The Indolence of the Filipino

Without education and liberty, that soil and that sun of mankind,
no reform is possible, no measure can give the result desired. This
does not mean that we should ask first for the native the instruction
of a sage and all imaginable liberties, in order then to put a hoe
in his hand or place him in a workshop; such a pretension would be
an absurdity and vain folly. What we wish is that obstacles be not
put in his way, that the many his climate and the situation of the
islands afford be not augmented, that instruction be not begrudged
him for fear that when he becomes intelligent he may separate from
the colonizing nation or ask for the rights of which he makes himself
worthy. Since some day or other he will become enlightened, whether
the government wishes it or not, let his enlightenment be as a gift
received and not as conquered plunder. We desire that the policy be
at once frank and consistent, that is, highly civilizing, without
sordid reservations, without distrust, without fear or jealousy,
wishing the good for the sake of the good, civilization for the sake of
civilization, without ulterior thoughts of gratitude, or else boldly
exploiting, tyrannical and selfish without hypocrisy or deception,
with a whole system well-planned and studied out for dominating by
compelling obedience, for commanding to get rich, for getting rich
to be happy. If the former, the government may act with the security
that some day or other it will reap the harvest and will find a
people its own in heart and interest; there is nothing like a favor
for securing the friendship or enmity of man, according to whether
it be conferred with good will or hurled into his face and bestowed
upon him in spite of himself. If the logical and regulated system of
exploitation be chosen, stifling with the jingle of gold and the sheen
of opulence the sentiments of independence in the colonies, paying
with its wealth for its lack of liberty, as the English do in India,
who moreover leave the government to native rulers, then build roads,
lay out highways, foster the freedom of trade; let the government heed
material interests more than the interests of four orders of friars;
let it send out intelligent employees to foster industry; just judges,
all well paid, so that they be not venal pilferers, and lay aside all
religious pretext. This policy has the advantage in that while it may
not lull the instincts of liberty wholly to sleep, yet the day when
the mother country loses her colonies she will at least have the gold
amassed and not the regret of having reared ungrateful children.

1. Sancianco y Goson, Gregorio: El progreso de Filipinas. Estudios
economicos, administrativos y politicos. Parte economica. Madrid,
Imp. de la Vda. de J M. Perez, 1881 Pp XIV-260.