The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-08-16
SIMMS SAYS AMERICA
SHOULDN'T TURN THE
ISLANDS LOOSE NOW

An n not perfect IN the Philip
pines but from their point Of view
and a. . distinct people they must
have their own point Of vtcw--they
are fitted TO govern themselves
Fillpinos have been scis.Rovcrning.
to all tntcnta for eight yeAr1
In jsfa the ffiipinos already had
. lower house when Governor Har.
rison. At President Wilson's behsst.
gave them . majority In the com.
mission Of nine members which Coz
ssirutsd IN uppsr house
ISLANDS NOW
VIRTUALLY AUTONOMOUS
In 1915. with the enactment Of shs
Jones bill. an elective Sonata CON.
posed entirely Of f1iiplnoaI cAns Into
being.
The isiands ars nov virtually au.
tonousoua Tho present sdmnistrs-
tive powers are vested In . govsfs
nor general. appointed BY The prs81-
dent Of the United stass< and .
cabinet composed Of the SIX sscr~
tarics Of Department.
M wv ulEHu<f1 % I'M CMkA0xI
save the vics- governor. are F1iipinos.
Manuel l. ouezon. presidcnt Of the
senate. and Sergio osmena. speaker
Of the house Of representative. are
both Ffilplnos
An political leaders they ssack up
to SONS Of the oid-umess In wash
ington.
Some Of the Acts pased BY the
Filipino legislature. which ~ for
the first time Oct fs. 1915. were acts
creating tho Philippine National
Bank. the Coconut Products Board.
= board Of public utility. . public
welfare board and measures % con-
serve the nations natural resources
Some Of these acts. along with 9TH
ers. have been severely criticised BY
Americans In the islands. perhaps
not always entirely without reason.
NATIVE JUDGES IN
CHARGE or COUNTS
The courts Of justice In the Philip
pines are likewise virtually In the
hands OF F'iiipsnoa
There arc courts Of Justices Of the
peace. courst Of first Instance. mu-
nicipal courts and a supreme court
In the islands and all save the 81.
prene court are presided over BY
Fiiipinos with the possible exception
Of one or two courts Of first In.
stance.
The supreme court n composed of
nine justices. four OF whom arc ffli.
pInos-
Tho attorney general and q great
number Of assistants are all Fiji.
pinos. So arr the vast majority of
lawyers prncticing IN the courts.
II 10 charged by Americans and
some r'ilipinos that the dockets are
crowded. that pusticc has erred at
times. that injusticcs have resulted.
and there are privileged classes. and
20 on.
have heard similar charges IN
various parts Of the United States.
WOULD THEY BE
GOING TO THEIR DOOM?
But would the Philippines Be bet
ter off independent
Herr Is what Mr.. Justice James
+. Tracey. for long time n member
Of the supreme court OF the Islands.
once declared:
"werc Filipino I should say
TO my people: Danish this dream
Of glory: let us remain with the
United states
"On the other hand, ~ an
American, ] feel constrained 10
say, Your decision now II prema-
turc; take time. But ", after
mature elaboration. you dr~irc
10 cut loose from US, then
shall say In sorrow: Tho rcpub-
lie fastens no yoke on an unwil-
ling people; depart, but know
that in going you 20 10 your
own destruction
Many Americans in the islands
thoroly agree with Mr.. Justice
Tracey.
do not believe they would 10 70
their doom. My honest conviction
Is. after studying the people and con.
ditions, that the Filipino can make
II n ro.
But I also believe their progress
would be slower. that they would be
less we'll off in general and. In the
end. would very probably ask TO be
allowed 20 come back under the
American flag. even II granted com
plete severance.
Simms ten In his next story
how trouble In the Philippines