Evening star., 1925-01-23
THE PHILIPPINE PROBLEM
BY VINCENTE G.. BUNU4N.
Director, Philippine Press bureau,

The future of the Philippines as
discussed by Francis b. Loomis, for
mer Assistant Secretary of State, is
based on the viewpoint that the
islands are of vast potential value in
an economic sense to the people of
the United States and that the time
will come when the American people
may have to rely. to a large extent,
upon the ouput of the Philippines for
certain food products" Predicated
upon this premise, he would put a
stop to he.1egitimate aspirations of
people for national independence,
would have America declare that II
has no intention Of granting 1T or
even of considering it in the next 25
of so years, and would even have this
country repudiate d solemn pledge
which II million and a half Filipinos
have accepted In good faith.
We wish to reply that so long as
consideration of the Philippine prob
lem is based on the potential value
of the islands to the United States,
50 long will the altruistic motive
which should be paramount in the
consideration of the Philippine ques-
ton be subordinated to the promo
ton of Americas own interests, con-
trary to her esta blished policy.
Mr.. Loomis and the rest of the
American people well know that if
the Philippines are of potential
economic value to the United States,
now, they Will be more SO in 25 or
so years when America, Mr.. Loomis
says, may then consider the question
of granting independence. Does Mr..
Loonais think fora moment that when
a great enhancement Of economic
yaIue shall have taken place 1t Will
not be infinitely harder to consider
the question of independence, much
less granting it? The opposition of
American business interests to the
ratification of the treaty which would
give Cuba actual title to the Isle of
Pines, which of right belongs to her
and which, after 90 or 20 years, has
grown of such economic value TO the
United States that these vested In
terests would now have the united
States claim sovereignty over her, Is a
lesson that cannot be disregarded. We
submit to the American people again,
as the Filipino people have always
done. that the granting of independ-
ence now is the best solution to the
Philippine problem. This Is our re-
ply to the assertion that America
should declare that it has no lnten-
tion of granting independence now or
even considering 1t in 20 or 30 years,
and that a stop should be put to the
demands OF the IT ilipAho pSOPAS ASA
independence which America has
promised.
Mr.: Loomis, however, asserts that
no such promise has ever been made.
We submit the following to the
American people:
President Mckinley, in his instruc-
tions to the first Philippine commits
sion, on January 20. 1899, expressed
the hope that the commissioners
would be received in the Philippine es
as bearers of "the richest blessings
of liberating rather than con-
quering Nation"
President Roosevelt, in 1908, in his
message to Congress said:
81 trust that within a generation
the time will arrive when the Fill
pinos can decide for themselves
whether 1t is we'll for them to be-
come independent"
President Taft, in his message to
Congress, on December 6, 1912, said:
I'VE will endeavor to secure for the
Filipinos economic independence, and
to fit them for complete self-govern-
ment with the power to decide even
tually whether such self-government mt
shall be accompanied by independ-
| ence"
President Wilson, on October 6, 1913
said:
Every step we take will be taken
with a. view of the ultimate inde-
ration for that independence"
The Congress of the United States
in 1916 adopted the following as a