The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-27
SAYS AMERICAN GOVERNMENT is
NOT CONCEALING EXIST
ING CONDITIONS
NEED FOR SECRECY ENDED
People of the United States Can Now
BE Told the Actual Facts as
t. the Philippine
Islands
HoNGKoNG JUNTA DOES HARM

CHICAGO, Jan. 26.-In an interview
here today Gov. Taft, of the Philippines,
said:
The only answer I have to make to
the ideas of individual observers, who
declare that the true condition in the
Philippines is being concealed or that
we are hugging delusions of peace that
can never be brought about, is that the
government is concealing nothing, and
that it's conclusions are not based on
wild theories, but substantial facts.'
This was the reply Gov. Taft made to
a statement published by Stephen Bon
sal, declaring that desperate opposition
was still being encountered in the field,
and that the natives are irreconcilable
and better organized than before the cap
ture of Aguinaldo.
Gov. Taft said that although there was
time, when, for military reasons, it had
not been advisable to make public every
thing occurring in the Philippines, the
necessity for such secrecy is over, and
that no effort is now being made to con-
ceal any part of the truth from the peo-
pie of this country.
SemsatiOnaIfsm Indicted.
Gas a matter of fact, he added, "the
embers Of distrust are being kept alive
by sensationalists who seize on every
petty point and seek to twist it into some
horrible barbarity of our government in
the islands Take for instance, the talk
about concentration camps. Although 1
am not sufficiently well acquainted with
the full military plans to speak with
absolute authority, I can say that the
whole subject is much misunderstood by
our people. AS a matter of fact there
has never been any thought of establish
ing concentration camps in the ordinary
acceptation of the term. All. that has
lCTN
the establishment Of a dead line into
which will gradually be drawn all the
remnants of insurrection that exists.
1.-The non-combatants on the islands
have never, even at the hardest period
of the war, received anything but the
utmost kindness and consideration at our
hands ana it Is hardly probable that this
policy will be reversed now that the op-
position is fast drawing to a close"
Junta Still Breeding Trouble.
The governor believes that the only
existing opposition to the authority Of
the United Stated is being fomented by
the men who form the Hongkong junta,
most of whom were formerly residents
of the rich coffee-growing province Of
| Batangas. 'It is in this province" he
went on, that we are now meeting with
our only difficulty. My statements con-
not optimistic in the sense that they are
| overdrawn. They are based on nothing
but plain facts. The natives are rapidly
| developing an affection for our institu-
| tiOns, and large number of former In
surgents have become valuable members
| of the community, fully worthy of any
trust that may be reposed in them. The
coming election will develop the real
progress in this direction, and I am GER
tain that the result will be gratifying.
The restrictions placed on the privilege
Of the ballot are principally of an edu-
cational character, fact that will, of
course, cut out numbers of Filipinos.
But this is condition that will be bet
tered rapidly. The progress of education
is satisfactory and our policy in this di-
| rection is liberal
mo obstacles of any character Is put
in the way Of the parish schools In
deed it is now generally understood
Throughout the islands that the govern
ment will eagerly welcome the establish