Evening star., 1925-01-14

acquired them by purchase and
through the fundamentally Of a Just
and honorably negotiated treaty. We
have undertaken to hold and rule
these islands until such time as they
may have, in our judgment, become
thoroughly fitted to constitute and
carry on a republican form of gov
| eminent. We, and not the Filfpinos.
are to be the judges of the time when
independence may be given and of the
degree of fitness which the Fflfpin os
have achieved for becoming a self
governing nation.
Govern or Get Out.
In the meanwhile, we are, in effect,
face to face with a very simple, ele-
mental problem-either we must gov
ern the islands well, strongly and
firmly, or else get out of the islands
and leave the Filipinos to their own
devices.
through the efforts of a compara-
| lively small number of Filipinos who
are residing for the most part in Ma
Mia, and by reason of the mental fab
biness OF sentimentalists in this coun-
try, an anomalous condition exists in
the Philippine Islands today. We have
neither thorough going American rule.
| complete control Of the island gov
ernment.
Ihs governor general has been
snorn or too much authority, but he is
still vested with heavy responsible
tiles. Excessive power has been put
into the hands of the Philippine legis-
lative bodies by the Jones law, passed
during the Wilson administration for
the government of the islands and the
regulation OF their relations to the
United States Government.
: A Heart-Breaking Task.
Gen. Woods Immediate predecessor
In office apparently believed that he
would be the last governor general
| or the Philippine Islands, and he,
| therefore, allowed himself to be strip
ped OF important prerogatives. Gen.
| WOODS effort to regain the powers
which properly belong to the execu-
tive have resulted in the unpleasant
| conaltlon which has existed for the
| last IL months. The governor general
has faced the existing difficulties and
! the hampering consequences of mis-
rule which he inherited with calm
ness and tmperturbable patience. He
is striving Loyalty and arduously, in a
| self-enacing way, to do a vastly i'm
portant task, and I am afraid that the
| pcoplO W ILLS country are not giving
him due credit for his personal sacrf-
| fices, nor do think they begin to un-
| derstand the ultimate significance of
his efforts in the Philippine Islands
He is taking long look ahead.
| During the administration of Fran
els Burton Harrison as governor gem
eral of the Philippines much Of the
| good and solid work which had been
accomplished by the Americans was
undone. American teachers and
Americans employed in the scientific
| departments of the Government an6
in other branches Of the public serv.
ice, where character as well as talent
| were needed, have been discharged In
| large numbers. There has plainly
been a retrograde movement in Off.
cial life. Inefficiency now. marks the
public service under the lax legis.
lative rule imposed by native poll.
ticians. Corrupt appointees have
been placed on the public pay rolls
and bureaus have been stuffed will
| unnecessary employees, while the
efficiency OF the public service has
as a whole, steadily declined.
English is no longer well taught
in the schools, and in daily life ther,
Is a noticeable disposition on tn,
/ part of many Filipinos to treat Amer
leans in a rude and even contemptu
Gus way. Persistent efforts have beer
made to humiliate Gov. Wood ant
his encourage and to make life a
unpleasant for than Aa -DosstbIea