The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-02-20
UNCERTAIN IS TAFT
Civil Governor Of Philippines
Short on Suggestions.
IS PUZZLED OVER SITUATION
Tells Senate Committee That He Real
ly Don't kEow What Is Best
Government Policy For
=: the Islands.

A Washington special says: The
hearing of Governor Taft on the Phil
ippine question by the senate COM
mittee Saturday on the Philippines
began with series Of questions by
Senator Peterson in regard to the fit
ness Of Filipinos for jury duty. Mr..
Patterson asked whether the native
population on which the voting fran
chise is bestowed could not be trust
ed to do jury duty. The governor re-
piled 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, Governor Taft said all the
cases of imprisonment referred to
there were for military and civil Of
lenses. Practically there are no civil
prosecutions for political offenses at
this time. Governor 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, "is 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.
ise one way or another"
"Is not the commission responsible
for the formation of the federal par.
ty?" asked Senator Dubois.
mo, it was not" Governor Taft re-
sponded.
Senators Patterson, Carmarck and
Culberson asked numerous questions,
based upon the merorial of the federal
party calculated to bring out Governor
Taft's 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, Governor Taft said the memo
rialists mean just what they say, that
they favor ultimate statehood.
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 today is such that the restruc-
ton of the constitution Of the United
States cannot be safely extended to
those islands.
Governor Taft advocated the estab-
lishment of stable government for
the present, with the understanding
that at some time in the future the
Americans and the Filipinos could
reach an agreement as to what should
<be done in the way Of government. or
in maintaining relations; "but," he
said, whether the islands should have
their independence, whether they
should be given a quasi independence
or whether they should be made
a state of the union Is so far in the fu-
ture that have reached no conclusion.
''The great evil Of the present time
with references to the Philippines ts
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 form Of government
such as is given to the territories Of
the United States. He also said he was
opposed to extending the constitution
to those islands.
In reply to a number Of questions
by Senator McComas, based upon the
democratic substitute for the Philip
pine tariff bill, Governor Taft said that
to turn the government Of the archipel-
ago over to the Filipinos as therein
proposed would, in his opinion, result
in anarchy.
He had no doubt, however, that the
Filipinos could form a government az
they had done under Aguinaldo.