Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-02-19
Gov. TAFT ON AGUINALD0
Does Not Believe He Has Any Idea Of Civil or
Any Kind Of Liberty
IL a Man OF Dignity and Limited Ed
ucation- Understands fiiipinos
And Can Keep His Counsel.

Washington Feb lS.--Gov. Taft of
the Philippines today continued his dis
Cussion of tranquility In the archipelago
before the senate committee on the
Philippines. lie said that the recent
massacre OF troops In Samar had a
startling effect upon the army and
created suspicion and fear Of treachery
In other sections. The governor did
not think, however, such apprehension
justified, and said he felt as safe in Ma
Mia as in Washington. Civilians sell
dom carry arms there
With this remark Gov. Taft passed
from the consideration of tranquility to
the question OF treason and seditlon
laws. He said that while Manila Is
quiet and has been practically so ever
since American occupation, Ii Is still
used as center Of agencies for the pro-
motion of instruction. There was al
so there party Of irrecOnclables.
Nothing had, he said, been done for
the enactment OF such laws until the
establishment OF the civil government.
1t then became evident that the
Philippine junta was preparing to To-
cate in that city, making that point the
center for their propaganda. Gen.
Wright was therefore directed to pre-
rare q law on this subject, and had
done So The denunciation of the Sc
Cret societies had been Inserted, he
stated. because they had been made the
chief instrument Of agitation against
the United states.
The committee had felt that secret
societies were one of the most fruitful
aids TO the war and had taken the po-
sition that political agitation should
be confined to open meetings and pre-
vented In oath bound societies, If the
people understood the question there
would be no objection to peaceable agi-
tatlon, but under the circumstances the
committee felt that under "the suspen-
sion Of the right TO advocate inde-
lendence was not such deprivation of
the right Of free speech as could not
be justified by the presence Of war,
when for the benefit of the whole
people il should be suppressed" At
least one of the societies had for one
OF itg main purposes assassination. be-
Ing thus like the Malta.
"In other words, IL was a quasiwar
measure?" suggested Senator Beyer-
idge and Gov Taft assented.
Replying TO q question from Senator
Patterson as TO whether Il was the in
tention to 90 farther In this direction,
Gov. Taft replied 1--WE propose to 40
all that We can do that Is known to
civilized nations TO put down this war,
which is such great injury to the
Philippine people"
He said he had not given personal
attention to the phraseology OF the Sc
dition laws, and he had no doubt that
when peace should be restored section
10 would be repealed.
Speaking of Aguinaldo having Gen.
Luna assassinated, Gov. Taft said that
under the common law there is scarce
~ an Instruction general who could
not be punished for assisting In secur-
ing the murder OF other Fillplnos. II is
the way they have OF getting rid OF men
who do not agree with them"
Gov. Taft said he had never seen
Aguinaldo. and he had never considered
Il his duty to investigate Luna's death.
Speaking Of Aguinaldo's personality,
Gov. Taft said that while his name Is
probably better known than that OF any
other man In the islands, his personality
was not familiar to the people. His
capture" he said lin the face OF the
general impression that he was divlnely
protected against capture OF injury.
seriously affected his prestige Per-
sonally, he is man Of dignity, though
Of limited education. He knows how TO
keep his own counsel and understands
the failings OF the Fillpinos. He knows
how to reconcile the differences OF
leaders and how 20 avoid arousing
jealousy Of himself That he has any
idea Of civil liberty, or Of any kind OF
liberty, have no reason to believe"