Evening star., 1919-04-08
ASSURANCES GIVEN
PHILIPPINE MISSION
islanders Plea for Freedom
Will Be Given UnseIfish Con-
sideration by U. S.
DlNED AT THE WILLARD

Representative Horace W. Towner
mittee on insular affairs in the next
Congress, and Francis Burton Harri-
son, governor general of the Philip
pines pledged to the Philippine COM
mission who are here asking for in
dependence that their plea will be
given friendly and unself1sh consid-
Grafton by the United States govern
ment and that even the merely nom
inal direction of their destiny now
exercised by this government will be
removed just as soon as it is safe for
them.
These assurances were given at a
dinner in the Willard last night COM
plimentary to the visiting commission,
arranged by Army officers and by
business men of New York and Wash
ington. Emphasis was laid on the
fact that the Filipinos are now run
ing their own government and that
no fear is entertained regarding their
ability to administer their own affairs
if they are not made the victims of
outside influences, ambitions or greed.
! Compliments Local Government.
Tribute to the progress of the Fill
pinos and to their efficient adminis-
tration of their own domestic govern
ment and strong appreciation of
their loyalty and friendlipeSs to the
United States were paid By Governor
General Harrison. He urged that they
should go to every large American
city and let the people of this country
see the quality Of citizenship that has
grown up in the islands during the
| last twenty years, and which he called
truly representative of the 100000
people. He said that the American
! it to such people who have worked
for liberty and to make themselves
safe for self-government.
| Representative Towner gave an en-
phatic pledge that the incoming Con-
| gress will give their plea most earnest
\ will be actuated only by. what is best
and safest for the Filipino people,
| who have already demonstrated their
| ability to govern themselves.
Appreciate Interest of U. S.
| Manuel L. Quezon, former resident
| commissioner. row president of the
! Philippine senate, who is chairman
| of the commission, said that the peo-
] pie of the islands will never forget
! the indulgent fatherIy attitude of
| the United States in guarding their
| interests, and hoped that the people
of this country will not forget the
absolute loyalty with which the Fill
pinos have placed themselves side by
side with American soldiery to win
| the world war.
Illustrating the progress of the
islanders. and testifying as to the
| future possibilities of developing
| commerce between the United States
and these islands as an independent
nation. several members of the COM
mission made speeches. These includ-
ed Camille Osias, assistant director of
education in the islands. who has
been making a comparative study of
educative methods in other countries;
Danisio Jakosaiem. secretary of COM
merce and communications; Prof. Jorge
Bocobo, dean of the College of Law,
Philippine University, and others
The committee in charge of the
entertainment in honor of the inde-
pendence commission consisted of
Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Barry. George
NJ. Fairchild. chairman and toastmas-
ter: M. F. Lowenstein, ]. G. White
and L. c. Mccullough.