THE WHITE MAN’S BURDEN

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1929, Page 5

THE WHITE MAN’S BURDEN

(Auckland Star.) The renewal of the demand of the Filipinos for independence should help to develop in the American people a keener sense of the responsibilities of Imperialism than they have yet ac- > quirni.. Twelve years ngo Congr: | s laid down the principle that the Uniled States would abdicate its sovereignty and the people of the Philippines would receive complete* automony as soon as ever the Americans were satisfied that a stable forni of government could he set up there by the natives themselves. But the difficulty has been to decide whether the right time has yet come for this decisive change, and so faf the Filipinos have not been able to persuade their masters that the hour has struck for their emancipation. , The position of the Americans, in the Philippines is thus closely analagous to the position of the British in Egypt before the war. In each ease the dominah Power has done its best to civilise the country committed to its care; it has promised the natives ultimate independence; and its has. honestly found it hard if not impossible, to decide hether at a given mom ent the ‘-sullen, silent peoples,” whom it rules are fit to manage their own affairs and control their own des-

tiny. ' Americans henceforth, should be able to. sympathise .with the difficulties that 'Britain has had to contend with in un'd India. ' But i in the Philippines the, problem has been quite-needlessly complicated- by ■v ' ’ , v the introduction of party politics. While the Republicans held office at Washington they, governed the Philippines on moxle or less autocratic lines. Their administration has been well described as h‘‘military, despotic, intel-ji . ligible 1 'andesucceSsful.’l [ f ,f fi 1; [i.H; ■

The natives, being Orientals, understand appreciate the exercise of irresponsible power. But when the Democrats superseded their opponents they reversed the Republican policy. They preached the Wilsonian doctrine of “ self-determination ” and encouraged the Filipinos to expect autonomy in the near future. The Filipinos naturally responded, and in 1927 their Legislature formally demanded a retf- , erendum ,on. .the; subject, pf, ‘ [ immediate? absolute * arid" complete' irideperidertce.” The Republican President Coolidge interposed his veto, and so for the time the Filipinos have been compelled to contain their souls in patience. ; The recent| {renewal of: the; campaign on behalf of (the Filipmps^linS^Ainerica.^ seemqit9v|ie:4.H e to *f r fnU*.till' Ij placet?*Ma'i4u%l jßdihri.U.) (sfejj.tatiV.es land}la gre^t,|f ij autonoiny, has addressed a strong! ! I ! impressive appeal* to" the .Finance OjriHji* mittee of the Senate. Secondly, the agitation over the Tariff Bill has brought under public notice the competition of the Filipino cane-growers \fitli American sugar;* producers 1 , cordingly we now find a Democratic y ' senator urging the claims of the Filipinps, forV indep9ridencd fi arid ( J'% . his iViews wjthr the argumefit|:ljhal|j ifK|j | the Interests.<if American sugar It/wiU£j>., soon be necessary to levy import duty on the Filipino product, and this cannot, be dope unless and until ippines are separated from the United States, It,isj seldom,,that.a case on high moral and ethical considera.tioris .can be. so . Jiptl^ effectivel.v by references to prospective commercial profit; and in all probability this strange combination of motives will carry weight in Congress. ’ 1