66 HE Philippines are ours not to exploit but to develop, to civilize, THE This is the path of duty which we must follow or be recreant to a mighty trust committed to us. The question is not will it pay, but rather will we do what is right, and it is for the people of this country to express their will on this great question."-William McKinley. 66 WE E have established in the islands a government by Americans assisted by Filipinos. We are steadily striving to transform this into self-government by the Filipinos assisted by Americans."-Theodore Roosevelt, in his Letter of Acceptance, in 1904. PUBLISHED BY THE FILIPINO COMPANY, POST OFFICE BOX 299, America as Seen By a Filipino EDITORIAL—Our Christmas Greetings-Rizal Day—Mr. The New Era-Dr. Barrows-Convention of Provincial 1 THE FIGHT OF THE FILIPINO FOR HIS RIGHTS All rights reserved. Published BI-MONTHLY Entered as second-class matter at the Postoffice at Washing ton, D. C., under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. The Filipino VOL. I NOVEMBER EDITORIAL No. 6 Greeting IN N all sincerity, we tender our readers the season's choicest greetings. Everywhere around us we behold the undisguised happiness that at this period of the year fills all Christian homes. True, we are far from our homes, and these manifestations necessarily stir in our hearts a feeling of envy. But the pang is short-lived, and we would indeed be ungenerous not to rejoice in the general happiness. As the joy is to be theirs, so be it ours also. Rizal Day I T is not we who have given the 30th of December an English name. Long before any of us came to this country, the date of the execution of the greatest of the Filipinos was known as Rizal Day." We do not therefore claim any originality whatever in referring to this memorable Filipino anniversary by the above title. We only follow faithfully a sacred custom observed by our people in annually remembering an event, the result of which is so high, so transcendent, that it seems to have been inspired by a truly divine mission. Those of us who have temporarily abandoned our homes and loved ones in search of the welfare of our beloved Philippines believe that we can most appropriately celebrate this occasion by recalling and meditating upon the virtues of the heroic Filipino martyr. In making this suggestion, we not only recommend to our compatriots, but we earnestly advise them to meditate upon, and try to emulate the conduct of Rizal while he was pursuing his studies and working in Europe. It is evident that during this period of his life he allowed no mere personal interests to veer him from his one grand aim. Undoubtedly he would have achieved universal fame as an oculist had he applied his rare fine intellect to that branch of science, but the love of his country ever burned within him, and it was while a medical student that he brought to full bloom that great work, "Noli Me Tangere," in defense of those principles for which he so heroically gave |