Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-27
GOVERNOR TAFT
Says Philippine Situation HES
Not Been Misstated.
Government ConceaIing Nothing ard
Work Being Done Is thorough.
What Disirust There Is Is Being keEt Alive ty
the Sensationalists.

civil governor of the Philippines. ar
rived in Chicago, this afternoon. from
San Francisco. He was met at the de-
pot by President S. NJ. FELTON, of the
Chicago & Alton Railroad Co. and
went at once to Mr.. FeltOn's residence,
where he spent the day. Owing to the
death of his mother-in -law, Mrs. Her
ron, in Cincinnati. the governor denied
himself to all callers except few per-
sonal friends. Gov. Taft left, tonight,
over the Pennsylvania road for Gin
cinnati.
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
Bonsal declaring that desperate OPP
position was still being encountered in
the field and that the natives were ir-
reconcilable and better organized than
before the capture of Aguinaldo.
Gov. Taft said that although there
was a time when, for military rea-
sons, it had not been advisable to make
public everything occurring in the
Philippines, the necessity for such Sc
crecy is over and that no effort is now
being made to conceal any part of the
truth from the people of this country.
"As 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
country in the islands. Take, for in
stance the talk about the cOncentra-
ton camps. Although I am not suf-
ficiently well acquainted with the full
military plans to speak with absolute
authority, can say that the whole
subject is much misunderstood by our
people.
las matter of fact there has never
been any thought Of establishing con-
centration camps in the ordinary ac-
ceptation of the term. All that has
been proposed is an insurgent Gordon,
the establishment of a dead line into
which will gradually be drawn all the
remnants of instruction that exists.
Ut Oli Tic
have never, even at the hardest period
of the war, received anything but the
utmost kindness and consideration at
our hands and it is hardly probable
that this policy will be reversed now
that the opposition is fast drawing to a
close"
The governor believes that the only
existing opposition to the authority Of
the United States is being fomented by
the men who form the Kong Kong
Junta, most of whom were formerly
residents of the rich coffee growing
province of Batangas.
1T is in this province" he went on,
that we are now meeting with our
only difficulty. My statements concern
ing the close of the rebellion are not
optimistic in the sense that they are
overdrawn. They are based on moth
ing but plain facts.
1.-The natives are rapidly developing an
affection for our institutions and a large
number of former insurgents have become
valuable members of the community, full
ly worthy of any trhst that may be re-
posed in them. The coming elections will
develop the real progress in this ulrec-
ton, and am certain that the result will
be gratifying.
"The restrictions placed on the privi-
leges of the ballot are principally of an
educational character, a fact that will, of
course, cut out numbers of Filipinos. But
this is condition that Will be bettered
rapidly. The progress of education is sat
isfactory and our policy in this direction
is liberal.
mo obstacle Of any character is put
in the way of tie parish schools, indeed
IL is now generally understood through
out the islands that the government will
eagerly welcome the establishment of adj
ditional institutions of this character as
long as they conform to the educational
standard demanded in our public schools
and instruct pupils in the English Ian
guage. 1t is utterly immaterial to us what
the character of the school is. All fac
tors that will aid in the work of edu-
cation are welcomed"
Gov. Taft refuses to discuss the future
Of Aguinaldo. He says that the deposed
leaders fate is in the hands of the mill
tary branch If the service entirely and
that the civil arm has the responsibility
OF neither his Gust dy nor his behavior.