Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1920-06-16

! mSN'''o NJ N"iS~' mean In black
/ and white7
Senator Shotgun may think no people
Is capable Of self-roverumcut that eacs
not establish the judicial recall or thar
. has no Billy Sunday John Smith of
! Somerville may think no people Is
capable Of self-eoyernment that does
not vote hts democratic ticket, or 90 20
church on Sundays.
Capacity for sclfgovernment" Is IA
broad and elastic as the world, and II
that should be the criterion for the
granting Of Philippine independence.
America might as well say to the Fiji
pinos. Il will give yoy independence
when II pleases me to do So
Fortunately, the American promise
to the Philippines is no, based on such
obscure and abstract conditions II Is
based on definite selzable thing
When America. through her Congress.
officially told she Filipino people thai
they would be granted their Independ-
ence as soon as they could establish q
stable government, no abstract or OBJ
scure condition was meant. Stable
government, according 10 American
usage, means certain, definite thing.
The United States promised the Gu.
bans the same thing, that when they
have established a stable government.
then American troops would be with.
drawn" As soon as the Cuban people
elected government suited to them.
selves. capable OF maintaining order
and fulfilling all international ohlIga.
| ions, there was stable government
( In Cuba, and American troops were
I Withdrawn
When Congress passed the Jones
/ law, IL simply borrowed the phras.
( stable government" from the Cuban
+ history and applied IL TO the Philip
+ pines. The history of Philippine leg.
I iSlation shows that in black and white.
/ With full knowledge Of what Il meant.
/ the Filipino people accepted the Jones
/ law and Immediately began setting up
/ the stable government required by Con.
/ eres,s as prerequisite TO Independ-
I ence. The stable government is now
a fact. II Is indeed more than that: fl
I is an undisputed fact.
I The official representative OF the
United States in the Philippine Islands.
the Governor General, reported to the
American Congress and the adminIstra.
tion that "the Filipino people have es-
tabllshed the stable government de.
manded by Congress as a prerequisite
for the granting Of independence
namely. government elected by the
suffrage Of the people, which Is SUP.
ported by the people, which Is capable
( OF maintaining order and Of fulfilling
It's International obligations"
The Philippine question is therefore
no longer question Of politics, argu-
ment or supposition. To the Philip
pine mind, at least, II is now a ques-
ton Of whether she United States Is
ready 10 discharge its own obligations
fully and completely. America went
before the world in the recent war as
the avowed champion If "self-determI-
nation" and Filipinos cannot see how
America can consistently refuse TO act
The Filipino people, however, have
ne grudge or grievance against the
American people. Theirs is a message
OF friendship and gratitude. They seek
independence as the natural and log
ical outcome Of Americas policy in
the Islands and OF Americas solemn
promise TO them. They come willing
TO give privileges and concessions not
Incompatible with their national vel.
\ fare.
The Filipino people are willing to
accept Independence under any of the
following conditions: Under n Ieague
or Nations, guaranteeing its territorial
integrity; under the protectorateship
OF the United States for the first few
years; under treaty OF neutrality be-
tween the United States, England, ia.
pan, France and other powers. or even
without any condition whatever-ahso-
lutte and complete independence. They
have no fear Of Japan. Philippine in
dependence, In our opinion. is'not inIm-
zeal TO japanese interests. The Japa,
nese are now free TO come to the Phil
ippines, but at the present time there
are less than 10000 japanese in the
Islands. There are six times as many
Japanese in California as there are In
the entire Philippine Archipelago.
The Fiiipinos are willing 10 take
their chance as nation. Smaller ma.
tons beset by graver problems and
dangers have taken a more hazardous
chance at freedom, and have sue
eeeded