Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05
THE PHILIPPINES. Theodore Roose-
welt and William H Taft Cloth 81. The

welt and William II. Taft Cloth 81. The
Outlook Co. New York.
T-7HIS small work In illumination
OF the much discussed Philip
& pine question, and Of the issues
frTSsSS5 which are vexing our govern
ts..sSSEE rnent in its management of
these somewhat uflrnanageable
possessions, is opened witsa personal
sketch Of Governor Taft written by MI.
Roosevelt in the summer of 1901. Just be-
fore the ASA ssination Of Mckinley. The
article is an encomium on the earnestness
and saEacity of Governor Taft in his difh
cult work in the Philippines, and Is
closed with this much quoted and char
acteristic passage: For in this world
the one thing supremely worth having is
the opportunity, coupled with the capac-
ity, TO do well and worthily a piece Of
work, the doing Of which is OF vital con-
sequence to mankind"
The remaining pages of the book, the
bulk of the work in fact, are devoted to
u history of Civil government in The
Philippines" written by the first civil
governor of the islands. In them, the
writer sets forth with clearness and vigor
the little known yet widely discussed
conditions that make up the varying at
litudes and impulses Of these far-away
people. He gives a short history of the
Instituted by General Otis, and continued
nnder the commission Of which he him
self is the head. The other discusses the
establishment of the various departments
IF government both in the towns and in
The provinces, the Improvement of The
vii courts. and the enactment Of the
sivil service which has been extended
,arther there than In this country. he
discusses also the reduction and proper
rTf nr raj
protection of forests, the Improvement
of the postal system, the building OF
roads the increase Of the schooling ca
pacities of the Islands. the, cooperation
Of the Catholic schools with those of
American origin, and the necessity Tor
the introduction Of the English language
Is a common medium of communication
between the various tribes
He describes the gradual cessation OF
armed resistance to the American gov
,r-1lment, drawing a clear line between
'adronism which is hut hTigandage and
sutlawry and bears no political sIgnlfl-
>ance and actual instruction. And in
discussing the mucn-criticised treason
and sedition laws" passed by the Com
mission, he shows how these laws We're
in part taken bodily from 1ne Revised
Statutes of the United States, where they
have stood for hundred year from
the best of the old Spanish las and
from some of the long standing statutes
Of several OF our States.
The setting forth Of these matters, and
&C others of equally large interest and
Importance to the islands is done with
calrnness, earlestness and honesty, and
one can but feel that whatever be our
individual sentiment in regard to the
conduct and disposition Of these lands
beyond the sea. there is much to be
learned concerning our treatment and
purposes concerning them from this clear
discussion OF their needs and their at
titude towards US by a man who has felt
so great a weight of responsibility in his
Efforts to rcgenerate and uplift the people
who inhabit them.
THE SHADOW OF THE ROPE. T. w.
1IornunE. Cloth, $50. Charles Scrib-
rer's Sons, New York. For sale here by
The Bell Book and Stationery Com