The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-16
STATEHOOD WANTED
NO DOUBT ABOUT DESIRES OF Fill
IPINOs.
GOV. TAFT ADMITS THIS.
EILIPINos CANNOT BE TRUSTED AS
JURORS.

Gov. Taft Admits That Petition OF
Federal Party Is Practically IA De-
mand for Statehood and That the
FiIipinos VIII Not Be Satisfied
with Anything Less Except indie
pendence-He Admits That He Is
in Doubt to What Measure OF
Government should he Given
Them.
Washington, Feb 15.-The hearing of
Gov. Taft on the Philippine question by
the Senate Committee to-day on the
Philippines, began with series of
questions by Senator Patterson in re-
gard to the fitness of Filipinos for jury
duty. Mr.. Patterson asked whether the
native population on which the voting
franchise is bestowed could not be
trusted to do jury duty. The Governor
replied in the negative, saying they are
SO used to corruption in the admins
tration of justice that they could not
be trusted.
Referring to the petition of the Fed
eral party, Gov. Taft said all the cases
of imprisonment referred to there were
for military and not civil offenses.
Practically there are no civil prosecu-
tions for political offenses at this time.
Gov. Taft said that the original draft
of the Federal party platform had been
submitted to the commission and that
the declaration for statehood was then
more explicit than was ultimately
adopted.
My recollection" he said, lis that
we said to the representatives of the
party that this must be far in the fu-
ture and that we could make no prom
ises one way or another"
rs not the commission responsible
for the formation of the Federal par
ty?" asked Senator Du Bois
NO; 1t was not" Gov. Taft re-
sponded.
Senators Patterson Carmack and
Culberson asked numerous questions
based upon the memorial of the Fed
eral party, calculated to bring out Gov.
Tafts idea as to what, if any promise,
should be made to the Filipinos in the
way of government for the future.
Replying to an inquiry from Mr.. Pat
terson as to the denunciation in the
memorial of colonial form of govern
ment, Gov. Taft said the memorials
mean just what they say; that they
favor ultimate statehood.
Cannot Extend Constitution.
Replying to Mr.. Carmack, as to the
wisdom of making the Philippines an
integral part of the United States, the
witness said the condition in the Phil
ippines to-day is such that the restric-
tions OF the constitution of the United
States cannot be safely extended to
those islands.
Gov. Taft advocated the establish
ment of stable government for the
present, with the understanding that
at some time in the future the Ameri-
cans and the Filipinos could reach an
agreement as to what should be done
in the way of government or in main
tanning relations: but" he said,
whether the islands should have their
independence, whether they should be
given neutrality-suspicious., or
whether they should be made a state
of the Union, is so far in the future
that / have reached no conclusion.
''The great evil of the present time
with reference to the Philippines is the
current discussion of their future so
long before that can be fixed"
Replying to a question by Senator
Carmack, he said he would not favor
a promise even of a form of govern
ment such as is given the territories
of the United States. He also said he
was opposed to extending the consti-
tuition to those islands.
In reply to a number of questions by
Senator McComas, based upon the
Democratic substitute for the Philip
pine tariff bill, Gov. Taft said that ito
turn the government of the archipel-
ago over to the FHipinos as therein
opposed. would, in his opinion result
in anarchy
He had no doubt, however, that the
Fiiipinos could form a government as
they had done under Aguinaldo.
Would the conditions be such?"
asked Senator Lodge: "as to lead to
the acquisition of the islands by for
eign powers?"
That is matter of opinion" re-
sponded the Governor. THE Philip-
pines are called by the foreigners The
Gem of the Orient The records will
show the interest that Japan has TAX
en- In the islands, and the investments
made by citizens of other countries in
dicate what is thought of them. Both
the Germans and the English have
considerable capital invested there.
--s-o~s