The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-03-13
FILIPINOS ARE
REFUSED RULE
President Supports Woods Ad-
Observation-Disclosures All ISL
anderS Back Grievances.
FREEDOM NOW DISASTROUS
Letter Is Sent to Roxas, Chairman Of
Commissioned Calls It Po-
iitical Move. Similar to Back
ing Daugherty.

Washington-An hope the Fill
pinos may have entertained Of u!ti
mately winning Administration sup
port for the independence movement
has been crushed by President Cool
idge
In letter addressed to Manuel
Roxas. chairman Of the Philippine In
dependence Commission. the Presi-
dent declares that the Filipino people
must make many greater advances
on the road Of education. culture, eco
pomic and political capacity" before
undertaking the responsibility Of in.
-epeLdent government
The President takes occasion in the
letter whole-heartedly to support
Major General Wood. Governor Cen
eral of the Philippines. whose admin
istration has been under almost con,
tinous attack by Filipino leaders.
He goes even further. declaring
that the failure of the Filipinos to
support the American Governor Cen
al is "a testimony of unprepared-
ness for the full obligations of citi-
zenship." rather than an evidence of
patriotic eagerness to advance their
country.
OF General Wood. the President
has ibis to say:
Il am convinced that Governor Gen
eral Wood has at no time been other
than a handwriting, painstaking and
conscientious administrator. have
found no evidence that he has exceed
ed his proper authority. or that he has
acted other than with the purpose of
best serving the real interests of
the Filipino people.
Thus believing, feel that | am
serving those same interests by say
ing frankly that 1t is not possible to
consider the extension of a larger
measure OF autonomy to the Filipino
people until they have demonstrated a
readiness and capacity to cooperate
fully and effectively with the Ameri-
can Government and authorities"
In his letter the President ques-
tions the statement of the Indepen-
dence Commission that the grievance
charged against the American Ad-
ministration in the islands is shared
by all Filipinos. On the contrary. he
declares that the Government Is in
possession of information which JUS
titles it in the confidence that a very
large proportion at any rate. and pos
sibly majority of the substantial
citizenry Of the islands, does not sup
port the claim that there are grounds
for ,;erious grievance"
President Coolidge's letter is dated
February 81. but Roxas in a somewhat
heated statement declared he had just
received it.
The Filipino leader declared that
the Presidents support of General
Woou is just another political move.
similar to his defense of Attorney
General Daugherty and other mem
bers of the Administration who have
been attacked"
President Coolidge hasn't anything
10 10 Win IL any W. " continued
Roxas. Our charges against the
Wood Administration were made to
Congress and not to the President,
and the question of Philippine indie
pendence is also properly one for the
consideration Of Congress. The only
time President Coolidge has a direct
interest in the matter is when some
M assure comes up to him either for
his veto or approval"
Roxas attributed the delay in the
mailing Of the Presidents letter TO
a desire on the part Of Mr. Coolidge
to choose an opportune time for
checking the growing favorable
sentiment in the Senate toward Phil
ippine independence
The Filipino leader said he expect
ed to make reply to President Cool
idge's letter, but indicated it would
be little more than bare aeknowl-
edgment.