COLORADO STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Greeley, Colorado t h e INDEPENDENCE o f t h e Ph i l i p p i n e s A Thesis in Partial Fulfillment of the of the Degree of Masters of Arts by Julian R. Betita Department of History and Political Science Division of Social Studies August 17, 1935 * * c . APPROVED JBTt HAJOR PROFESSOR ^ J h JS i cJttLAJUO-t*— ______ DIVISIOH (A/-* t (/ * £ ABSTRACT THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES Julian R* Betits 1. Problem The purpose of the study in this field is to deter­ mine the political status of the Philippine Islands under the sovereignty of the United States; to analyse the policy of the United States in regard to the independence of the Philippine Islands* and to find out what really is the desire of the Filipino people in regard to gaining their independence* The aims of this study are to give an account of the struggle for the independence of the Philippines by the Filipinos; to gather facts relating to the independence of the Philippines* and to organize these Tacts into a history of the independence of the Philippines* 2* Procedure The data for this study were obtained from the united States documentst Cl) The Congressional Records (2) The Senate Executive Documents C3) The House Executive Documents ^ (4) Books and Magazines Items were interpreted in accordance with the meaning of each unit of the data and the content of the problem 11 discussed in these documents* Personal letters were sent to Dr* Camilo Oslas* the Resident Philippine Commissioner at Washington, D* CT** in regard to some definite questions,. 3t* Findings This study has shown that there is a harmonious rela­ tion between the United States and the Philippines* Thera has been a policy on the part of the American government to free rather than to retain the Philippines, but this policy gave no definite date as to when the Philippines should he given their independence* The Filipinos are ad- most unanimous in their demand for their independence* 4* Recommendations Further research is needed in this field: (1} To determine the real policy of the united States in regard to the independence of the Philippine Islands* C&) To determine the political status of the Philippine Islands under the sovereignty of the United States* There are materials available for further research in this field* These materials are the Congressional Records* the Senate Executive Documents and the House Eat— ecutive Documents* PREFACE The writer wishes to express his gratitude and appreciation to Dr* 01 iTer M* Dickerson, head of the History and Political Science DlTiston, and to Dr* Thomas Mahan for their kind suggestions, criticisms, and guidance in. the completion of this study* Ack­ nowledgment is also made to Mr* Albert Carter for his help in gathering these materials* To Dr* Frederick L* Whitney, Director of the Graduate School of Colorado State College of Education, the writer also acknowledges indebtedness* Tv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT I PREFACE iil CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1 Leaders; I Revolt of 1898 3 Treaty of Paris of 1898 € Policy of the United States 4 CHAPTER IT BACKGROUND OF THE INDEPENDENCE CT THE PHILIPPINES T The StruggleAgainst Spain T Reformers 8 The Pact of Biacnabat© 8 General Aguinald©*s Ret torn 9 The Philippine Republic of 1899 I© The Legislative IT The Executive II The Judiciary IE The Administration of the State IS frea&y ©F Paris in I6S® 14 CHAPTER III THE POLITICAL STATOR OF THE PHILIPPINES IT The Jones Act of 1914 SO United States Party PI atforms ZZ OIAPTER IT TOE DESIRES OF THE FILIPINOS FOR INDEPENDENCE ST Leaders of the Present T i m 38 Capacity for Se If -Governs* an t 30 The Experience of the Filipinos in Government 38 CHAPTER T SENTIMENT AGAINST INDEPENDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES 421 Economic Factors 43 Internal Danger 41 International Danger 41 Alienation of Territory is Unconstitutional 48 w TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUE!*) CHAPTER m i SENTIMENT IN FAVOR OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE UNITED STATER 50 Strategic Difficulties: 53 Moral and Ethical Sentiments 54 CHAPTER Eli THE ADVANTAGES CF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE 58 The Filipinos* Loirs for Liberty 58 Uncertainty of the Status of the Philippines 50 Uncertainty of Economic Conditions in the Philippines 62 American Investment and Commerce 64 CHAPTER VIII DISADVANTAGES OF PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE ST Disadvantages to the Philippine Isiazsis ST Disadvantages to America 69 CHAPTER IE CONGRESSIONAL ENACTMENT T3 The Organic Act of I90T T3 The Organic Act of 1909 T4 The Jonas Act of 1916 T4 The Tyding-McDuff e Act TT GCNCLUSIONS 80 BIBLIOGRAPHY CHAPTER I introduction The independence of the Philippines is one of the greatest problems of the