Evening star., 1924-01-23

| On the contrary. the aid of the
| United States enabled the successful
| fiotation less than two years ago of
| S40.0oo,o00 Philippine bonds In this
| country on the net basis or about
/ 4.75, and the issue was oVerSub-
scribed. By the sale of these bonds
| the Philippine treasury was put on
| sound basis. These bonds are
wholly tax-exempt in the United
possible If the islands had been in
| dependent, nor would an interest rate
| of Az on the face of the bonds have
been inviting to investors under in
| dependence.
! The present outbreak of the Moros,
as explained both at our War De-
| partment and at the headquarters of
| the Filipino mission In Washingto
| is of not political significance. 1t is a
/ religious or fanatical agitation of
Mohammedans, not against Amer
leans but against Filipinos for all
legged teaching in the public schools
| of Mindanao against the sacred doc
trines of MahomGt. There has been
no such disturbing teaching.
X x x 4
The total population of the islands
, is about 1O,000.000, of which less than
| $500 are Japanese, although there
lis no law restraining Japanese i'm
migration. 1t is stated at the Philip
pine mission that there is no danger
of Japanese aggression, since the
japanese DO not thrive in the warm
lclimate of the Philippines. Hawaii has
IA strict anti-Iapanese immigration
law, yet Hawaii has more than lo9,-
700 Japanese inhabitants.
When the time will come for car
ryinE out the pledge of the United
States to give the Fiiipinos their po-
litical freedom is open to future
consideration, according to the re-
jpuhlicans, while the democrats con-
tend that independence has been
pledged and should be given 1T once
The republicans take the position
that a condition precedent or inde-
.pendence is fitness for self-goVern-
rncnt. and that while very great prog
ress in that direction has been mace
in half generation" 1t Is not yet
demonstrated
ut necessarily involves in its ulus
mate conclusion, as the steps forward
toward f-government become
greater and greater, the ultimate IN :
dependence OF the islands, althongn,
of course, If both the United states
and the islands were 10 concinoe,
after complete self-e government were
possible, that it would be mutually
beneficial to continue government
relation between them like that be
tween England and Australia, there
would be nothing Inconsistent with
the present policy in such "A result
when, in 1922, Il special mission
from the islands waited on President
Harding. to appeal for independence
Mr. Harding replied that the time
had not yet arrived for the expert
ment of lf-government, but ne aud-
ed: Perhaps the Judgment of your
people today VIII be confirmed nE
your better educated people on the
morrow. but we ought to be very sure
~ a highly preponderant and very in
telligent public sentiment before tax
ing the step which cannot be re-
tracted."
The Philippine mission states that
the basis of opposition to Governor
General Woods administration is be-
cause he is not complying with the
organic law passed in 1916 by our
Congress-the Jones law"-as to the
appointment Of his cabinet advisers.
That law provides for the appoint
ment of a governor general by the
President of the United states, with
the approval Of the United States
Senate, after which the governor
general should appoint heads OF de-
partments under him. subject to ap-
provai OF the Philippine senate. This,
ii is alleged, Gen. Wood did not do,
but instead he brought with him a
staff of military officers, who are ad-
vising him, and "he has not appoint
ed F'iiipinos, as the law requires.
Gficial reports show that the Fill
pinos constitute a very large part of
the government. The legislatiV q
branch consists OF 500 Filipinos, no
Americans; executive branch. 555
Americans, S,208 Filipinos; judicial.
. Americans, 1,15S Filipinos; proyin-
pinos; city of Manila, 65 Americans,
l,4I2 Filipinos.
IronvrIrht lao4