Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

314 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

Our country does not forget neither can it forget the edifying
example of its national heroes and martyrs, who, imitating
Patrick Henry, siouted in the crash of the battles in order that
America and the whole world might hear them: "Give us
liberty or give us death."
And it is because the Filipino, as a good lover of his home,
loves his country, as his most sacred home, where he keeps the
dearest affections of his heart, and prefers living in a hut where
he is the boss to living in a palace adorned with precious
stones, where a foreigner, and not he, bosses.
The Filipino prefers seeing his country poor but free, to
seeing it rich but subjugated; and it is difficult for our country
to berich under the protection of another nation. No country
in the world has been made rich under the tutelage of another,
it does not matter if that other be as great, generous, and
liberal as the United States. At most our treasury might have
great returns from the development of our industry and commerce; but the American capital will be the soul of such a
development. Our immense public lands will attract the covetousness of that capital, avid of expansion, and will be exploited for its.own benefit.
And once that capital is rooted, far from favoring the quick
advent of our independence it would form an obstacle for its
natural conservatism and because it would believe that no flag
outside of its own can protect its investments.
Thus we have those merchants who, after having invested
their capital in the country, after having prospered in their
business and enterprises, thanks to the generous protection of
the Filipino people, when they arrive in America, and when
there is agitated the Filipino question, appear before the Committee in the Congress of the United States to oppose the early
concession of our independence.
It is to be taken into consideration, however, that some of
them act, moved by an altruistic spirit, making people believe
that they are serving for the best interests of the Filipino
people, in opposing our independence under the eternal argument that such an independence would bring in itself the eco