The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-04-19

49, ss E.ss
friends think that you have already the
legal stains. of citizens of the, United
States. Ii that is fact it would take
constitutional amendment to give you ell.
tire freedom. =
( The large increase of business in the
Philippines was outlined by Dionisto Jake.
salem, secretary of commerce and com
nunications of the Philippines, who point
ed out that the United States has taken
90 per cent of the, foreign trade of the
islands, no other nation taking more than
10 per cent. III the years of the war the
islands have profted greatly, he said, al
though they have had their share of trou
BILE
I'VE are indeed, making material eco,
can participation in it., he said "We
are in truth DESTROYS to have closer
commercials relation with the American
people. But we believe that nothing will
cement those relations better than the
definite establishment of Philippine re
public in the Orient, anxious to be a SIS
ter to the American republic, and, like
the United States, devoted to the same
principles. Of liberty and democracy,
we assure you that under an indie
pendent Philippine government. the. Amer
lean interests presented to our commerce
under the same conditions as the rest
and under the established principles Of
sound Interchange Will be received with
esteem. and the prediction which only
brotherly affection and gratitude can in.
spire from a people conscious that those
with whom they deal have at one time
given aid in the speedy attainment oil
their political liberty
| Gov. Harrison said that the principle
lof seIf-determination and the local gov
ernment Of the Philippines had beer
largely turned over to the people at pres
ent. In the last two and a half years
they have had, he said, practical autono
my. He said:
/ My. observation, to give it to YOU Just
for what it is worth, because, perhaps
II belong to that class which Mr. Whit,
describes as idealists-in discussing thes'
questions, my observation in the Pilip
4 pine work has been that it is unwise an'
in my opinion, wrong to discourage tn
4 most natural impulse in the heart 0
man. which is the impulse toward liberty
1t is unwise because it produces discon
tent. restrictions of the natural and nc
\ blest impulses of the human heart, an
the poorest Kind, of policies on behalf Q
government officials. 1t strikes me tina
it is not only very much higher in idea
but practically much more beneficial t
encourage man toward his independence,
do not know what any one of yo
would think, but | would think very littl
of the Filipinos if they did not wan
their independence | would not admin
!, them and be as fond of them as l al
! unless they did express that feeling {
manfully as they have done.
. They have acted with the creates
moderation and the greatest self-restrain
and with the greatest respect for Il
American flag During the war the tai
of independence which has been the sui
. ject OF discourse by every school DO
> who arose on every. occasion when
was given a chance for many years pas
was stilled. 1t was not because the pc
!, pie had lost interest IN independents
!. hut it was because the Filipino poop
j thought it was not respectful to the Ur
= ted States to raise the question OF ind
= pendence at a time when the Unite
= States was engaged in the greatest stru
. gle in history"