Salt Lake Telegram | 1927-04-17 | Page 13 | Who Wants Independence for the Philippines?

I Who Wants Independence for forthe I I the Philippines By VINCENTE VINCENTS Noted Filipino Lawyer and Publicist President Coolidge's recent veto of the Filipino bill providing a plebiscite on Independence Is commented com corn here by one of the ablest Filipinos In the country Believing with the administration that Immediate Immediate Im- Im mediate independence Is II Impracticable Mr n sets seta forth the Philippine Independence movement Ina ina In Ina a new The plebiscite bill passed by the lature and now vetoed by President Coolidge was tc to get an answer to the question Do you desire the Immediate absolute and comp complete ete independence of the Philippines The governor generals general's veto havIng having haying hav hay ing been the bill bili had gone forward as a matter of course to the president of the United States for final action The plebiscite bill was Intended to refute the oft- oft repeated as assertion that the desire for immediate absolute absolute absolute ab ab- ab- ab solute Independence w wits was s confined to those engaged in political activities That assertion is in err error r and arid a n plebiscite to disprove it is a n superfluity The Filipinos Filipinos Fili Fili- pinos are at l present resent overwhelmingly for Immediate separation from the United States Upon this point the finding of every truthful investigator is According to those who know both the psychology and the actualities of the situation it is the political leaders not the masses that need can cnn The leaders know the Impracticability of Immediate immediate imme Imme- diate te l-te complete and absolute independence while the people do not The Th leaders lenders are really not leaders at atall atall atall all but Slavs of th the public will If th they y are re required required re- re to answer the Interrogation contained contained con con- tamed In the bill vetoed by the pre president ident they wil will register a unanimous affirmative reply But Dut that will not stop the piling up Of f evidence voluntary and involuntary that they are not In such uch a big hurry about losing American association and protection The Filipinos arc are not entirely to th blame for the pe peculiar peculiar pe- pe culiar cullar circumstances now prevailing where the playing of politics I is at a premium and the practice of statesmanship at t a discount The big thing about the the presidents president's veto message message is that it does not extinguish the hope of eventual independence but rather points t tj fe e eway way o of obtaining it The responsibilities of independent nationhood are set forth Economic and Intern international considerations considerations' considerations considerations consider consider- I vital to th the peace security and prosperity of I Ithe the Filipinos are explained considers herself herself her her- self Relf under a mor moral l obligation to bring ring these facts facts' to the attention of the Filipinos The indications of t the president need not necessarily discourage ge the FlU Fili pinos Rather Bather they ought to steel the them to the work of pr preparing to surmount the difficulties The Filipinos who have not yet et committed commUted themselves themselves themselves them them- selves to immediate and nd- nd absolute independence and andare andare andare are possessed of sufficient conviction and information have a splendid opportunity to go before their thur peole people people peo peo- le and advise with them on the costs th the risks and the obligations of independent nationhood at this time when international affairs are in such a state of uncertainty and turmoil If It the they can do that necessary Work successfully accurately and and unselfishly unselfishly then a Q plebiscite upon the question of separation separation separation tion from the United States would be a reliable and safe index of the real desires of lof the Filipino people Then there will b be progress towards the final solving solving ing of ot the Philippine problem The veto of the president on the present ires nt plebiscite bill is the first time that the power has been exer exer- exer er- er The resulting repercussions of of the e event nt in inthe inthe inthe the press will serve p to r reduce duce the indifference ference of the American people towards the Philippines Philippines Philippines Philip Philip- pines and the lethargy of the Filipino people towards the economic and international issues involved in Immediate immediate immediate im Im- im- im mediate complete and absolute independence from the United States Copyright 1927 Cosmos Ne Newspaper Syndicate Inc