The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1902-02-18
TAFT ON PHILIPPINES
Gives His Views az to the Form Of
Government Needed.
TAKE TIME TO FORM
He Is in Faver Of Qualified Suffrage
and ThOrorg, Education In Eng.
= lish Language and American
Inslitui. Ons win Win,

Washington, Feb. 1s.-Governcr Taft.
In his testimony before the senate
committee on the Philippines, stated
more succinctly than he has hereto
fore done his theory-which is. he
stated. also the theory OF the Philip
pine commissioning to what congress
should do In the way of supplying the
Philippine people with form OF SOW
eminent
| His plan Is first to give the people
qualified suffrage, with a gradual
growth in popular government, which
should be enlarged through education
In the English language and In Ameri-
can institutions. Second. to institute
within a reasonably short time local
legislature TO consist OF two bodies.
one to be chosen by vote and the other
to be appointive; third. TO permit the
islands to send two or three repre-
sentatives to Washington.
In reply to questions Governor Taft
sand he agreed with General Funston
that the establishment OF a popular
assenblage would give opportunity TO
demagogues to stir up the people. but
that he did not include in his designa
tions all persons who are opposed to
American control. There are, be said,
many men In the islands who eOnscien-
tiously oppose the domination OF the
United States. To grant Independence
would. he thoaghI have the eject OF
consignkng the 90 per cent Of unedu-
Gated paople in the islands to some
servils position thay held under Span
ish rufa He thought there should be
4 q declaration on the part OF the United
States Of tts intention to hold the Is
lands indefinitely with the understand
Ing that whs0 they are suitable tor
zach q coalition they may be given
neutrality-suspicious.. Such pronounce
ment by this country would be vel
coined BY many and would do much
good.
Many OF ths common people DO not,
he said know the difference between
independence and dependence, and
many Of the better informed have not
followed the agitation for independ-
enee to IT'S last analysis. Some OF the
agitators seem, he said, to count upon
protectorate by the United states
II the government OF the ISLANDS should
now be turned over 20 the islanders
themselves there would be nothing less
than absolute oligarchy. they having
no idea Of owl government
Replying TO Senator Rawiins, Gov.
Taft advanced the idea that on &C
count OF the fact that the Ftlipinos
have for 500 years been under the In
huence OF the Christian religion they
would prove TO be different from other
different Malay races. and that In time.
under the influence OF American edu-
cation. the people might become ca
pable of self government He did not
consider the case as parallel with that
presented tn India. He thought all the
dificulties OF race and climate might
be overcome, bat held that It would
take time and require much patience
: In the matter of training on our part
. He anticipated some trouble on ae-
. count of some undue or Illegal exploit
: tation OF the islands and corruption
In case OF continued American occupa-
] ton, but be would not. on account oil
} this danger. turn the islands back to
the fate OF an olignrchy SO long al
there Ia q probability Of success al
there is In this case
II did not originally favor the &c
I QUESTION Of the Philippines. and ! was
sorry at the time that we got them
but now that we are there can see nj
other veg than 10 go on and carry ou'
!, the plan that have suggested. ma,
be Mark Tapley In this matter" ht
!. continued, but IL did not believe
that we could bring these people Gu
4 regardless of the fact that the feat W.
h propose IL to an extent unprecedented
y If did not believe We should sue
q coed In dolag what we are undertaking
Q 10 do, should resign Immediately ant
come home"
His idea was TO unite example AM
actual practice In the American con
troll of the islands. and he believed tina
the result would be the uplifting an
the education OF the people to poin
which would put them on plane Ia
above that which is at present occu
pied. He believed that when the
would End the association with tn
United States so profitable and agree
able that they would not want to seve
the relationship. and that possibly tn
relationship might continue perpetu
alfy