The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-03-06
NO INDEPENDENCE
FOR PHILIPPINES
Coolidge Tells Mission the
Time Has Not Come
for Freedom.
HAS. PRAISE FOR WOOD
President Asserts the United
States Can Not Withdraw
at This Time.

Washington.-Pres resident Coolidge in
formed the Philippine independence
mission today that in his opinion the
time has not yet come for separation
of the Philippines from the United
States. In letter to Manuel Roxas,
chairman of the mission, the president
also declared that the United States
government "has full confidence in the
ability, good intentions, fairness and
sincerity" of Governor General Wood.
''In the present state of world rela-
tionship," the letter said, "the Ameri-
can government owes an obligation to
continue extending a protecting arm
to the people of these islands"
Mr.. Coolidge's letter was written in
reply to resolutions passed by the is
land Legislature asking for independ-
ence and attacking Gen. Wood. The
presidents views are expected to have
weight in house consideration of a bin
providing for independence, recently
reported by the insula~ committee.
This measure, committee members say,
was brought in merely to place the
question before the house itself for
discussion.
"The government of the United
States" the president wrote, would
not feel that it had performed its full
duty by the Filipino people, or dis
charged all of its obligations to civili-
cation if it should yield at this time
to your aspiration for national indie
pendence."
Wood is Given Praise.
"The government is convinced" the
president said, "that Gen. Wood, who
was attacked in the resolutions of the
Philippine legislative bodies, had in
tended to act and has acted within the
scope of his proper and constitutional
authority"
"Thus convinced" he continued, at
is determined to sustain him, and its
purpose will be to encourage the broad
est and most intelligent cooperation
of the Filipino people in this policy.
Looking at the whole situation fair
ly and impartially, one cannot but feel
that if the Filipino people cannot CO.
operate in the support and encourage
ment of as good an administration as
has been afforded under Gov.-General
Wood, their failure will be rather a
testimon of unpreparedness for the
full obligations of citizenship, than
evidence of patriotic preparedness to
advance their country"
The communication was 5000 words
in length and reviewed in detail the
declarations of the Philippine legisla-
ture and the grievances against Wood
The gist of the complaint, the presi-
dent said, was Chat the present execu-
tive authority of the Islands is, in your
opinion, out of sympathy with the rea-
sonable aspirations of the Filipino peo-
ple." In regard to Gen. Wood, the
message said:
81 am convinced that Govern or Gen
eral Wood has at no time been other
than a Woodworking, painstaking and
conscientious adm illustrator. | have
found no evidence that he has exceeded
his proper authority, or that he has
acted with any other than the purpose
of best serving the real interest of the
Filipino people. Thus believing, feel
that I am serving those same interests
by saying frankly that it is not posi-
BILE to consider the extension of large
measure of autonomy to the Filipino
people until they shall have demon
strated readiness and capacity to CO.
operate fully and effectively with the
American government and authorities"
Cites Examples of Others.
The president invited attention to
the condition in which some other peo-
pies find themselves because they lack
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