Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-12-01
Minnesota Man in Interview
Outlines Fight Coming in
Congress

News from Washington telling OF
the fight impending in Congress over
the philippines lends interest to re-
cent interview given out by Congress-
man Clarence B. Miller Of Minnesota,
who will lead the fight against the
Jones bill-the administration mea-
sure-in the lower house. Congress
man Miller, telling of his two visits
to the Philippines, said:
THE evils complain of do not
spring from the great mass OF the Fill
Pine people.
"They spring from false policies,
false ideas, and Incompetence OF the
high American officials there, and
from the activities of political clique,
which practically runs the govern
ment. The great mass Of the Filipino
people are kindly, peace loving, low
able people, and among the best In
the world II not led astray. These peo-
pie are worthy the best government
of which America Is capable, and now
they certainly have the worst.
No Respect for Americans.
There is practically no respect Tor
America or American sovereignty.
The great mass of the people are ST.
lent, but the political workers are
loud in open anti-American demonstra-
tions. Americans in the islands pre-
sent a spectacle almost unbelievable
under the American flag. Their posi-
ton there is not dissimilar to that OF
Americans in Mexico during the last
two years. But the one is under the
American flag. i
"Of course all business is at q stand
still. Capital, so sorely needed, In
stead of coming in, Is leaving the Is
lands. Business places are closing,
poverty is appearing and people are
facing serious want, notwithstanding
bountiful crops recently enjoyed.
at is difficult for one to speak calm.
ly who has investigated conditions
throughout the Philippines. 1t will be
even more difficult for the American
people to believe the truth respecting
conditions there.
Development 10 Slow.
From generous impulse the Amer,
lean people started out to give the
Filipinos the best government Amer
lean genius was capable OF devisine
and at the same time to educate them
and train them for self-goyernment
Fifteen years OF effort produced ire
mendous success in all respects save
perfecting the capacity for sek-gov
eminent. These years Of experience
clearly revealed that perfected capa'
city for government. instead OF
being realized in years, would require
generations. However, advancement
would be constant and evolution un
faltering.
"Then came the regime Of Goy-gen
Harrison. Armed with Bryan's Philip
nine theories and smisinfO and
personally ignorant of Filipinos and
everything Philippine, Harrison land
ed in Manila in October, 1913. ] was
there when he arrived and witnessed
| the great outpouring of natives who
| joyously inaugurated him. I was there
this summer and instantly observed
complete change in the general att
tude of the Filipinos. Formerly al
was rejoicing; now everywhere thu
situation is strained; suspicious, omi
nous at times, arising those tragic
moments when fierce blows are re
ceived and given.
Chaos at Present.
At once the governor general pro
ceeded to knock down the government
tai structure Not Attila of the Hunt
nor Theodore Of the Goths ever lait
such destructive hands upon human
institutions The result is complet,
governmental chaos. Today one look
| in vain to find responsible government
In the Philippines; it is not there. Il
It's place are some governmental in
stitutions, moving blunderingly on
driven by their own inertia, but 70
/ the most part the government ha
| fallen like 9 house Of sand. Thi
i summer one went from bureau t
j bureau, but nowhere could he find
4 responsible head.
Il There are some conscientious, ca
pable Filipinos holding public office
but great many Of the appointment
were criminally unwise. All the ele
ments among the Fillpinos that ar
pro-American, including those who ar
for American retention, we're speedil
eliminated from the government an
shut up by methods that remind u
l.of the middle ages. Apparentl
choice consideration was given t
those few Filipinos who had bee
openly, VIGOROUSLY hostile to Americs
Encourages Hostility.
h THE natives, seeing this, instantl
reasoned that the way to get offic
was to be anti-American. The GOV
ernor general encouraged this. H
publicly taught them to 'discredit a
America had done for them in tn
past and every feature of the polio
America had developed in things Phi
ippine. If the Filipinos are rapid
growing disloyal, even hostile, to An
erica, we have no one to blame bu
ourselves, for our own high officis
during the last two years has laugh
and rewarded that attitude.
H The congressman regards the d,
moralization of the penal settlemen
one of the principal scandals of tn
Harrison regime.
Penal Colony Broken Up.
suTho Iuo hic nonai rol0nv - ho caif