Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-08-04
UNCERTAINTY BREEDS DIS
TRUST


sovereignty over the Philippine
Islands. There were not few In
this country who shrank from the
obligations and were reconciled only
on the understanding that the
Filipinos would in no long process
of time be given their independence.
It would seem that division of
sentiment exists now as 1t did In
1898 when the Islands were coded to
US, although much has happened
since then. Many millions of
American money have gone into
hetterments for the Filipinos, in
Guiding the seven millions we paid
to settle the claims of the Friars on
the agricultural lands. to say moth
ing of the twenty millions We paid
for the islands. Under the organic
act Of August %. 1916 the Filipinos
acquired membership of the legis-
lature. This legislature declared its
loyalty at the time of the World
War, but it has chafed against any
restraint upon it's actions. demand
ing complete independence. This
demand comes from small part of
the population of those islands, Is
undoubtedly agitated by leaders, who
have evinced a disposition to take
advantage of every opportunity to
strengthen their grip on the people
and the resources Of the islands.
Opposed to them are their hereditary
and religious opponents, the Moros,
who wish to remain under American
control.
This country now has rep
resentative in the person of Colonel
Carmai Thompson engaged in MAX
ing a survey of the Philippine situa-
ton, comforting with the heads of
the various factions. Our rep
virtually deadlocked with the local
politicians. The latter claim that we
have promised to give them indie
pendence when they may be fit for
1t and insist they already are fit.
They resent the proposal to continue
our control of Mindanao as they
would have the whole of 1t. The
Moros were not held by Spain under
the same conditions as were the
Filipinos. nor did we come under
obligation to subject them to
Filipino control indeed, 1t is assert
ed, and not successfully denied, that
we are under obligations to protect
them from the control Of their
hereditary enemies.
It ID become quite apparent that
the present condition of distrust
and of consequent hindrance to the
development of these islands should
not be further aggravated by delay.
This fact was brought especially to
notice by the sending Of Colonel
Thompson on his mission and Is
further emphasized by the effort
being made by interests seeking
basis of safety for their investments
in the islands. more especially those
who would there establish rubber
plantations. The Filipino leaders
profess to believe, not without show
Of reason, that If capital be granted
large holdings Of Philippine lands
independence will be delayed II not
indefinitely postponed.
On Monday there was an IL
Illuminating discussion of the Philip
pine problem before the Institute of
Politics at Williamstown, in which
the resident commissioner, Pedro
Guevara, Vincente villamin, a Fill
ipino lawyer and economist, and
Prof. Blakeslee Of Clark University
took part. Mr.. Villamin naturally
did not hesitate to declare the
Filipinos fitted for self-government,
government satisfactory to the gov
erned. being the test he would apply.
He did not explain how this might
be satisfactory to the Moros or to
the great majority of the F'ilipinos
themselves, who are under the
domination of a few leaders and
would undoubtedly be exploited by
them. But he did declare that he
vas hCAliieI LUZ liIiileuldL0 lnQepe0Q-
ence nor for permanent annexation
by America and he made this IL
Eliminating remark:
'Tf all the 100000 Filipinos were
doctors of philosophy, that fact
would not change by one iota the
character of the Japanese people or
the economic needs of Japan, or
alter the political and economic
policies of the British Empire"
America on taking over these
islands not only came under obliga-
lions for the taking and governing
but also for the final disposition of
her interest. villamin expressed the
opinion that for her to grant the
Filipinos independence would be to
invite trouble from other nations,
notably Japan and England, would
upset the four-power pact for the
Pacific, and he declared that the real
choice for the Filipinos is not be-
tween American sovereignty or
Phiiippine independence, but be-
tween America and Japan. And