Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-02-19
TAFT ON PHILIPPINES.
Gives His Views as TO the Form o.
Government Needed.
TAKE TIME TO FORM
lie l. in Favor Of Qualified Suffrage
and Thorough Education In Eng-
lish Language and American
Institutions win Win.

Warrington. Feb. is.-Goyernor Taft
IN his testimony before the senate
committee on the Philippines. stated
more succinctly than he has hereto
fore done bis theory which IS, he
stated, also the theory OF the Philip
pine commission to what congress-
should do Ina the way OF supplying tho
Philippine people with a form Of gov
ernmcnt
His plan Is FIRST 20 give the people
qualified suffrage. with sradua
growth IN popular government which
should hc enlarged through education
IN the English language and In AmcrI.
can institutions Second. 20 institute
within a reasonably short time a loca.
legislature TO consist OF two bodies
one 90 Doe chosen by vote and the other
TO De appolntIyo; third. to permit the
Islands 20 send two or three repre-
sentatlycs TO Washington.
IN reply 10 questions Governor Taft
sand he agreed with General Funston
that the establishment Of a popular
asscmblago would give opportunity &c
demaEoguos 10 stir mp the people. but
that ne did not include In his designa'
tions all persons who are opposed &c.
American control There are, he said
many men In the islands who conscien
uously oppose the domination OF the
United States To grant independence
would. he thought. have the effect OF
consigning the 90 per cent OF unedu
Gated people In the islands 10 some
servile position they held under Span.
ish rule He thought there should be
a declaration on the part OF the United
States Of It's intention TO hold the Is.
lands indefinitely with the understand.
ing that when they are suitable foi
such a condition they may be given
neutrality-suspicious. SucL a pronounce.
ment by this country would be vel
coined by many and would do much
good.
Many Of the common people DO not
he said. know the difference between
independence and dependence, and
many OF the better Informed have not
followed the agitation for lndepend
ence 10 It's last analysis. Some OF the
agltators seem, ne said, 20 count upon
a protectoratc by the United States
II the government OF the islands should
now be turned over 20 the islanders
themselves there would be nothing less
than absolute olIgarchy they having
no idea Of civil governments
Replying 90 Senator RawIins, Gov
Taft advanced the idea that on ac.
count OF the fact that the Filipinos
have for 800 years been under the In
nuenCe OF the Christie religion they
would prove 90 Dee different from other
different Malay races and that In time.
under the Influence OF American edu-
cation. the people might become ca.
pablp Of sclf-g1ycrnment He did not
consider the case as parallel with that
presented IN India he thought all the
difficulties OF race and climate might
be overcome. but held that 10 would
take time and require much patience
in the matter OF training on our part
lie anticipated some trouble on ac-
count of some undue or Illegal exploit
tatl0n OF the islands and corruption
in case OF continued American occupa-
ton. but he would not. on account OF
this danger. turn the islands back 90
the fate OF an ollgarchy so long as
there ls a probability Of success as
there Is In this case.
Il did not originally favor the ac-
aulsltlon OF the Philippines, and ! was
sorry at the time that We got them,
but now that we are there can see no
other way than 20 go on and carry out
the plan that ] have suggested. may
be a Mark Tapley In this matter he
continued. but II / did not believe
that we could bring these people out
regardless Of the fact that the feat We
propose is 20 an extent unprecedented
II did not believe We should sue
coed In doing what we are undertaking
10 do. should resign Immediately and
come home
His idea was ~ unite example and
actual practice IN the American con
! troll OF the islands. and he believed tha
| the result would Doe the uplifting an'
the education Of the people TO a pom
| which would put them on plane IA
above that which Is at present occn
MED He believed that when the!
would find the association with IN
United States so profitable and agree
able that they would not want 20 seye
the relationship. and that possibly IN
Relationship might continue perpetn
ally.