The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 2 of 2)Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
History
The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 2 of 2)
Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
Philippines; Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946
"Never has Mr. Worcester attempted to furnish us with the facts
which he has placed before Congress. The bill itself was sent to
the Assembly for action but on account of the unfriendliness of the
members for the secretary of the interior and the lack of sympathy
between the Assembly and him, it was not given the consideration
that it would have received if Mr. Worcester had at the same time
sent us the facts which he has sent on to the United States.
"Mr. Worcester as the secretary of the interior, and not as
commissioner was in duty bound to furnish the Assembly with the
facts that he claims to have found. It is the duty of all of
the administrative officers of the government to enlighten the
legislature and to furnish it with information gained officially
by them. As a matter of fact, Mr. Worcester showed that he was
not anxious for the Assembly to consider the matter by never once
even mentioning the subject to me, as is customary with other
matters for legislation which the secretaries have wished taken
up by the Assembly."
If this were not so pathetic it would be very, very funny. The assembly
is now made up of 81 Filipino delegates representing 34 provinces. An
unfeeling American secretary of the interior, residing at Manila,
is charged with having failed to inform them of what was going on
under their very noses. All information deemed by the commission
necessary to justify legislation was transmitted by me to that body
when we lost our slavery case in the Supreme Court.
Never during all the years that this matter has been pending has there
been the slightest suggestion that the assembly desired to receive
information concerning it. If its members were to tell the half of
what they themselves know about slavery and peonage the facts which
I have been able to gather would fade into insignificance, but this
is not the important thing in this interview.
The important thing is that dislike of the person who happened to
introduce in the commission a bill prohibiting slavery and peonage
in the Philippines is considered a valid reason for the refusal of
the assembly to consider it during four successive years.
Shall thousands of suffering human beings be allowed to go on sweating
blood for such a reason?
It is my earnest hope that as a result of the publicity which has
now been given this matter there will be speedy action, either by
the Philippine Legislature or by the Congress of the United States.
I hope that every right-minded person who reads these lines will insist
that we have done with concealment of the truth and suppression of
the facts; have done with boggling over hurting the feelings of the
Filipino people; and will demand that those who have power to end the
disgraceful conditions which now exist in the islands shall promptly
and effectively exercise it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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