Opposes Freeing Filipinos.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 14, 1913:
They're Unfit for Independence, Says Olmsted — Islands Worth Keeping.
    WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.— "The withdrawal of the United States from the Philippines would be an act of cowardice and folly, and would result in conditions worse than now existing in Mexico," asserted Representative Olmsted of Pennsylvania, in a speech to-day against the Jones Philippine independence bill, which he described as "remarkable and dangerous."
    "In a country where the well educated or 'directing class' constitute less than 2 per cent. of the entire population," he said, "and where wholesale illiteracy prevails among the others, it would be impossible to conduct a Government 'of the people, by the people, and for the people.' "
    Referring to the treaty with Spain, under which the Philippines were acquired, the speaker said that without asking the permission of the other party to the treaty, "we are trying to slip out from under our obligations and ordain that they shall be assumed and carried into effect by a people who are not qualified even to frame a Constitution for their own government."
    The United States did not get a bad bargain in the Philippines, he submitted.
    "The Philippines are very rich possessions. If Germany or Japan or any other foreign nation possessed them they would never let them go. Japan supports a population of 40,000,000. The Philippines could as easily support 100,000,000 people.
    Mr. Olmsted said he did not want to see the Philippines retained permanently, but argued that the Jones bill would deprive the United States immediately of practically all authority, without relieving it of responsibility.
    Representativo Redfield of New York, Democrat, joined in the attack on the Jones bill, saying he was authorized by Senator O'Gorman, a member of the Baltimore convention Platform Committee, to say that a resolution indorsing the Jones measure was presented to the committed and rejected in favor of the clause later inserted in the platform. Representative Jones replied that the resolution referred to was drafted by Senator John Sharp Williams and himself, and contained no reference to the Jones bill.
    Philippine Delegate Quezon criticised the speakers for assuming to know more about the Filipino people than Filipinos knew about themselves. He said no American could understand his race.