The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-03-06
OVATION, TO TAFT.
Queen City Club rendered Him Com.
plimentary Dinner.
VIEWS ARE NOT IN HARMONY.
Hon. JndSM Harmon Made an Anti.
Expansion Speech.
1T WAS GEEETED With APPLAUSE.
Judge Taft Sad that He Is Not 10 Favor
E ySas Of Expansion.
No,
II WAS GEEETED With APPLAUSE.
fHISES WITH PRESIDENTS POLICY
states the Charge OF the Executive
to the New CommissiOn--Causes
and the Conditions.

airy dinner given tonight at the Queen
City club to Judge w. II. Taft. the re-
Gently appointed president of the Philip
pine commission, by his friends and
neighbors was unique in its elegance and
its good will.
Nj. e. ingalls,, president of the Big
Four Railroad company, presided as
POSTMASTER. After speaking in "a happy
vein of Judge Taft and his great mission
he introduced Judge w. r. Day. late
secretary of statl, who spoke of-&le nego-
tiation of the treaty of peace with Spain.
Governor George X. Nash followed.
speaking pleasantly of Judge Taft as a
citizen, lawyer ard judge,
Judge Judson Harmon, who was attor-
ney general under the last Cleveland ad-
ministration. and whose association with
Judge Taft at the Cincinnati bar has been
cheated a sensation IN
his opening sentence, though il was un-
derstood the company had not been
chosen with the view Of political harmony
Judge Harmon in part said; III you
had met to approve the general course OF
the government with respect to the phil
1DDlJlRS L SuOhlu llOl Db hSAts w -
hundred years we contented ourselves
with words of sympathy for peoples
struggling as we once struggled for free
dom and independence Here for the
first time an opportunity came 10 help
in such a struggle without breaking our
settled policy. We Joined ranks with the
native patriots against the common enc
my. Whether any one mede or was au-
thoriZcd to make promises to them is or
no consequence. our history and prin-
ciples are a perpetual promise; and no
one VIII deny that when the Filipinos
joined forces with us they believed, and
we knew they believed that success
would mean the fulfllment of their hopes.
Whatever our government now holds
(save what It got by treaty with the
sultan of Sulu) 1t has acquired by con-
quest and not otherwise and 1t is still
engaged in perfecting and extending such
conquest. We now hear the usual plea
of the doors OF doubtful things-the deed
Is done, 1t Is too late to discuss 1t.
1T is never 10 late to rotrace a misstep,
to right or undo wrong. II the people
shall decide that no nation is good enough
to rule another nation without that other 3
consent: if they shall remember what 1t
cost us to cast out heresy that the great
principles of liberty did not apply to
black men, and shall refuse to embraces
IL as to brown ones II they shall con-
clude that this country can not long exist
part vassal and part free as they found
it could not exist part slave and part
free then there will be no difficulty in
discussing what we ought to have done
in the begnnng-leav the Filipincs TO
manage their own affairs and serve notice
on the world that they are under our
protection. That Issue may be settled
soon. 1t may take long. IA 1t involves
right and wrong it will neye, he settled
until it is settled right"
Judge Harmon discussed most forci-
bly, and at length the great work before
the new Philippine commission and in an
eloquent eulogy on John Taft DECLARE
that no man in the whole col>7Ty a. uld
have been selectza who was better quail
fled than Judge Taft for the great mis-
sion.
The silence which marked the opening
remarks by Judge Harmon was intense
Al length when applause broke out it wa
followed by a remark in the room, Jus
four of you" hut when Judge Harmon de
clared the duty OF the government 10 In
establishment OF protectorate over tn
Islands the applause was loud. He pro
duced undisguised surprise when lie hntet
that one of the best qualifications OF Judg
Taft for this mission was the fact that h
was not an expansionist.
Judge Taft spoke for about an hour. de
voting much time to his associates Of IN
Cincinnati bar and the Southern rairoa
and with feeling words OF thanks for IN
tributes OF his friends.
Coming 10 the topic Of the Philippines
he said: THE commission Is not organ
lied. Its members have never conferre
| together. | speak, therefore. for mysel
| alone Like Judge Harmon, and unlik
| Chairman ingalls,. ] am not now and nove
have been an eXpansionist. have Away
hoped that the jurisdiction OF our Nato
would not extend beyond territory betwee
/ the two oceans. We have not solved a
the problems OF popular government
perfectly as TO justify our Voluntarily seek
ing different one abroad. With deferenc
10 Judge Harmon. do not think in thl
instance that we have voluntarily sougl
them. Circumstances beyond our contro
the sequel of the Spanish war, have thru'
on us responsibility for the future govern
.aent o! the Philippines.
The proposition is vigorously denie
by high minded and conscientious men az
by some with a fury OF superlatiye an
epithet that is hardly consistent with
Judicial attitude or an impartial consit
II Grafton OF the question. My conviction
that calm investigation OF the future hi
torian. into all the conditions existing
the time OF taking each step toward u
present situation in the Philippines. vi
lead him to conclude that President Nj
Kinley and his administration seleete
In each crasis the only alternative Wi
due regard 10 our National and INTERIM
ttonal obligations would permit. | ha'
TO deal with the situation as II is or
N,nat we are 70 do 10 meet the prese'
needs. The purpose OF the president
the present iuncture is TO give the Peep
OF the Philippines the best civil COVER
ment he can provide. with the large
measure Of sell. government consists