The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-11-26
THE FILIPINOS
ENTITLED TO
INDEPENDENCE
(By Congressman John H. SmalD

(By Congressman John H. SmalD
was with the Congressional
party which visited the Orient, in
cluding the Philippine Islands, dur
ing the past summer. | only recent
ly returned with the last of our
party. We spent about one week
in Manila, with visits to other sec
tions in the islands.
| reached the conclusion that the
Filipinos were entitled to their in
dependence and that Congress should
take action to that end. They have
made very considerable progress,
and, while from our viewpoint, there
may be a proportion of the peole
who are incapable of undertaking
the responsibility of self-govern-
ment, yet l am satisfied that, taking
them as a whole and considering
their capacity and their progress
and the surrounding conditions, the
only appropriate action for the I'm
tied States is to grant them early
independence. / think we should
view the question from their stand
point and not from ours. 1t may
we'll be that their ultimate interests
would be best subserved by making
the Philippines territory of the
United States, with a territorial
form of government, but they do not
wish it so.
Some of the factorsw hich have
induced me to reach this conclusion
may be briefly summarized:
|. When We took the islands, in
1898, they had been striving for in
dependence from Spain for a num-
Der of years.
2. Since the date of our occupa-
ton, every President, including
Presidents Mckinley, Roosevelt, Taft
and Wilson, declared on behalf OF
the United States that we did not
intend to hold the islands indefinate.
ly, but only so long as it was neces-
sary to prepare them for self-gov-
ernment.
3. The Jones Act of 1916, sup
ported by both parties, promised
them independence so soon as they
should establish stable govern
ment.
4. They sent the Philippine Mis-
sion to our country in 1919, who pre-
sented to a joint committee of Con-
gress certain facts intended to show
that they had established a stable
government, and, in my opinion,
they made out a prima facie case.
| read this hearing very carefully
this summer on the steamer en-
route to Manila, and was very much
impressed by the showing made by
the commission.
5. | found on every hand among
the Filipinos that they were very
grateful to the T. S. for all we had
done for them, and the most cordial
friendship is exhibited by them. I'm
usual delay in giving them their COW
eted independence will certaily re-
suit in disappointment, and may
change their present attitude of
friendliness.
6. The independence which they
desire is perfectly natural and should
receive the sympathy and friendly
consideration of the people of the
United States.
7. l belive, however, that the
grant of independence should be
coupled with conditions substantially
similar to those which we applied to
Cuba. We should maintain a gen
eral supervision over their foreign
relations and also any proposed ma
tional Indebtedness. 1t should also
be understood that, if at any time
they fail to maintain a government
of law and order, the United States
might intervene for the purpose of
restoring an orderly government
We should also retain such army
and naval bases as, in the opinion
of the Army and Navy Depart
ments and the President, would be
necessary in the interest of the Un-
tied States in the Orient. l belive
that these conditions would be en-
tirely satisfactory to the Filipinos.