Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1920 — GOV.-GENERAL OF PHILIPPINES FOR FREEDOM [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOV.-GENERAL OF PHILIPPINES FOR FREEDOM

Declares It Not Right That Freedom Should Longer Be Withheld. By FRANCIS BURTON HARRISON, Governor-General of the Philippines (First Article.)

My six years' experience as governor - general of the Philippine Islands have convinced me that *ie Filipino people are ready and tit to have their independence. I have recommended to Congress, as well as to the executive a d m i n i s tration,

that independence be granted.

As to the question of the stability of government, I wish to say to the American people upbn my responsibility as the governor-general that in my opinion there exists today in the Philippine Islands a stable government, which I think should answer the requirements laid down by Presidents Grant and McKinley, and as I understand it, also by Mr. 800t —namely, a government elected by the suffrage of the people, which is supported by the people, which is capable of maintaining order and of fulfilling its international obligations. I am very glad to go on record as being entirely in sympathy with the aspirations of the Filipino nation for independence. I have recommended to Congress that in granting independence some provision be made similar to what is known as the Platt amendment in the treaty with Cuba, which restricts th® ability of the new republic in borrowing of foreign governments and also permits the United States to interfe: . with/ the affairs of the new republic in case conditions of disorder should be found to prevail. Such recommendation does not come as an expression of the views of the Filipinos; it is my own view of what would be desirable to secure a feeling of confidence and satisfaction on the part of all persons who have already Invested money in the Philippines or who contemplate doing so in the near future. But it is not right that independence itself should longer be delayed.

By temperament, by experience, by financial ability, in every way, the 11,000,000 Filipinos are entitled to be free from every government except of their own choice. They are intelligent enough to decide for themselves.

I have found the native Filipino official to be honest, efficient and as capable es administering executive positions as any men I have met anywhere tn the world. \ These officials are today governing 1,000 municipalities and forty-two provinces, economically, efficiently and for the good of the entire people. They have a native congress, including many graduates of Tale, Princeton, Harvard and other American universities. Other members are graduates of Santo Tomas and other Philippine universities, and in education and ability they compare favorably with any I know. They have leaders like Speaker Osmena of the House of Representatives and President Quezon of the Senate who would adorn any office. The Philippines are away ahead of the United States in successful government ownership and operation of public utilities. The government took hold of the steam railways and made them pay a profit of 1,000,000 pesos a year mora than under private ownership. It took hold of the highways, and we have 7,000 miles of the best macadamized roads in the world. The Manila city government is about to take over the street railways and the gas and electric plants, while the territorial government is arranging for ownership and control of the coal supi ply. .The movement for Independence Is a peaceful one. No territory was more loyal to Uncle Sam during the war. It offered an armed and equipped division to our government, gave it a submarine destroyer and oversubscribed Libi erty loans and Red Cross funds. Two million natives speak English fluently, and there are 700,000 English speaking children in the public schools. I am more than willing to retire if the Filipinos can be granted what they deserve —a government like that of the United States.

Gov. Gen. Harrison