San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-06
THOSE UNREASONABLE
FILIPINOS.

How much is $40, 000. 900 and what
can be considered fair return on an
investment of such a sum?
A little over 25 years ago, the
United States made just such an in
vestment, il II can be called an in
vestment. which has always been to
mind, a very poor one.
After the Americans had fully con-
WINGED the Spaniards that they 1.-THE
Spaniards) were defeated, after the
Spanish-Amerlcan war and after We
had spent some $165, 100000 and lost
the lives of 2010 our Of men doing the
aforesaid convincing, the United
States paid Spain $20,000,000 for the
pleasure of trying to tame a wild
cat that had yellow fever and small.
pox, mixed with no small amount OF
Spanish and Chinese blood, and the
devil.
After % years of American watch.
fulness and civil governing. there are
quite a few places in the Philippines
that are almost civilized and fit for
white people to live in. The death
rate has been considerably lowered,
sanitation has been installed, good
schools established, real cities have
been built, commerce has been estab-
hshed and most of the Moro head
hunters have been done away with.
Now. in effort to repay the United
States and show their appreciation,
the people of the Philippines are de.
manding their independence. Possibly
l should have said. few of the graft.
ers, foreign paid trouble makers and
misled natives want their so-called in.
dependence.
After several years OF upheaval.
fostered, no doubt. by Spain and pos.
sibly, Japan, the Filipinos have found
they are unable to make the United
States sick Of their bargain and are
now are merely trying little differ
ent method.
To be sure. Mckinley, Roosevelt,
Taft and Wilson were to blame for
,, quite a lot of the Misunderstanding
inasmuch as they all made speeches,
while President. in which they made
statements that would cause the Fill.
pinos to believe we intended giving
thepl ssheir independence. OF course
th1 Was considerable talk, when we
tod Over the Philippines. about Civ.
ing Them their independence as soon
as they were able to govern them.
selves and for that reason they have
argued that we have allowed Cuba tc
handle her own affairs, on two differ.
ent occasions. whereas Cuba is nc
more advanced in self government
than the Philippines.
1t seems almost as il the United
States were expected to jump in ant
give their money. men and what not
every time some little place decided t.
have a revolution. / wonder if tn,
people of the Philippines think tn,
United States is in the habit of Civ
ing away money in $20.000,0O0 pack
ages. They might get a little informa
ton by asking the Senate Investigate
ing committee.
Several publishers. mostly northern
condemn the United States for moi
recognizing the Filipino demands and
go so far as TO remind us Of the Spirit
of &c. Bunker Hill and Lexington.
L wonder how many of them would
be opposed to the South asking fol
| independence. No doubt, during the
Civil war. some Of these same mems
fathers were fighting against the
South and We might remember that
Lincoln went 50 far as TO offer Il
hang all the rebels that were captured
and only changed his mind when the
rebels Offend to do the same with the
men they captured after the first bat.
tie of Bull Run. Surely there is some
similarity except that the South had
a better reason for wishing to be sep.
arate from the union than the Philip.
pines.
We might very closely compar,
Japan with Germany, inasmuch a,
they both have dreams Germany still
has hopes) of having the entire world
under their thumb. II / am correct
in this belief. would it not be very
unwise to allow the Philippines tC
rest in the control of the japanese?
In giving the Philippines their in.
dependence, America might as well de
| clare war on Japan and then make
her present Of our navy. Very few
people would recommend this course
Of procedure. yet loudly clamor fol-
us to do away with the only place in
the Far East where our ships would
be able to take on fuel and supplies
II the Philippines would forget the
story about complete independence
and be satisfied by being admitted
which would be the greatest honor she
could be given, as a state in the
union. things might be a little more
comfortable for them.
c. D'YROMA.