Philippine Islands at well as a major problem for the United States* The greatest desire of the Filipino people is to be a free and independent people* They wanted, under any circumstances to manage their own governmental affairs* Their desire to be free was shown in their struggles against the Spanish rule in the Philippine Islands and also during the early period of the American occupation in the Islands* Leaders One of the leaders of the early movement for the in­ dependence of the Philippine Islands was Dr* Jose Rlzal* He was educated in one of the Jesuit Colleges in Manila* He continued his studies in Spain* Later he traveled in other European countries* While traveling in Europe he wrote two novels describing the social,po1itic&l, and economic conditions of the Philippine Islands* He also set forth ideas of reform* These books spread throughout the country and made him very popular among the Filipinos* His reform ideas and his movement for independence were also accepted by the people throughout the Islands* On z the other hand his hooks made him an enemy of the Spanish government. Chi his return to the Philippine Islands he was arrested and in 189E, he was deported to Mindanao. Later he asked permission from the Spanish government to go to Cuba as a surgeon. He was permitted to go but the same year (1896) a great revolt occurred in BuLacan, near Manila* Dr. Jose Hisal wets taken to Manila and on Becem- her 30, 1896, he was convicted of treason and was shot by the Spanish officials. This act added to the national feeling of the Filipinos to drive out the Spaniards from the country and proclaim themselves an independent nation. Other able leaders of this period were Father Pflaez, Father Bures, Joaquin Pardo de Tavera* Mareelo H. del Pilar, Graclano Lopes Jalna, Imelio Aguinaldo, Apolinarlo Mabinl, and Andrea Bonefacia.* These leaders had orga­ nized fighting forces against the Spanish government under the command of General Emelin Aguinaldo. After a year of guerilla warfare, peace was signed in 1897 between the Filipino revoltionary leaders and Spaia.^ The treaty was called the Pact of Biacnahato. By this trashy Spain promised to pay General Aguinaldo the sum of $800,000 as an idemnity to the leaders of the revolution, to the widows, — - . h . , Fernandez, The Philipplne Republic- pp. 9-10. gi m a . p. 35. to the orphans, and to those who had lost their property during the disturbances** The Spanish government promised reforms by giving the Filipinos a part in the government* The leaders of the Filipinos agreed to live in exile* Revolt of 1896 When General Emelio Aguinaldo and his thirty associates arrived in Hongkong** only on*~half of the sum promised in the treaty was paid to them* so complaint was made about it* The Spanish government said that the promise to surrender all arms was not fulfilled by the Filipinos, so the full amount was not paid* Mistrust between the two parties developed again* Bevolts had occurred in many provinces* This time the tide of events was on the side of the Fili­ pinos who proclaimed themselves champions of the common cause* Filipino liberty and freedom* General Emelio Aguinaldo returned to the Philippine Islands and began his operations against the Spanish forces*2 He was nearly successful in capturing all the provinces except the city of Manila which remained under the control of the Spaniards* With the help of Admiral Dewey who was sent by the United States government to destroy the Spanisli fleet at the harbor of Manila, Aguinaldo was able to defeat Record* 71 Gong*, 3 Sess*, Vol* 74, pt* IV* 38S2E Z, 2 ssional Record. 71 Cong** Z Seas** Vol* 7E, pt* VIII 841 4 the Spanish forces at Manila- On January 2 1 1 8 9 9 p Aguinaldo with his revolutionary leaders established a government which he asked foreign powers to recognise- His group amid popular enthusiasm framed a republican constitution at Malolos- He convened a congress and appointed a cabinet- Treaty of Peer is of 1890 The result of the war between the United States and Spain in regard to Cuba was a surprise to the Filipinos*. The treaty of Paris ceded the Philippines to the United States and the United States in return paid $2G*GQQrOOQ to Spain-1 The Filipinos protested strongly against this act* but their protests were of no importance- This misunder­ standing led the two countries to war- The war lasted for nearly three years- Peace was restored and the American government began to formulate her policy in regard to the Philippine Islanda- Policy of the United States President McKinley at the inception of the American occupation of the Philippines announced the American policy toward the Philippines in these words:: T Senate Executive Documents, 5T Cong-, 1 Sess-, XXVI (Serial 454517 " \ 5 *The Philippines are ours not to exploit, but to develop, to educate, to civilise, to train,them in the science of self-government* This is the path of duty which