Evening star., 1923-05-28
Philippine Agent Denies Any
Attempt to Bribe Officials

US. If fate rules that we must re-
main under some nation, even against
our will, we choose the United States
for our mother nation. But we would
never be. could never be. completely
happy. And it is because we believe
we are entitled to self-determination
and all the happiness and self-respect
that we can possibly get out of life.
that we are resolved to forever in
sist upon our definitely promised In
dependence.
We can raise the money Should
We then. attempt 10 buy the MEM
bers of the American Congress at so
much per head? The mere Sugges-
ton is not only an insult to the
members of Congress and to our
selves. but is too ridiculous for any
but fools to contemplate.
One Way Open.
There is another way open to US
1t is the only way that can ever. or
that will ever, lead TO our independ-
ence. 1t is the path that we are
travelling. 1t is by direct appeal to
the American people.
The Filipino people know that the
United States is nation with heart
and a conscience. They believe i'm
plicitly in the good intentions of the
American people toward them. They
believe that if the American people
can be made to know the truth that
the American people will make them
free. There is only one way to make
the American people know the truth
and that is through publicity.
We are trying through publicity to
demonstrate that the Filipino race
has been outrageously misrepresented
by great American financial interests
who are profiting and who want 10
make still greater profits by holding
the Filipino people perpetually in sub
lection while they exploit their rich
natural resources.
. We frankly admit that the publicity
method of meeting the misrepre-
sentations of our opponents is expen-
sive But we insist that it is a
method far less costly than that OF
the battlefield. And that we are max
ing headway is evidenced by the pres
ent frantic drive of the American
funds and thus bring our American
campaign for independence to an end.
Funds for Wood.
Your correspondent represented
Governor General Wood as taking
the position that any person who re
ceived any part of the cost OF our
campaign fund had been "bribed" 10
support Philippine independence. and
was only espousing our cause because
he had been bribed. This we are
loathe to believe. In all respect 70
Gen. Wood. we submit that no one
ought to have a better idea of the
high cost of publicity campaigns in
the United States than the general
himself. The Senate committee re-
ported that the campaign to make
him President of the United States
cost $1,773,000. Would Gen. Wood, be
willing to concede that any person
who received any part Of that ST.
$4,000 was bribed to support him?
We think not. But is it not a poor
rule that cannot be made to work
two ways?
The Wood-for-President campaign
fund was contributed to by individ-
uals affiliated with many OF the
largest corporations in the United
States.
In our own case, we keep a stand
ing statement at the head OF our
Philippine Press Bulletin so that
every reader may know where our
funds come from and why they are
being expended. The statement fol-
lows:
This work is being carried on BY
the Commission OF independence.
which was created, provided with
funds and directed by the Philippine
Legislature. duly elected by the
Filipino people. to campaign in Amer
lea for Philippine independence. and
to promote better understanding.
greater confidence and closer eco
nomic relations between the United
States and the Philippines"
" ALFREDO SAMSON,
Secretary, Philippine PRESS BureaA