San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-04
THEY WANT CONTROL


While it is a far distant land and
conditions Ahere can not be judged on
| the basis of conditions here, the resiSna-
ton OF the Filipino officials because
Governor General Leonard Wood Gin
terfered too much" takes on the aspect
of a rule or ruin policy that can do
nothing but harm to the Filipino cause.
While not familiar with the varying
details that led up to the present I'M
fortunate situation. the indications point
strongly to a desire on the part OF the
Filipino leaders to ride rough shod''
over American authority despite the
fact that independence for the Philip
pines has not been accorded by this
government and would not be a good
thing for the islands at this time were
it obtainable.
1t was a policy of the Wilson admin
istration to allow a greater degree of
self government in the Philippines than
the people ever had before. To such
an extent was this carried out that
many American officials who were I'm
questionably efficient and honest were
displaced to give Filipinos jobs. 1t was
the first step towards national indie
pendence and the Filipinos should have
seen to it that only the highest type of
men were put in these offices.
While many of the Filipino officials
were men of ability and integrity, there
were others, notably among the lesser
officials and employees who evinced no
great amount of efficiency while some
positively were inefficient. 1t may be
said that the people over there have a
right to an inefficient and wasteful gov,
crnment if they desire one. That, how
ever, is not a fair statement of the
situation.
The United States took the Philip
pines at time when the utmost misery
and want existed, when they were over
run with corruption, ignorance, official
rascality and disease. We cleaned the
islands from end to end, morally and
physically. Injustices we may have done
in Our occupation and Our methods. Nc
military conquest is possible that does
not entail suffering and sacrifice. But
having done the job to the best of oul
ability, having established schools, de
stroyed graft, wiped out malignant dis
case, opened transportation, restored or
der and revived industry and commerce
it is up to us to preserve those things
The masses of the Filipino people are
better off today than they could rea
sonably have expected under forme
conditions ever to be. They are in ;
way to achieve not only independence
but American citizenship some day i
they grasp the opportunity. AS it is
they have the protection of the mos
powerful country in the world at TIM
when the world is hard place for littl
countries and defenseless peoples.
General Wood is military man ant
a professional man. He is an American
and the American mannerisms and meth
usually attributed to those OF Spanisl
descent and customs. He is, however
a mar long in public service, whose in
tegrity and patriotism is beyond ques
4 ton.
, Hence the evidence at this long dis
lance, would seem to be that if he fcl
: called upon to interfere in the domes
5 tic affairs Of the Filipino peoples, it wa
= because inefficiency, lax methods, graf
S and extravaganza had reared their head
\ and threatened to undo all that Amer
t can administration had accomplished.
such is the case, then General Woo
c acted for the protection of the masse
t OF the people and the honor of hi
Il country and he should be upheld b
C Washington to the limit
e independence for the Philippines nevC
$ will be secured by politicians seellin
: jobs on which to fatten at the public
e expense ...s~.....
I'll MERELY POLITICS ..