FUTURE OF THE FILIPINO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1604, 22 November 1912, Page 5

FUTURE OF THE FILIPINO.

a— INDEPENDENCE FAVOURED. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright , Washington, November 20. Mr. Champ Clark, Speaker of tho United States Houso of Representatives, favours independence being granted to the Philippines. The Democrats will probably introduce a measure in that direction during tho coming session of Congress. AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY. AMERICA AND HER SPANISH CONQUEST. Tho two great parties in America are divided on the Philippine question. Tho .Republicans, now virtually the Opposition, believe that tho Filipino is unfitted for self-government, and that it would bo a crime for the United States to abandon the islands, and leave them in a state of anarchy. Tho Democrats, on the-other hand, favour independence. Tho New York "Outlook" in May last said:— A Bill has been reported to the House of Representatives by the Committee on Insular Affairs which provides for the absolute'independence of the Philippine Islands after the year 1921, It has the unanimous support of the Democratic members of the Committee, and is unanimously opposed by the Republican members. At present the Philippines are governed by an Assembly elected by the Filipinos, and by a Senate or Council appointed by the President. The proposed Bill provides that after July 1, 1921, the President of tho Philippines is to be elective; and after, that date the United States will relinquish all sovereignty:over the Philippine islands, and their independence will bo absolute. An important: change in the conditions of suffrage is also inado by tho Bill. The arguments for the Bill as presented in the report of the majority may be briefly summarised as follow:—It is thei overmastering desire of tho Filipino people to see their country free and independent. Of its seven and one-half million population, nearly seven million are classified as civilised. While it is truo that thero is no native language which is universally spoken, a large majority of the whole peoplo speak ono of the three principal languago of the islands. Public schools have been established, with an enrolmont of over six hundred thousand pupils. Tho islandors can, therefore, no longer he'called illiterate. Tho population is heterogeneous, but not so heterogeneous as the population of the United States. These considerations are adduced for the purpose of showing tho capacity of the Filipinos for self-government. Tho Committee believe that the interests of tho United States, as well as the desiros of the Filipinos, favour the early independence of the islands. The free principles upon which the American Government is founded are incompatible with tho idea of governing against their consent a peoplo who aspire to independence. The expansion of tho United States hitherto has been, and tho Committee apparently think it should be, confined to this continont. The possession of the islands is not commercially profitable, and involves great expense, especially in the military and naval Departments. In case of war it is doubtful whether tho United States could retain its control of tho Philippines, and their independence could be bettor safeguarded by an international agreement.