The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-20
Say
FiIipinos Are
Capable.
QUIET HAS NOT
BEEN RESTORED
Governor Taft is Lauded as the
Nan of the Rour-Hard
Place to Live.

IOn2TGSSfOSn L.
Nebraska, John Wesley Gaines of Ten
nessee, H. D. Green and S. NJ. Jack of
Pennsylvania passed through Honolulu
yesterday in the Doric on their way
back to Washington from an investi-
eating tour of the Philippines. They
will arrive at the National Capital just
in time to be present at the opening of
Congress.
Mr.. Gaines is of the Southern fire
eater class of statesmen and has made
it his one duty to thoroughly inspect
the conditions in the Philippines, both
under military and civil rule. Before
going to the Philippines he placed him
self on record as unalterably opposed to
the permanent retention of the archi-
pelago by the United States. Before
placing himself on record further since
his visit to the islands, he will await
the publication of the report of the
Taft Commission which is now on its
way by transport to the United States.
From the personal knowledge he has
gained by a six weeks inspection of the
Filipinos, their capacity for govern
ment, and political attitude toward the
United States. he will be able to speak
plainly upon the situation
''In your opinion are the Filipinos
capable of self government" was ask
| ed.
Positively so" replied Mr.. Gaines.
| THE Filipino people have been much
abused and 1 am settled in my opinion
! that there are men among. them who
are as capable of conducting the affairs
of government as you will find in the
United States. There are any number
Of men in the States who are incapable
of self-government.
II met men among the better class of
Filipinos who are finely educated, speak
several languages and impress one with
their mental capacity. 1 talked with
Mabini. Biencaminto and others of
IAguinaIdos cabinet. They are men of
affairs, Intelligent and capable of hold
ing high office. 1t is the dream of the
FiIipinos to establish a new eastern ISL
and nation.
II had an opportunity of talking with
Aguinaldo. He is a leader, a warrior,
and a man with wonderful capacity for
| leading others. He is a bright man.
He told me. however. that he desired
above all things to have peace estab-
lished.
Governor Taft is the man of the
hour, and one of the great men of the.
world He is a strong man for the
position he occupies, and uses discern
| ing judgment in the manner in which
he administers the affairs of the COM
pick government there. He has placed
in positions of trust the Filipinos who
have been regarded as former insur-
gents. For that matter every Filipino
| is patriotic, a lover of his country, and
| it will be difficult to find native of
the islands who does not come under
that category
Il do not speak for General Chaffee,
| for he said little on the subject. but
from what l learned from the army
| officers, it is to be regretted that the
military rule was 50 soon supplanted
| by the civil. The recent developments
in the Island of Samar and Cebu have
J Illustrated that the Filipinos need more
of the military medicine.
The attempt to make a blanket
| franchise and blanket laws for the
entire group of Islands is a mistake.
| Being an inSular people, they are diff
ferent from other peoples and always
| Will be, and to attempt to American
| ize so many different peoples by the
| same means will be a failure. Judge
| Taft, however. has done all he could
! TO apply laws for the peoples on one
island, and apply others for neighbor-
| ing islands and so on. and has sue
| ceeded admirably.
Il had heard so much while in Con-
gress of the incapability of the Fill
pinos to govern themselves that I de-
| termined to investigate. l went there
by transport by the Suez route. and
| am therefore completing the circuit of
| the globe. But you can rest assured
/ that l would never have undertaken
to spend five months of my time and
| money on such trip, had / not desir-
| ed to learn the truth-the facts-as they
! were. / have learned them, but I am
| not ready to express an opinion until
| the commissions report is made pub
| lie.
| THE placing of insurgents in office
| has shown what these men are. OF
course none were placed in office until
| an investigation had been made of
| their careers, and do not believe that
Judge Taft has had any reason to be
| lieve that he has made any mistakes
| We had quite a lot of difficulty on
| our return voyage. We left Manila
! in the transport Sheridan. and she put
| into Nagasah leaking slightly on ac-
| count of defective packing about the
shaft Then we started for Kobe on
| the Warren, and she struck a rock
| We caught the Doric, although We
could have waited for the Hancock"
| Mr.. Green halls from the Lehigh dis
! trlct or Pennsylvania. q I'd is now serv-
| ing his second term in Congress.
| which is quite enough for me-" said
| ne yesterday. Il have been in public
| service since / was twenty-five years
| or age, and am ready to quit now.
| our visit to the Philippines has
| oeen productive OF much that we
wanted 10 know. and could only learn
| by personal investigation We have
learned many facts. The F'ilipinos are
| an Intelligent race of nennle ord L