The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-04-04
INDEPENDENCE
FOR FILIPINO
PEOPLE URGED
BY PRESIDENT
Secretary Baker Tells Island
Mission He Believes Time
Has Come to Grant Philip
pines Liberty.
PETITION PRESENTED

WASHINGTON, April 4.-Members
| OF the special mission Of the Philip
pine legislature here seeking immedi-
| ate independence for the islands were
told today by Secretary Baker that
he spoke President Wilson's mind
when he said he believed the time had
come to grant the complete independ.
ence desired by the Filipino people.
The war secretary also said he be-
lieved the mission would be able to
carry home word that the American
people loved liberty too dearly to de-
ny it to others.
He read a letter left by President
Wilson when he went to Europe, ex-
pressing the hope that the mission
would result in bringing about the
desirable end sent forth in the joint
resolution of the legislature"
Obstacles Cleared Away.
Francis Burton Harrison, governor
general of the PHILIPPINES followed Mr..
Baker with the statement that his ex-
perience in the island had convinced
him that the obstacle to independence
that appeared to exist a few years
ago had been cleared away
Declaring there is now a stable gov
ernment in the PHILIPPINES, managed
and supported by the people them
selves, and that it can and will be
maintained if independence is granted
the affairs of the island had been ad-
opportune time for presenting the
claims because of the principles for
which the United States entered the
world WARRIOR the liberty, the self
government and the indicated devel-
opment of all peoples'-Manuel L..
Quezon, chairman of the Philippine
mission. today presented to Secretary
Baker the question Of independence
for the Philippine people Mr. Baker,
who is in charge of Philippine affairs,
this morning formally received the en-
tire mission, numbering about forty
members representing all elements OF
Philippine life. Chairman Quezon,
president of the Philippine senate aad
former residence commissioner of the
island in Washington, acted as spokes-
man.
After announcing that the mission
brought to the United States mes
sage of good will, gratitude and re-
spect from all the inhabitants Of the
islands, Mr.. Quezon stated he had
been sent by his people formally to
submit to this government the urgent
question of their independence "in the
confident hope it shall merit just,
righteous and final settlement"
independence Ideal.
Independence is the great nation
al ideal of the Philippine people," Mr..
Quezon asserted, and 1--WE believe this
question, looking to a favorable and
- In
clared and uniform policy Of America
to withdraw her sovereignty over the
Philippines and to recognize our indie
pendence as soon as stable govern
ment has been established. There
fulfillment of this solemn promise
you owe to yourselves, to us and to
humanity at large"
The speaker paid tribute to the
United States for the manner in which
the affairs of the island had bee ad-
ministered during the period Of Amer
ican occupation, which through the CO.
operation of Americans and Filipinos,
he said, had brought prosperity and
progress unprecedented"
"You have truly treated us as no ma
ton ever before has treated another
under it's sway" he declared, "and yet
you-and none better than you-will
understand why, even under such con-
ditions, our people still crave inde-
pendence, that they, too, may be SOW
ereign masters of their own desti-
nies."
Mr.. Baker was given a document
sent by the Philippine legislature in
which was set forth the facts upon
which the F'ilipinos based their appeal
for independent national existence.