Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-03

No honest reading and consideration OF
the measure can lend 10 any other
conclusion. Because the preamble Of
tha! bill repeated in concrete Ian
guaee that which has been substan-
TALLY stated to be the position of this
country from the time of President
Mckinley on down, il has been false
Iy labeled an indepenence' bill and
the impression has been widely con
veyed that il alters in some vital, rad
ical way the orderly program Of the
self-development OF the Filipino
people. Such an Interpretation creates
an absolutely false impression
President Taft when governor
general of the Philippine islands. was
the first one to announce the motto Of
the American administration was The
Philippines for the FiHpinos. He
properly and bitterly resented crit
icisms against him for taking this pc
sition He constantly stated that this
was the only position which any one.
acting in good faith and with the non
or of his government in his keeping,
could take; that from the very be
ginning this was the announced pol
ICY of this country constantly iterated
aud reiterated by the presidents Of
this country, by its representatives,
and by its congress. Ne one had so
plainly set forth as has President Taft
the malicious misrepresentation, the
mendacious statements, and the vic
ious assaults that proceed from those
in the Philippine islands who are not
permitted TO exploit the natives and
the country for their owu benefit
President Taft was absolutely jus
titled in his bitter denunciation of these
attacks. which makes il all the more
amazing TO find him indulging in
exactly the same conduct toward those
who are now occupying positions of
trust and responsibility in the Pull
ippine government.
There appeared a series of ar
ticles in pamphlet entitled The Tn
happy Condition in the Philippine Is
lands. by o. Garfield Jones, Former
member Of the Philippine department
Of education, with an introduction by
jex-President William Howard TAFT,
former encouragement OF the Phil
/ ippines. In the Introduction ex-
President Taft says:
! II have read with much interest o,
: to fiefd lInnsf sr11
ditions in the Philippines published
recently in the Oakland Tribune. 1t il
i not news to me.
What he says about the demorali-
cation in the present government, due
to the blind and foolish policy OF
President Wilson and Goyernor-Ge
eral Harrison, is confirmed by every
report that l receive from the is
lands
Can Confirm ANY SANDER.
Undoubtedly any SANDER or lying
statement can be confirmed by reports
received from the islands. Mr.. Taft
has pointed out with entire clearness
where such reports come from. He
said, when suffering from similar mis-.
] representation, speaking with respect
10 the American press and the three
r., newspapers in the islands who were
supposed TO speak the American pub.
lie opinion in the islands. that they
were engaged in holding the Filipino
up to contempt. exposing all his sun
/ posed vices, and giving him no credit
I whatever for any virtues. and it NAV
be that this represents the feeling Of
/ the majority of the resident Ameri.
/ cans in Manila. But can we not. in tbs
end, be Just, and give to the whole
! Filipino people their due, Should We
wish the Filipino people 10 Judge Of
Americans by the drunken. truculeni
American loafers who infest the small
towns of these islands. living on the
fruits of the labor of Filipino women
and give us more trouble than aoy
other element In the islands,
Mr.. Taft says that what Mr.. Jones
states in his article was not news r.
him Mr.. Taft 1t was unauestionabi,
news 10 Mr.. Jones. because he made
il up himself
/ In letter written TO General Nc.
lntyre. the chief OF the bureau OF in,
sular affairs of the war department
dated Oct rs, 1915. Mr.. Jones saws:
When | reached Berkeley Aug. u