New Britain herald., 1916-01-25
PHILIPPINESMAYGET
 FREEDOM BY 1920:
Wilson Virtually Approves Sen-
 ate Bill Passage Promised

Washington, Jan. 25-President Wilson has virtually given his approv- al to an amendment to the Philippines government bill now pending in the senate, which provides for the inde- pendence of the islands in from two to four years.
 The amendment was introduced in the senate yesterday by Senator Clark or Arkansas. It was offered as a substitute for another amendment by Senator Clarke which had been be- fore the senate for several weeks. Independence in Two Years. This first amendment gave inde- pendence to the F'ilipinos in two years from the passage of the act and di- rected the president to begin negotia- tlons at once for an international agreement with the leading powers to
 respect the independence and neutral ity of the islands.
 President Wilson learned a few days ago that there was a strong prob
 ability that if the Clarke amendment
 proposing independence in two years, came to vote it would pass. It was learned that a majority of the demo- crats favored it.
 Wilson Proposes Modification. The president sought out Senator Clarke when he heard of the situation and proposed modification of the amendment. The president, it is un- Gerstood, went to the Cochran Hotel where Senator Clarke lives to see him about the matter.
 He pointed out to the senator the difficulty of reaching any information al agreement under the conditions that now prevail in Europe. The pres ident also suggested it might be ad- visabIe to put provision in the amendment that if the president deemed it inexpedient at the end of -four years to proclaim se1f-govern- ment in the Philippines he should be empowered to state that fact to con- gress in message and ask that inde~ pendence be postponed.
 Agrees to Amendment.
 Senator Clarke agreed to the amend ment. Yesterday he introduced it. The president has assured his friends in congress that he will not oppose the amendment if the democrats in the senate favor it.
 The delegate from the Philippines, Manuel Quezerin, has given his ap- proval to it as fulfilling the pledge, made by the democrats in their party platform looking to independence.
 May Pass Senate.
 Senator Hitchcock had a conference with the president yesterday on the subject and expressed the opinion aft CT the conference that the bill carry ing the Clarke amendment would probably pass the senate but said that a few minor amendments would be made to it. The senate is not so sure 1t will pass the house.
 When it became known at the sen ate yesterday that the president had done the unusual thing of going to Senator Clarkes hotel to confer with him on the Philippine legisla tion there was much comment. The relations of Senator Clarke with the administra-T tion were not so cordial in the last ses- sion of congress- He fought the ad- ministrat tion ship purchase bill, and many of the men close to the president tried to prevent his selection as pres ident pro tenn of the senate. MT. Clarke won over his opponents after several days of hard fighting.
 The vote of the Philippine bill, it was said, will probably be postponed for several days. The bill was laid be- fore the senate at o'clock yesterday afternoon. The principal speech was made by Senator Borah