The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-02-15
1T IS AGAINST THE LAW
FOR A FILIPINO TO ADVOCATE m
DEPENDENT GOVERNMENT.
Such Was Governor Tsft's Answer to a
Direct Question Put by Senator
Culbcrson of Texas.

Washington February l4--Goveruor Tart
81 the Philippines today continued his state
mcnt before the senate committee Of the
Philippines concerning conditions in that
archipelago with the Intention OF discussing
the degree Of tranquility In the pacihed
provinces which, he said, included all tho
provinces except Tabayas, Samar and Ba-
tsnsaS Senator Lodge asked as 20 tho
means for maintaining tranquility. Cover.
nor Taft said that In June Of last year the
commission passed an act organizing q sys
tenn OF judiciary FOR the entire archipelago
creating a supreme court of seven justices
and creating fourteen districts. on the 81
preme court bench there are three natives
and four Americans. OF the courts Of nrst
Instance in the district six are presided
over hy native Filipiuos and the others by
Americans. Governor TAFT said that Judge
Ide Of the commission had prepared the
code Of laws OF tho islands and that the
labor had been so severe that II had ma
terialy damaged his health This code
includes the treason act There is no pro
vision for jury, as % per cent Of the peo-
nile are too ignorant TO sit on jury. And
am bound to add, he went on. that the
difficulty Of selecting judges who are above
,i6n of iurics would lead TO nothing nut
corrupti0n and injustice. We are trying 10
lead Up to the jury system, bnt the fll'-
piuo mind Is such as 10 render inc dNetase
fihpino incapable Of passing lmpAruaAN
anon question involving the rights oil Two
persons. There was no jury system uhu'r
tho Spanish, ,.,... g.,
any mart OF the archipelago the control OF
which could be trusted 10 native troops
/ ana the witness replied that he dld not
/ think IL would he advisable.
senator Burrows-DO you mean 70 Shy
/ TINT the attachment OF the natives Tor
America Is so slender that IL would not ue
/ ssfo 10 entrust the control Of any section t'
native troops with native oulcefsf A..
Governor Taft--Ihe presence OF a native
/ regI,nguf under the control or native ON
/ rers In my opinion would give rise TO op
| portunities 10 the commander 10 lead W,
tribes Into iadronism OF lnsnrfecuon anu
would therefore be unwlse.
How would e be with native troops un
dor American officers! m
~ have NOT the slightest doubt that witt
American officers the native troops woulc
senator Culberson questioned the witness
| a.. ~ the necessity OF keeping as many B'
10000 troops In the Islands ana HoFefnnl
TAFT RENTED that Captain Alien estlmhtel
TINT with all the provinces pAglucu, lOON
| american troops would be sufficient. TO
| himself. he thought II would be deslrab.'
10 continue small detachments Of troops "a
convenient points all over the lsiunus 10
no nurpose Of preventing disorder ana Nlo
i a. and serving as a moral restraint.
senator Lodge stated that the stecretar!
~ war had Informed him that when tn
present general orders are carried mo e, si
DOT there win be left In the ISLANDS IL
~ ana 90 ga enlisted men.
sncaginr OF the general condition Of IN
n.rleed provinces Governor TAFT said ina
In ali these provinces me people are go,nl
honr their usual avOcatlons. In one proVlnc
~, n hostile shot had been hred for twI
years.
Senator culberson-ls It true that un
der exiting law they are not at liberty
70 advocate an independent or sep
srste form Of government
mo, they are not