Show OUR DUTY JO 10 i 0 TIlE THE FILIPINOS FIL Whatever ones one's political affiliations may he be he be heis beis heis is the truest American who is not a blind partisan Th There reis is much macli nonsense written and spoken about the Philippine islands and our connection therewith One of tIre tile truest of Americans i 19 iff now the Governor of the islands All who know Judge William H. H Taft and Taft and we wc have baye enjoyed his intimate friendship since boyhood days know duys know he lie is a model of honesty honest fearlessness and patriotism He is is' sering his country at great personal sacrifice but serving because be bc cause he lie feels it to be c his duty What he lie says is worthy of all attention This was the Opinion of President Arthur wh who first called calle him to a l- l public position Jt lt was the oft 1 view of Pl si k dent Harrison Hallison It was as lroy n to be le the opinion of President McKinley We e know it is the thc opinion of President I President Roosevelt Roose The recent welcome the Filipinos Fili Fili- pinos gave gan him shows the estimation in wb which ch he be is held When such a man speaks it is only blind prejudice that refuses to hear and heed him An article from Gov GOY Tafts Taft's j pen en has recently been published pub in book form in which he be discusses the practicability of independence for fot the Filipinos His I II it is that the Filipinos will not be he ready for I self government self for or at least two generations and und that to promise them independence now ow would only demoralize them ot 10 per cent of the people speak Spanish h he and says the remaining 00 DO per ment are densely ignorant superstitious superstitions and sub to impo imposition of all sorts Independence Under un Un- r der del present conditions says fays Judge Taft will mean the subjection and not the liberty of the people But Buth h why not promise th the islanders ultimate freedom from American rule ruler Because tuse answers answel'S the GOern Governor Gov- Gov ern or such a n promise would be bc interpreted as meaning mean mean- ing within the tIle present generation and would give rise to bitter hitter criticism within a n few years Furthermore Further more a promise of independence thus interpreted he asserts would destroy the possibility of the formation for mation of a stable government g in which the thc people should he be learning what self government is because the conservative element with the assumed early prospect o of complete independence would fear that that when the islands were abandoned the violent agi agi- v t rs W would ld come com to the fro front J a and d those assisting I L j 1 the present goo government would be subjected to the tile hostility of or the demagogues on the ground of their previous American sympathies The Tile A unties Aunties ought to leave lea the Filipino question alone until they can get a more competent honest and patriotic manthan manthan man manthan than Judge Taft to enlighten them |