he present rate of development,
might, however, be achieved in a decade if the Insular Government had
authority from Washington to relax the rigidity of the "Philippines for
the Filipinos" doctrine in the special case of the Moro Province. It
is true the Moros are as much Filipinos as the rest of the Philippine
inhabitants, but it will be generations before they can know how to
enjoy their birthright without the example of energetic white men who
are, naturally, unwilling to come and philanthropically devote their
lives to "pulling the chestnuts out of the fire" for the Moro. They
want to reap some material advantage for themselves. Gen. Leonard Wood,
in his First Annual Report of the Moro Province, remarks:--"What is
needed to develop this portion of the world is a suitable class of
settlers, bringing with them knowledge of modern agricultural methods,
enterprise and some capital.... If he (the Moro) could see the results
... it is believed that his ambition would be stimulated and that his
development would be comparatively rapid. In short, a scattering of
good agriculturists throughout the province would be of inestimable
value to the people. At the present time such a class of settlers
is _not_ coming, and it is not believed they will come until much
more liberal inducements are offered them, especially in the way of
obtaining land by settlement. Our standing among the people of these
Islands has been much injured by the presence of a large and tough
class of so-called Americans whose energies have been principally
extended in the construction, maintenance and patronage of rum shops,
which outnumber other American business establishments."

The American who would go to Mindanao to settle on 40 acres of land
could not be of the class desired. [266] A maximum of 1,000 acres to
an individual settler and 10,000 acres to a company of not less than
five persons, would produce a rapid and beneficial development of
Mindanao and push on its civilization by giant strides. There would
be little fear of the natives' rights being unduly encroached upon by
whites if, in addition to the Homestead Law conditions, the period
of application for land were limited to two or three years from the
promulgation of the law, with solid guarantees to prevent a flood of
bogus applications from land-grabbers. The Treasurer, in his First
Annual Report of the Moro Province, says:--"It is not reasonable to
expect, under present conditions, any sys