The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-09-08

t~- ability "capaci-
Ns$1 ty" and "sai'i
cient education"
What do they
Maxine M. kalaw. mean In black
and white?
Senator Shotgun may think no people
Is capable of self-government that does
not establish the judicial recall, or that
las no Billy Sunday. John Smith Of
SumerviIle may think no people IL
capable Of sclf-goyernmcnt that dcGs
not vote his democratic ticket, or 50 TO
church on Sundays.
capacity for solf-goycrnmcnt' Is as
broad and elastic as the world, and If
that should he the criterion for the
granting Of Philippine independence,
America might as well say TO the Fill
plnos, Il will give ye'. independence
VIXEN it pleascs me TO do So"
Fortunately, the American premise
to the Philippines is no. based on such
obscure and abstract conditions. 1t is
based on a definite seizable thing.
When America, through her Congress,
officially told the Filipino people that
they would be granted their independ-
ence as soon as they could establish Il
stable government, no abstract or OBJ
scure condition was meant. Stable
government, according to American
usage, means a certain, definite thing.
The United States promised the Gu.
bans the same thing, that "wlen they
hp et,,1t ltu,1,O ed, l.
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 obliga-
lions, there was stable government
In Cuba, and American troops were
withdrawn.
When Congress passed the Jones
law, 1t simply borrowed the phrase
stable government" from the Cuban
history and applied it to the Philip
pines The history of Philippine leg
islation shows that in black and white.
With fun knowledge of what 1t meant
the Filipino people accepted the Jones
law and Immediately began setting uE
the stable government required by Con-
sress as prerequisite to independ.
ence. The stable government is now
fact. 1t is indeed more than that; II
Is an undlsputed fact.
The official representative of the
United States in the Philippine Islands,
the Governor General, reported to the
American Congress and the administra.
ton that "the Filipino people have cs,
tahlisled the stable government de
handed by Congress as 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
Its international obligations"
The Philippine question is therefore
no longer question of politics, argu-
ment or superstition To the Philip
pine mind, at least, 1t Is now a CUES
ton Of whether the United States il
ready to discharge its own obligations
fully and completely. America went
before the world In the recent war ms
the ayowed champion IF "self-determl
nation" and Fiiipinos cannot see how
America can consistently refuse to act.
The tilipiao people, however, have
no Grldge or grievance against the
Amerleap people. Theirs Is q MESSAGE
or friendship and gratitude. They seek
independence as the natural ana log
ical outcome Of A,aefiea's policy Ia
the islands and Of Nnerica's solemn
promise to them. They come willing
70 give privileges, al / concessions NOT
Incompatible ~ith ,helr national vel
fare.
The Filipino people are willing t.,
accept Independence under any of the
following conditions: Under a League
Of Narnns, guaranteeing It's territorial
integrity; under the protecturateshir
OF the United States for the fist few
years; under treaty of neutrality be
tween the United States, England, ia.
ran, France and other powers, or ever
without any condition whateyer-ab 20,
ipio and complete independence. They
lave no fear of Japan. Philippine in
dependence, In our opinion, is not min.
ical 10 Japanese interests. The Japa.
ncsc are now free 10 coiae to the Phil.
ippines, but at the present time there
IRE less than 10000 japanese In the
islands. There are six times as many
japanese In California as there are in
tire entire Philippine Archipelago.
Tic Fillpinos are willing to take
their chance as a nation. Smaller naN
tons hcset BY grayeu problems md
dangers have taken a more hazardous
chance ut freedom, and have sue.
ceeded