The Neshoba Democrat., 1920-11-25
Declares Filipinos AA
Want Independence
Former Illinois Congressman, Back From Philippines
Gives Interesting Views on Island Affairs.
By FORMER conoRessMAN CLYDE i. rAyEnnER.

!. principally. to the fact that In thN
Jones law America gave the Filipinos
her word of honor that as soon as ..
stable government could be establish
ed we would withdraw our sovereignty
from the Philippine islands.
1t might, at first thought, seem
strange that In their sincere appre5
citation of all that we have done for
them the FiIipiEo people should place.
most emphasis on the profhiseto grant
them their independence. For 1t can't
not be successfully4denled that on the
whole the United States has treated
I the Filipino people better than any
nation ever treated dependent alien
people in oil the days since the curtain
rose on the dawn Of civilization, Il
we do not spoil 1t, If is record that
we can be proud Of
But it really isn't so strange that
the Filipino should love us more for
our promise to- give them sovereignty
ever themselves than for seur other
good works for which. after all, out
side Of army and navy expenditures,
the Filipnos have been taxed, and;
properly 50, for every cent Of the cost
If we but reverse the situation, and
place ourselves In the shoes Of the.
Fillpinos, which cannot be said to be
an unfair way Of getting at the other
fellows viewpoint we shall see that.
1t is not strange.
Suppose that. Great Britain or any
other power that you can think Of by re-
ferring to your geography or hlstory,
should impose Its sovereignty upon US
against eur will and then give US an,
infinitely better government than we
now enjeyi Could any such foreign.
power ever succeed In cpuyincing US
that It had our welfare more at heart
than we have ourselves.
But to return to my story the Fill,
plnos heartily thanked US for the
Jones law, considering 1t sort of a
covenant between the Filipino and
American peoples, and iIaInediately,
applied themselves to the task of set
ting up the prescribed stable govern
mdn1. And they set II up. Ii is ina
the Philippines now Americas own
representative in the Islands, the gov-s
ernor general. officially reports 1t is
there, and recommends that since the
Ffiipinos have earnestly fulfilled their
part OF the agreement. America should
be as prompt In carrying out It's part
Of the contract.
so that in few words, II Is not
the Philippines that now are on trial,
but the United States.
There Is but one answer, America
will carry out It's agreement. And
since we are going TO do 1t, we cannot
afford TO qnihble and split hairs and
hesitate until our taidiness rObs us
Of hall. the glory Of eur achievement
Let us act with a pronpfness and will.
ingness really worthy Of Amefica.
And when the people of the United
States set upS the Philippine Republic
as the first Christian democracy Of
the Far East, they WIFI be building
monunlent1 to- themselves that will
stand throughout eternity. On that
day the beacon light OF hope, humanity
and Justice wlll'tiash around the world
Such Jan e1adppie by America will &C.
compiish mote for The weak and strug
CLING peoples OF the earth than ths
four year world war, with all lie ccst
IN life anu treasure.