A Filipino Editor Fires Back at Arthur Brisbane Over Philippine Independence

Following is a clipping from Arthur Brisbane's column TODAY:

"Our Filipino friends cheer Henry L. Stimson, American governor general, on his departure. A change unquestionably sincere has come over the Filipinos and their desire to be free and govern themselves. Those few words made the change: 'Of course, if you become independent of America, sugar sent by you to the United States will be taxed.' That would mean some millions a year to the Philippines and the separatists have seen a great, golden light. Freedom is magnificent, but not if it costs too much money."

Arthur Brisbane, a great American columnist, has made a great error. His statements are unfounded. The "separatists," as he calls them, have never swerved from their true ideal — the independence of the Philippines. Just reasons the Filipinos cheered Stimson on his departure does not at all mean that they have given up their fight for freedom. What they did was an act of courtesy. When Leonard Wood, the greatest exponent of American retentionists, passed away, the Filipino people paid their fitting homage to that man. That should not be construed as meaning the giving up of their aspiration to independence.

The Filipino people are conscious of the effect of independence to the free trade relationship, still they are ready to give up that privilege and be independent. Press dispatches from Manila are to the effect that Manuel Quezon will be coming to the United States in the near future to fight against any reactionary measure in Congress. If the Filipinos have given up their struggle for freedom they should have abolished long ago the office of resident commissioner in Washington, D.C. But they have not done it, because they want to keep that fight going on. Great newspapermen make great mistakes sometimes.