Show President Favors Independence for foro I nos Who o Have e Asked for Freedom Y 7 c s I 1 r E to t t 1 y t fi t i r 1 1 U r 4 4 sT sTU I k j 1 r x 4 r o ti I I Washington In ton ton-In In reply to tho the request of oC the Philippine legislature brought to the United States Stales h hy by a special ml mission slon for Cor complete Independence of or the Is Islands islands Is- Is lands Secretary Baker Balter recently rc ut f President Wilson's Wilsons letter on the subject sub sub- In which ht he stated his Ins hope that the tho mission will win be a n. source of ot satisfaction satisfaction satis saUs- faction to them and that It will result In bringing about the tho desirable en ends s set forth In the joint resolution of I the legislature approving tho the sending of oC the the c commission to tho the United States Manuel ManuelL U. U Quezon president l- l I dent of or tho the Philippine senate and chairman of or the mission states that the request for independence Is Abased d largely arcel- arcelon on tb the conduct orS tho pio tho Island Island- I I era ers during tho the past four yeas years and es especially especially es- es during tho the war years ears Quezon pointed out that America withdrew a 11 large part of Its military force from rom the tho Philippines that tho the Filipinos raised a division li of or soldiers and stood read ready to raise as roan many moro more as loCI might be required to fight with Ith the United States on on the fields of or France and that tho the islands had subscribed more mora than their quota of or every Issue of or Liberty Libert bonds and other war contributions quite a record for so new a colony colon The Philippine Islands were only ce ceded to to- the United States b by Spain December 10 lt 9 3 upon payment of or Tho The group l la bounded on on the north and west by the China sea on the east est e st by tho the Pacific ocean and andon andon andon on tho the south b by the Sea of or Celebes and the coast waters of or Borneo Borneo- Thero aro In all aU about 1600 Islands with Ith a n land area of oC lit lit- square miles und Ind a coast line of ot miles All tho the Is Islands islands Is- Is lands are arc ver very small except Mindanao and Luzon The Islan islands s are of ot volcanic origin and are arc located within the Pacific volcanic belt Coal Is present ont In Inmany Inmany inmany many parts of or the islands IHland as are aro gold and lion iron The latter is d occasionally occasionally oc oc- by the natives natives- Copp Copper r a tj Ia reported to ho plentiful In 1910 tho the population wu was estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated to l be 00 j somewhat over o j The most Important source of or wealth of or the Inhabitants is agriculture the staple RUple products of or the Islands being Manila 1 hemp tobacco sugar sus-ar cane cano coffee corteo and maize That the tho American rule rulo In the tho T Philippines Philippine has been successful Is Iii shown b by the tho very modern buildings and progressive institutions on tho the Islands 1 Upper left typical thatched home of the poorer Filipinos right a free freel 1 public bath house and wash house in Manila below free dispensary ry and an general hospital and Manuel Mannel L. L Quezon president of tho the Philippine sonata sen- sen ato ata anti and chairman of independence Mission ion to Ul United tc Stales os Hap b chows location of Philippine Islands |