Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-07
PRESIDENT VETOES
FILIPINO PLEB|SC|TE
Holds Vote in islands Now
on independence to Be
UnConvincing.

In a veto of the bill passed by the
Philippine Legislature authorizing the
holding of plebiscite on the question
of Philippine independence, Presiden.
Coolidge has removed, at least for the
immediate future, all prospect for in
dependence for the islands.
The President does not believe the
time has arrived to consider freedom
for the islands. Nor does he think
the Filipinos are prepared as yet, for
self Besides, he feels that
the United States would not have per.
formed it's full duty by the people OF
the islands or discharged its obliga-
tions to civilization If it should yield
now to the present Philippine aspira-
ton for independence.
AS for the proposed plebiscite IT.
self. the President is satisfied that the
results would not be convincing. AS
proposed, the plebiscite would provide
merely a. straw vote on the subject.
He thinks the results OF this vote
would be uneonvincing because no
provision would be made for citizens
to qualify their views-they must vote
either yes or mo- on the subject
OF independence. He is satisfied that
there are many Filipinos who believe
that the United States is the best
Judge of the appropriate relation OF
the islands to the United States, but
who, under the proposed plebiscite,
would have no means of expressing
their views.
Sends Lengthy Veto Message.
The President expressed his dis
approval of this bill in a lengthy
paper addressed to Gov. Gen. Wood
of the Philippines, who vetoed the bill
when it was first passed by the Insular
Legislature, but which was repassed
over his veto. In this paper the
President expressed himself very
plainly regarding the holding of the
plebiscite and upon the question OF
independence itself.
Besides pointing out the defects OF
the proposed legislation, the President
went at some length into the under
living reasons in an endeavor to ex-
plain why he believed the entire dis
cussion of the question of immediate
or .nroximate absolute independence is
untimely.
While recognizing the progress Of
the people Of the Philippines in edu.
cation. cultural advancement, political
conceptions and institutional develop
nent. he is satisfied that the Filipinos
are too dependent upon the United
States to be cast adrift upon their
own resources. He thinks too little
attention has been given by those
aspiring to Immediate independence
to the matter of the material assist
ance given to the Filipinos in their
advancement.
Holds 1t Unfair at Present.
"tJnless and until the people and
their leaders are thoroughly informed
of this material assistance and have
a fair appreciation of what its with
drawal MEANS" the President said, "a
vote on the abstract question Of In
dependence would be not only futile
but absolutely unfair to them, and
the acceptance Of the result as an in
formed Judgment would be dangerous
to their future welfare"
To further emphasize the fmpor-
tance of the question Of assistance be-
ing given to the islands by the United
States and what it would mean Ii this
was withdrawn, the President said:
This phase of the question has not
received careful consideration in the
islands because of the misapprehen-
sion which seems to be quite general
there that America, even though she
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