The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1920-05-29

Maxine M. 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 hat
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 as
broad and elastic as the world, and if
hat should be the criterion for the
granting of Philippine Independence,
America might as well say to the Fill
pinos, 81 will give vow independence
when 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 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 a
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 when they
have established a stable government,
then American troops would be with
drawn" AS Dol as the Cuban people
Z elected a government suited to them
selves, capable of maintaining order
and fulfilling all international obliga-
tons, there was a stable government
IL fnba, and American troops were
withdrawn.
When Congress passed the Jones
law, it 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 full knowledge of what 1t meant,
the Filipino people accepted the Jones
law and Immediately began setting up
the stable government required by Con-
gress as a prerequisite to independ-
ence. The stable government is now
a fact. 1t is indeed more than that 1t
is an undisputed fact.
h 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 es-
tablished the stable government de-
manded by Congress as a 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 a question of politics, argu-
ment or supposition. To the Philip
pine mind, at least, 1t is now a 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 avowed champion IF "self-determi-
nation" and Filipinos cannot see how
America can consistently refuse to act.
The Filipino people, however, have
nG grudge or grievance against the
American people. Theirs is a 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
promise to them. They come willing
to give privileges and concessions not
incompatible with their national vel
fare.
The Filipino people are willing to
accept independence under any of the
following conditions: Under a League
of Nations, guaranteeing its territorial
integrity under the craftsmanship
of the United States for the first few
years under a treaty of neutrality be-
tween the United States, England, ia
pan. France and other powers, or even
without any condition whateyer-ab5o-
Lutte and complete independence. They
have no fear of Japan. Philippine in
dependence, in our opinion, is not inim-
zeal to Japanese interests. The Japa-
nese are now free to come to the Phil
ippines, but al the present time there
are less than 10000 Japanese in the
Islands. There are six times as manl
Japanese in California as there are il
the entire Philippine Archipelago.
The Filipinos are willing TO take
their chance as a nation. Smaller ID.
tons beset by graver problems and
dangers have taken a more hazardous
nance at freedom, and ave sue