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.

60 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

ment, such as the maintenance of a small army and a small
navy.
Speaking of the needs of an independent government, a comparison between the expenses of the present government of the
Philippines and those of the governments of independent nations of the same size as, or smaller than, ours will give some
idea of those needs: The area of the Philippines is 114,000
square miles, their population 12,500,000, and their revenues P80,000,000. Switzerland has 15,945 square miles,
4,000,000 inhabitants, P148,000,000, revenues. Denmark,
17,149 square miles, 3,500,000 inhabitants, P220,000,000
revenues. Jugo-Slavia, 96,134 square miles, 12,000,000 inhabitants, P428,000,000 revenues. Belgium, 11,753 square
miles, 8,000,000 inhabitants, P638,000,000 revenues.
As may be seen by what I have said, the problems of independence are numerous and of great importance. Permit me
to appeal again to all those who take an active part in the
economic life of the country, the agriculturists, merchants, and
industrials, Filipinos as well as Americans, to cooperate resolutely with those who are working for a satisfactory solution
of the Philippine problem. They are entitled as much as any
person to protect their interests and the interests of our country
in general against the deplorable consequences of improvidence
and precipitate action. More than upon others, it is incumbent upon them to participate actively in the endeavors to find
the most practical and adequate formula for the definition of
our political status, because owing to the nature of their daily
occupation, they are best qualified to foresee the probable effects
of the several solutions proposed from the economic point of
view. If our country meets with disaster because of the indolence of the men called upon to guide us on the way to the
final goal of our aspirations, they will be held chiefly responsible and they will also be the first to suffer the consequences.
The Independence Congress did an excellent piece of work
when it initiated these studies of the problems of independence.
It is necessary to continue them until the most adequate solutions for those problems can be found. If the Philippines are
to be independent because weighty political, racial, and geogra