A Plan to Remedy Indefinite Political Status and Check Demoralizing Unrest Manila, Mar. 12.
Some prominent American vesidents of Manila who have a substantial stake in the archipelago have for a long time expressed dissatisfaction with the present equivocal and indefinite political status of the Philippine Islands. The Philippines are not a state, nor a territory, nor a colony—not even a "Crown" colony.
It is plausibly argued that this equivocal status retards trade, holds back outside capital and makes amicable relations difficult between the American community in the islands and ne Paliping The Filipinos, led and instructed lo. The persistent demand 0:
by a small group of able and patriotic politicians, for immediate independence, keeps alive a spirit of unrest and discontent which 18 demoralizing to economic progress and industrial development. Some time ago a conference of leadin; Americans and Filipinos was hel at Pasay, a suburb of Manila. A' representative of the Governor-General (Brig.-General Frank R. McCoy) was present at the meeting, which became known as ''the Pasay: Conference." The question of the: political status of the Philippines was discussed and a resolution was drafted and agreed to' whereby the Governor-General was to be asked to support a petition to Congress for authority to convene a national assembly for the purpose of framing a Philippine Constitution.
This constitution, which was to be final and permanent, would replace the present Organic Act. commonly known as "the Jones Bill.' By it the islands were to be created a free Commonwealth under the benevolent supervision and protection of the United States. There was to be an American representative in Manila, invested with something like plenipotentiary powers, who would have the title of High Commissioner. The draft of the resolution was taken up with General Wood at the time, but it is understood he refused to give it his sanction.
A modification of the ''Pasay. Conference" plan has recently been talked about. It has been proposed. that, instead of calling a Filipino national convention, the President. of the United States shall appoint a special commission for the purpose of drafting a final permanent Organie Act (to be passed by the: U.S. Congress). to replace the "Jones Bill," which would embody a national constitution and create a free Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands, under the protection and advisory supervision of an American High Commissioner and an American Secretary of State. This tentative plan would of course be amenable to various modifications.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.