Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-05-01
Philippine Agitation for independence,
Periodically Restrained During War,
Once More Becomes Their Chief Goal

ture a legislature composed entire
ly of Filipinos, the largest single
appropriation for educational pur-
poses was voted and through this
appropriation a plan has been de-
vised whereby inside of six years
every child of school age in the
Philippines will be given an oppor-
tunity for education.
Progress Gratifying.
In other lines of activity the
progress made under this reorgan-
lied government is equally. mark
ed. The financial progress of the
country is marvellous. The total
foreign commerce of the Philip
pines in 1918 was $1O7 ,6S5,742, with
balance against her of So 500 900,
while last year, 1918, her foreign
commerce reached 1924 ,231,747,
with a balance of trade in her ia
vor of $37,8S3, 324, or an increase
of 3,l96,00O of the 1918 trade
over that of 1913, an increase 81 131
per cent from 1913 TO 1918.
With respect to our monetary cir
culation, we had in 1913, or a year
before the war. $25s34S,626, or 1915
per capita, while at present we
have in circulation sec ,301 ,484, or
1914 per capita. Our total bonded
Indebtedness amounts to only S20,-
125, GOO, of which more than s4,-
900, 900 has already been set aside
TO pay it.
Taxation in the Philippines was
S214 per capita in 1913, as compar-
ed with S2.6S per capita in 1917.
The Philippine National bank is
an incontrovertible evidence of the
great financial progress of the
country. 1t was organized with re
sources amounting to $5,900,000 in
May, 1916. and gradually rose to
$14 $4,000 in July, 1916, S25,350,-
900 on Dec. 81, 1917, $105.471 900
on June 30. 1918, and $134. 1893. 039
on Dec 81, 1918.
now come TO the other reason
why We say this is the proper time
to grant the Filipinos their indie
pendence. America in the late war
fought for liberty, the self-gov-
eminent and the indicated devel-
opment of all peoples" and cheer
fully assumed her full share in the
war for the liberation of peoples
everywhere" The American peo-
pie are willing to dedicate then
lives and their fortunes, everything
that they were and everything they
had, for the things you have always
carried nearest your hearts-"for
democracy, for the right of those
who submit to authority 10 have
voice in their own government, for
the rights and liberties of all ma
tons"
The principle of your declara-
ton of independence that govern
ments must derive their just power
from the consent of the governed
was rebaptized with the life sacri-
fees of seven million people. Self
determination and the consent of
the governed These were the very
same ideals which have guided the
political aspirations of the Filipino
people since Admiral Dewey's ar
rival in Manila bay. Self-determin-
alton and the consent of the gov
erned were the very same prin&-
pies we invoked when we demand
ed to be heard at the Paris treaty
conference in 1898, which decided
the fate of the Philippines; they
were the very same principles
which made the Filipinos wage a
disastrous and unequal war rather
than Internationally submit to
American sovereignty; they were
the very same principles we invok-
ed when, defeated in war, we had
to appeal to the spirit of justice
and fair dealing of the American
people; and they were the very
same principles which triumphed
in the passage of the Jones law,
formally declaring the purpose of
the people of the United States to