Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1920-05-13

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 Billy Sunday. John Smith OF
Somerville may think no people Is
capable of self-government that does
not vote his democratic ticket, or go to
church on Sundays.
capacity for self-government" Is Al
broad and elastic as the world, and II
that should be the criterion for the
granting Of Philippine independence,
America might as well say TO the Fill
pinos, Il will give vow independence
when 1t 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-
ence as soon as they could establish q
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 a 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 obliga-
lions, there was stable government
IN Cuba, and American troops were
withdrawn.
"hen Congress passed the Jones
law, it simply borrowed the phrase
stable government" from the Cuban
history and applied 1t to the Philip-
pines. The history of Philippine leg
lslation shows that in black and white.
with full knowledge Of what II meant.
the Filipino people accepted the Jones
Ia" ana Immediately began setting mn
the stable government required by Con
sress as a prerequisite to independ-
ence. The stable government is NOW
a fact. 1t is indeed more than that. Il
is an undisputed fact.
Inc of1cial representative Of the
.hi'ed states in the Philippine Islands.
the Governor General, reported n m.
Amerlcan Congress and the administra-
tion that the Filipino people have o.
tabll>hed the stable governmon. =.
mahded by Congress as pre-reou;s;ta
ior .he granting Of Independence
'".ne's' government elected nv tho
suffrage OF the people which ;s sun
ported by the people. which ;S can.s,o
OF maintaining order and of fulf;,linv
us International obligations"
The Philippine question is ,ho,o<o
no longer a question of politics ar.r
heh' or supposition. To tho ph;,;r
pune mind al least, it is now a ouas
'ion OF whether the United Sto.as -
ready I" discharge Its own ob,;gations
iuiiy ana completely. Americo wont
4 IL
oeiore the world in the recon, No.
the avowed champion # sole - a.
nation and Filipinos cannot coo IN
america can consistently refuse >, ~.
Inc fiIlplno people, however have
u" -rUdGe or grievance .oa;u. :,
American people. Theirs is '"e
OF friendship and gratitude The 80
independence as the natural ana -.
i."' "ntcome of Americas no,icr :.
u'e islands and of Americas soio-
.''l , 10 them They come willing
70 give privileges and concessions ~.
Incompatible with their national nc,
fare. iohai wei
ne flIlplno people are Wilt,
accept independence under anr ~
lo',ow'ns conditions: Under q -, ne
" Nations guaranteeing its terri,or;a .,
in'esr'fy; under the protec,or.,asn' -
OF the United States for the srs, mp
years under treaty OF neutro,;,
t~eeh the United States. England II
pan france and other powers ~ 90
without any condition whatever-.h-a
,u'e ana complete independence IT,
nave no FEAR Of Japan. PbiI,nn;n
aependence. in our opinion, is no, ,n,, ~
ieai TO japanese interests Tho Ian.
nese are no" free to come to tho DIT,
ippines' but AT the present ,,me IT,.
are less than 10000 Japanese in ~.
ISLANDS, There are six times a mar,
japanese In California as there 80 :.
'he entire Philippine Archipelago
The Filipinos are wiuin. :" 80.
neir chanee A. a nation. Smaller no
.,ons oeset by graver problem. o.
dangers have taken a more hsz.,dan.
nance At freedom, and hav. .r.
oooded AA's sue