The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-17
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY.

VA AOE11INC1ON, July l(.-AQ-
w ministration critics interpret
demands of Governor General
Stimson for revision of the Phil
ippine land and corporation laws as
additional proof that the Republic
an party has no intention of act
ing on the independence pledge
given the islands by the Jones law.
StimSon's appeal was made at the
opening Of. the island legislature
and published by the War Depart
ment here today.
This appeal is used by Democrats
in connection with the failure oil
the Republican platform of last
month to commit the party on the
future of the islands, as evidence
that American capital is planning
large scale exploitation of the Phil
ippines under indefinitely prolonged
American rule. The Democratic
platform declared for immediate in
dependence.
The present limit on the size of
land holding is objectionable to
American corporations, which claim
LGQulIGU
for profitable development. This
applies especially to rubber and
sugar.
Stimson was formerly secretary
Of war and latterly President Cool
idge's special representative to Mic
aragua to arrange for peaceful cleo
lions under American Marines. He
was appointed successor to the late
General Leonard Wood last win
ter. His present demands are in
line with the Wood policy, to
which the native leaders objected.
IN opening the native Legislature.
4 Stimson directly attacked charges
OF critics that his program would
enable American capital ito insti-
cute economic serfdom" of the Fill
pino people.
1T would be hard to conceive a
more serious error" he said.
by exciting an unfounded fear.
these critics would block the onlv
avenue toward economic, and there.
fore, political independence of these
islands.
THE Philippine Islands today
stand in much the same economic
situation as the United States stood
40 years ago. We in America were
then possessors of the boundless re-
sources of a great continent, but we
we're poor and lacked means to de-
velOp those resources.
I'VE borrowed freely from Europe.
including many countries with
whose political institutions we had
no sympathy and even held in pro-
found distrust Is America in eco
nomic serfdom today?
cat the present rate with which
the agricultural lands of these is
lands is being distributed among
their people, it will be 400 years be-
fore that great asset, that great
guardian of the peoples stability, is
fully put to use. This is not con-
servation; this is waste"
THERE are two other major
Il planks in the Stimson platform
which are Objectionable to the
Filipinos.
One is proposal to deduct
Sl25,O00 annually from the money
which for years the United States
Government has been turning over
to the Philippine government for it
to apportion. This action, according
to the natives, implies a lack of con-
tdence in the insular government
and is an additional step toward
bringing the islands more COM
pletely under American rule.
The other proposal is for the an
pointment of Governors of the Moro
Mohammedan provinces by the
American Governor General with
out the consent of the Philippine
Senate. This also is opposed on the
ground that it decreases Filipino
home rule.
AT the request of Stimson, both
OF these proposals were introduced
as bills in the United States Con-
gresS. They failed to pass in the
last session because of Democratic
and Progressive opposition. Pedro
Guevara, Philippine resident COM
missioner here, then issued a state
ment that:
congress once more has shown
IN an unequivocal way its devotion
to the peoples will and this friendly
attitude will undoubtedly strengthen
the faith of the Filipinos In
America"
IN the native legislature which has
4 just opened, the Nationalista-
Consolidate bloc retains control.
Manuel Quezon Monday was re-
elected president of the Senate.
Sergio OSmena was reelected ma
jorlty floor leader, and Manuel
Roxas was reelected speaker of the
lower house.
In Scripps-H Howard interview in
San Francisco on the eve of his de-
parture for Manila after a long ILL
ness, Quezon said:
AS a result of this uncertainty
as to their present and future status
the Filipinos are discontented, and
the economic development of the
Islands is being retarded to that ex-
tent If we are to have independ-
ence let us have it now; if we are
to remain under the American flag
let us know under what terms.
whether as a Y)rOtect0rata q doy,i,,