Evening star., 1928-05-20

OF the ETaslppulS ViSaAAN OSe,
Nj commonly known as the Jones
law. has there been so much
activity in the Congress of the
United States regarding the Philippines
But the American people are practlcallS
uninforned of what is tranSpIring IN
she halls of Congress which affects the
fate of I2,o00.o00 people inhaoltlng'
Americas largest island possessions. II
is 70 the interest of the American peo-
pie. as well as 1t is to the tlliplno; e.,as tIss
they become better acquainted Win lLie
Philippines. especially at this Juneture'
when a new era of good will ana nu-
t,lal friendship has come about with tne
inauguration of Gov. Gen. StunSon as
the new executive Of the Philippine ar
chipSlsgo. I'm.
There are about half dozen bills
now pending in Congress tnat concern
the Philippine Islands, some, IRON tile
ySiItniro point of view. favorable, and
Snnle unfavorahle TO the Filipino peo-
ME The most important OF these are
the BRIGHAM Wainwright resolution au-
tl1orizinr a committee of Congress TO
make biennial visits to the Philippines
the Willis and KieSs bills curtailng the
mower of the Philippine Legislature 10
appropriate and the right OF the Phlllp-
nine Senate to confirm appointments
and the Timberlake resolution ninitlne
the expectation of sugar to 100000 long
tons. All these bills. il may be said, arc
r1otivated by the sincere purpose OF
enhancing the welfare Of the Filipino,
and If some of them are objected 10 oy
the Filipino people 1t is because they are
believed not conducive to the reaIzatlon
of such . purpose ana OF the peInla-
nence of the cordial relations inaugu-
rated by the Stimson administration.
Brigham Wainwright Resolution.
The bill that has the approval of
the Filipino people is the Brigham
wainwright resolution provldlng TOT
a biennial visit TO the Philippines
Of a committee of Congress for
the purpose Of gathering informa-
ton concerning the actual state
of the government OF the Philippine
Islands aT0 the economic and social
condition Of the Filipino people. Such
q visit cannot but be productive Of good,
for the greater the contact the closer the
understanding between the two peoples
One of the SaddeSt features OF Ameri-
can-FIlipino relations is the utter lack
Of knowledge on the part of the great
mass of the American people regarding
the Philippines. And Congress, which
has the fate of twelve million people
IN the hollow of its hands. is itself
none too fully informed Of Philippine
affairs. One can readily see, therefore.
why this bin should be enacted into Law.
One Of the measures 70 which the
Fslipinos are opposed is the Willis and
KieSS bill now on the floor OF the Sem
ate. one OF the provisions Of which
would grant the Governor General OF
the Philippines authority TO expend.
without necessity of further approprta-
ton By the Philippine Legislature, the
sum Of sl25.0G0 for the employment OF
advisers and assistants TO his offce, the
money 70 be taken from internal rev.
enue collections in the United States
levied on goods coming TO this country
from the Philippines. all Of which col
lecfious are nov turned over TO the
Philippine treasury for general appro-
priation by the Philippine Legislature.
See Violation Of Pledge.
Philippine opposition Is not prompted
bv a lack Of desire To furnish the gov
eruor general with the necessary aid
for the performance Of his duties, as
viii BE- shown later. The Filipinos are
opposed TO il because it Is a violation
Of Americas pledge granting the Fni-
plno people ever-increaslng measures OF
self if-rOvernn1ent with independence as
its final goal, and because It Is viola
ton of the underlying principles OF de-
uaocracy upOn which this Nation Is
founded That ID is violation OF this
s,olicv Is clear. because the bin prevents
the Philippine Legislature approprlat-
fnp the fund which 1t seeks 20 give
10 the governor general directly. Tnat
il Is a violation OF the pTanclpieS oi
democracy is also clear because control
Of the purse strings Of the Nation
gaoaald rest with the law-making 0ouy
and not with the executive, which In
the case Of the Philippines Is not even
elective. And America would be forc-
ing upon another people, u TINS nil
became q Law, that which the Ameri-
can people themselves would mol AZ
tempt 20 do IN their own country, ior
ragbfic opinion would not countenarce
- at snd Congress win not sanction
N which would place in the hands OF
tFae President Of the United States any
amount Of money without appropriation
FIRST BY Congress. The sum OF slzS,OUO
s. auuroxignafeIy one-tnird Of per cent
81 the total expenditures Of the central
government Of the Philippines. taxing
such expenditures 20 oe S4V.VOV'OVV IN ~
round numbers. II the President OF the
United states were given discretion
nry fund equivalent 10 one-third Of ]
Der cent Of the expenditures Of the
re1eyaI Government, estimating such
expendstures 70 be 81, 900 900 900 year,
I1e would have at his disposal, follow
fae the theory Of this bill, Slo,o0O.00O.
where the Money Goes.
The money which Congress is asked
4, give directly 10 the governor general
sx for the employment Of advisers and
assistants 20 his of1ce, vino would act
a. llis "eyes" and "ears" 70 detect the
vsork Of the administrative departments
ard ofilces over which, By our organic
act and BIZ laws passed by the Philip
pine legislature. he has supervision and
control. The power of supervision and
control over al executive departments
is vested in the President Of the United
states by the Constitution, but he has
never felt the necessity Of having
seges" and ears" 70 detect the work
Of Gllese departments, Even II sncn
fesp were necessary, he would never DE
refTuitten 20 have IL, because there
would then be established here gov
ernnaeDI based upon suspicion rather
than upon confidence, which Is the
most important element in dealing with
an alien race.
Is u American Money!
II Is asserted tllat the fund from
which tiaf money TO be given 70 tn
aoyergaor general Is American money
being as st is United States interne
revenue collections levied On Philippine
goods coming 10 this country, I1is u
1raae but not entirely 10. In 1901 tn
Philippine Commission. lp enaetlnt
aeassis ton ~ raise revenues iH tni
Pisiiippine government, provided, as.lons
sysfans taxe8 f0g 81 export tax Oh Philip
pine exports, Ia 1902 the Congress d
fhe United States exempted Philippine
fradaiets admitted free Gf duty and con-
E4,rYsec ia the United States from TIN
s,agneut OF this export taF. This pro
gigi0B Of lsw benefited American con
sgY9sefg and manufacturers. IL ais
1ecreaSed Philippine revenues.
10 Offset this 6ecreage IN the incoEnl
~ stae ptg4tnt1a8ae government the Amer