Arizona republican., 1902-04-13

Cincinnati, O.. April 12.-The Times Star today publishes the following; Governor Taft of the Philippines was today shown copy of the letter writ ten by Rev. David Philipspn. published this morning. After reading Dr. Phil ipson's letter Governor Taft said:
 A''I have no desire nor intention of en- tering upon a newspaper controversy, but the communication from Dr. Phil ipson makes me feel that, in my home, where I hope I have many friends, ought to say something to disabuse the mind of a disinterested and public spirited man like Dr. Philipson of cer tain erroneous impressions I think he has gathered from sources of informa- tion which he seems to adopt as .lu- thorita tive His communication re- lates to two matters:
 First, as to the arrest of the editor of a Manila newspaper, the Freedom. Dr. PhilipSon assumes that the pros ecution of the editor of the Freedom is based on his criticism of the policy adopted by the commission. In this I
 
 prosecution of the editor of the Free dom is for charging that members of the commission. or some of them, with out naming any one of them, enjoy what is vulgarly known as a graft, that is. that they are corruptly receiv- ing money for their action as commits sioners. The prosecution has been be- gun, it is said. under the sedition law, against the editor oi tbeSGreedom, in which he will have a fuX Xopportunity to show as a defense that such cor ruption exists, if it does exist.
 ''The action is begun under the sedi- tion law because 1t could not be pros ecuted successfully under the libel law. Under the law of libel the charge that a public body or the member of a public body is guilty of corruption IS not charge upon which a suit by any particular member not named, of that body can be founded Under the sedi- t1on law charge of that kind against a government body can be prosecuted and the defendant given an opportunity to show that it is true.
 The question presented is simply whether newspaper shall be permitted day after day to charge that the high est governmental body in the islands is composed of men corruptly using their power to make money, withou any opportunity to any member of tht body or the body as a whole to take action by a suit, before a court regu- larly constituted, to punish such mai icious misstatements, if they are maj icious, or to give the persons makins them opportunity of showing that the, are true.
 The Freedom is a newspaper whicl has devoted it's columns always to denunciation of the Filipinos, to holdin; them up to the scorn Of Americans advocates with intensity the turnin: over of the government from the civi to the military, and advocates the at most severe measures again Filipinos It attacks the commission daily for ap pointing Filipinos to office, for legislat ing in the interest of the Filipinos anc for not looking to the interests of Amer jeans on the islands. It seeks to sti up American prejudices against th Fflipinos and. on the other hand it unjust attacks upon the FilipinoS has tendency to destroy the confidence O the Filipinos in the friendly interest o the Americans.
 The Daily American, which is an other newspaper of Manila that take much the same view in respect of tn necessity for severity of measure against all Filipinos and distrust O them and advocates a return to q mil