New Britain herald., 1915-01-11

they would laugh in derision at those Who suggest that it is inadvisable to consider this bill now because of the eAlst1ng war. The very slightest con z sldefatlon of the actual provisions of this bill would convince any inquirer tnat there was nothing whatever in 1t which made it inadvisable or map rropriate to consider the matter at this time. 1t is not too strong state ment to say that were every nation on earth, including our own, at war there is nothing in this bill which would make it's consideration inappro- pffate on that account.
 Two View Points.
 The bill is so framed as to pro- vide another step along the line of self-government. The wisdom ana propriety of it can only be determined by keeping in mind the two view points first adverted to and by con- sldering the history of our relations to the Philippines and the present sltnation therein"
 ]. Here Secretary Garrison traced the History of the Philippines-some 34 Islands with total population of be- tween eight and nine million, mostly 1T Malay Origin--pointing out that the revolt against Spain and, later, the rising against the United States were the only occasions which had tended to produce homogeniety arnDng the islanders. He quoted at length from messages and speeches by former Presidents Mckinley, Taft and Roosevelt to show that in each succeeding administration after the DI,s the United States the Filipinos had been taught that the Philippines are for the Filipinos,' that satisfacti over the progress of the islanders had besn expressed, and the hope of ulti- mate self-government held out.
 Quotes Taft's Statement.
 MT. Taft he quoted as saying in a messa ge in 1912: We should x * endeavor to secure for the Filipinos economic independence and to fit them for complete self government, with the power to decide eventually, ac- cording to their own largest good, whether such self-government should be accompanied by independence.
 In 1913, MT. Garrison added, Pres- dent Taft described the promise in the democratic platform to recog-
  ippine Islands "as soon as stable government can be esta ablished'' as ''an affirmation of a policy slightly differing from that repeatedly an 'nounced by this and preceding repub- lican administrations
 Justification of Wisdom
 In pursuance of the policies thus enunciated MT. Garrison said the var ious administrations in this country had from time to time enlarged the extent of the participation of the Filipinos in their government, replac- Ing the military regime by civilian commission giving the islanders con- ments and gradually of their pro- vincial government, placing Filipinos on the commission, in the supreme court, and at the head of executive departments and finally, in 1907, es- tablishing the assembly composed en- tirely of natives elected from the various districts. The present ad- ministration reconstructed the com mission, practically the senate of the islands, so as to give a majority to the F'ilipinos, and. the secretary con- ffnued. everything that has come to hand is in entire justification of it's wisdom and propriety.''
 MT. Garrison declared that the present bill was the result of the plans of the administration to take the next logical step along the line