The Outlook on Filipino Independence
IN Philadelphia a meeting was recently held for the purpose of giving Señor Sixto Lopez, a native Filipino, an opportunity “to explain the desires of his countrymen.” In doing this, Señor Lopez said that “Filipinos, like Americans, are, and of right ought to be, the sole judges of their fitness for independence.” And the Outlook has gone so completely into the darkness of despotism as to reply to this, thus: “Personally, the Outlook does not believe that the people know what they desire, nor is there any way of ascertaining what their desire is until peace is established.” There can be no doubt that the Outlook does believe just that; but the real question is, Why should the Filipinos or any others be compelled to accept the Outlook’s belief in place of their own?