The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-09-22

&. ty" and "suih
vD cicnt education"
What do they
Maxine N. kaIaw. 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
has no Bllly Sunday. John Smith OF
Somerville may think no people L.
capable of self-goyernment that does
not vote his democratic ticket, or so TO
church on Sundays.
Capacity for sclf-goyernment" Is as
broad and elastic as the world, and Il
that should be the criterion for the
granting of Philippine independence.
America might as well say to the Fill.
pinos, II will give yoH independence
wien It pleases me to do So
Fortunately, the American promise
to the Philippines Is not based on such
obscure and abstract conditions. 1t Is
based on definite seiZable thing.
When America, through her Congress.
officially told the Filipino people that
they would be granted their independ-
cnce as soon as they could establish a
stable government, no abstract or OBJ
scure condition was meant. Stable
government. according to American
usage, means certain, definite thing.
The United States promised the Gu
bans the same thing, that "when they
have established 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 oblga-
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Withdrawn.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 1t to the Philip
pines. The history of Philippine leg
islation shows that in black and white.
With full knowledge of what it meant,
the Filipino people accepted the Jones
law and Immediately began setting up
the stable government required by Con-
gress as prerequisite to independ-
cnce. The stable government is now
fact. 1t Is indeed more than that; 1t
Is an undisputed fact.
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.
tablished the stable government de.
manded by Congress as prerequisite
for the granting Of independence
namely, a 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 ques.
ton of whether the United States is
ready to discharge its own obligations
fully and completely. America went
before the world in the recent war as
the ayowed champion of "self-determi-
nation" and Fiiipinos cannot see how
America can consistently refuse to net.
The Filipino people, however have
no grudge or grievance against the
American people. Theirs is 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
3 nrnnlfSa 70
TO give privileges NJ concessions not
Incompatible With their national wei.
fare.
Tho Filipino people are willing T.,
accept Independence under any of the
following conditions: Under League
of Nations, guaranteeing It's territorial
1 integrity; under the protcctorateshir
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 ever
without any condition whatevcr-ab,o 20.
/ lutte and complete independence. They
F, have no fear of Japan, Philippine In
| dependence, In cur opinion, is not in!m,
/ teal 10 Japanese interests. The Iapa.
| NeSe are now free 10 come TO the Phil
1 ippines, but at the present time there
are less than 10000 japanese In the
islands. There are six times as many
Japanese in California rs there are In
| the entire Philippine Archipelago.
/ The Filipinos are willing to tax,
their chance as nation. Smaller ma
tons beset by graver problems sn,
dangers have taken more hazardous
chance at freedom, and have sue
ceeded