sponsibilities with respect TO the Phil
ippnes, which, in the highest spirit OF
self-respect. il must discharge right
fully at whatever cost. 1t is use
less waste of time to discuss whether
we should have acquired the Philip
pine islands, or whether having ac'
quired them, we should set cut upon
the course of improving the materia
prosperity of their people educating
them, introducing means Of commun-
ication and transportation and build
/ ing up commerce, internal and e&-
ternal, as we have done. II is equally
profitless 10 discuss whether thost
who spoke on behalf Of the United
States should have made the repeated
statements concerning our attitude
with respect 10 the Filipino people
. which statements are in their nature
assurances or pledges concerning
our intentions. We have done thes'
things and must abide BY them. va
have no right now to measure oul
duty or our obligations by what woult
have been our rights had we not pur
sued the course we did pursue.
Know Little of Problem
I'VE deliberately chose to assum
an enormous responsibility with
, self-abnegation unparalleled SO far a
] know. gave la the somewhat simila
case Of Cuba it was finely con
ooiyed. and 10 hehooVes the nation q
see that il IS finally carried uut ls
noranee and preIudiec increase lh
, difficulty aud attempts to rcap par
> tlsan advantages add lo Il
"Our eltiIena knuN 80 pliiublN lit
ile about this great problem The
90 non feali1e sNe Do fer agu
Way. hoW lhe honor of the nation
, which H collie iNe8 thpif h0u1f