Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-03

Demands for Philippine independ.
ence. more than ever urgent In con-
nection with the visit to the islands OF
Col. Carmi Thompson, representative
of President Coolidge, get little sympa-
thy from the American press. Most
of the editors who comment on the
situation take the position that the
time for ending American sovereignty
there is a long way from ripe.
"The United States is responsible
for administration in the islands. and
IL not disposed to shift that response
biiity. BY so doing it will endanger
the welfare of thousands OF natives,
declares the Oakland Tribune dnde-
pendent Republican,. 1T is not yet
demonstrated that the routine reso-
buttons of the Philippine Legislature
express the majority opinion: it is yet
to be proved that the Filipinos have
sufficient political maturity for inde-
pendence.' But Col. Thompson, who
seems to be highly qualified Tor the
task, is making a survey upon which
the unprecedented opinion OF the coun-
try may be based"
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Gn-
dependent Democratic) is convinced
that 1.-The United States should not
grant independence until the F1lipinos
shall have gone through a long
period of education and are united
neople instead of an artificial union Of
intensely hostile elements" The pa
per also believes that there should De
a change in "the law which gives the
Philippine Legislature the right to
limit land ownership" but that am
pie provision should be made for pro-
tecting the rights of the people of the
Philippines" and that "the rubber in
dustry should be developed fairly"
"a bill has been introduced in the
Philippine Legislature" it is pointed
out by the Portland oregon Journal
independently, which has the ear
marks of Offering land ownership on
the islands for national independence.
At present foreign corporations are
limited to ownership of $500 acres,
The Filipinos need offer no such deal,
They need not offer to trade away the
islands for independence. When IN
dependence is granted 1t should De
granted solely on the basis or wnetnef
or not the islands are prepared 70
govern themselves, and not purchased
Daily News independently, also con-
tends that "the United States, 1t IL
safe to say, will not grant independ-
ence to the Philippines for the sake or
rubber, no matter how many natlve
and American cliques favor such
dicker. The question of reasonable re-
vision of the land laws" the Daily
News adds, should be decided on it's
merits. Native interests should be pro-
| tected, and exploitation of the ISLANDS
by combines Indifferent to principle or
good faith should be barred
Commentator of Gen. Wood IS
given by the Charleston Daily Mail
| independent Republican, which de-
clares that those native Filipinos who
so violently are assailing Gen. Wood
and demanding his resignation or
withdrawal show an unappreciatlon
almost approaching hearoeys disre-
gard of the welfare of their own race,
| when one takes into consideration
what the governor general has done
/ in caring for the arm of lepers in the
isla nds.' The Grand Rapids Herald
| independent Republican, is also in.
clined to suspect that If the
actual, positive welfare of the
Philippine Islands could be i'm
partially and judicially consulted, II
would be found that they are-and
will Definitely better off, not only
in material benefits, but in the
| tangible fruits of freedom, under the
| American flag than under the UNI
certain banner of their own harassed
republic
The tyrant is new role for Uncle
Sam to play" according to the Los
Angeles Times independent Republi
CAM, zone in which neither our car
toonists nor other people on this con
tinent ever have dreamed of seeing
him. But In the chiidlilke mind Of the