Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-26
FINDS FILIPINOS UNREADY
TO SET UP OWN NATION

NJ IL W N~$>O9
| Belief Held by
SENATOR Sterling.
Clarke of Arkansas. democrat pro-
viding that the islands should be in
dependent four years after the enact
ment of the new law was adopted by
the Senate The Senate was then
controlled by the democratic party.
But In conference the amendment was
stricken out and the language prom
Using independence as soon as the
islanders we're capable of carrying on
a stable government of their own was
substituted.
Advocate Of Indie pendenee.
II rather believe that the governor
was sent out to the islands with the
understanding that he should do all
he could to bring about the independ-
ence of the F1lipinos." said senator
Sterling Under the Clarke amend
ment. II it had become . Law, the
Filipinos would be canning into their
independence about now. The demo-
cratic platform adopted at San Fran
cisco this year says about the Philip
pine Islanders. We favor the grant
ing of independence without unneces-
sary delay to the 1O.5o0,909 inhabit-
ants of the Philippine Islands, The
subject of the islands.
1t is of no little interest In this con-
nection to remember that Senator
Harding, the republican nominee for
President, Is at present chairman OF
the Senate committee on the Philip
pine Islands and has made a consid-
cradle study of the questions in
volved in independence for the is
lands. He took a considerable part in
framing the existing law Of the is
lands, which grants to the Filipinos
great extent of autonomy in their
government. But he opposed the
Clarke amendment If he becomes
LCoAACAl H0 WAL Oily AoVC q
good deal to say if the agitation for
immediate Philippine independence
continues.
Islands Are Prosperous
Business is good in the Philippine
Islands, according to Senator Sterling.
He said that he talked with three Chi
namen in Manila who were about to
open a bank there with capitalize
tiop of 10000. 900 pesos. or $4,000, o00--
the pesos Is the Filipino unit just as
the dollar is the American monitory
unit. Chinese. he added. do probably
6s per cent OF the business in Manila.
commercial relations with the United
States enlarged, and through the is
lands lies the way to such enlarge
ment.
Under the present law the Filipinos
themselves elect the legislature, which
makes the laws Of the land. The
United States merely retains veto
power through the governor general.
Senator Sterling said that he had been
Informed while in the islands that in
recent years the progress in SANTA
(tion and in good road building had
not kept pace with the progress Of
earlier years. He suggested that this
was an indication of what might be
expected if the United States should
withdraw from the islands.
Never in history have the Philip
pine Islands existed as free and in
dependent government in the modern
sense of that term. Before the Span
ish conquered the islands in 1872 and
Established a government there, the
many tribes governed themselves. But
there was no Filipino nation or ma
tional government Senator Sterling
is afraid that if the strong hand of
the United States were withdrawn
there might again be disintegration
and there would be no chance of a
democratic form Of government which
would take in all the islands
| He did not hesitate to express his
views on the independence question
when he attended banquet given in
Manila by the so-called Columbia So
ciety, made up of students who had
been educated in the United States.
He is of the opinion that the best ed
ucated Filipinos who have their peo-
pies interest at heart are opposed to
independence at this time, certainly
unless the United States establishes a
Iprotectorate over the islands and
maintains the military defenses now
kesta bliShed