The sun., 1903-04-02


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Who ls Concerned I'm the Attempt tS
ri Undermine Gov. Taft?
5 0noe again we get shadowy reports
from Manila by way of Washington tina,
the condition of Governor WILLIAM
HowARD TAFr's health may make it i'm
possible for him to continue the .splen'
did work which he is doing in those
American islands for the good Of the
Fflipinos and the future of our flag.
X Coincident with these reports of the
Governor's physical disability, and coin
cident also with the departure OF Gen
LEONARD WooD for the Philippines on
an extended tour, preliminary to his
assumption of command in the military
department Of Mindanao, We get from
Washington in semi-official form pecu-
liarly earnest denial of an alleged rumor
that WOODS real mission is to supersede
TAFT, sooner or later.
We say an alleged rumor, for so far as
we are aware no distinct report that
Gen. WOOD was to be Governor TAFT's
successor had previously found it's way
TO the public. The alleged rumor goes
forth from Washington astride OF the
denial itself. Tho form of the denial, as
telegraphed yesterday on the reported
authority Of the War Department, is
such as to attract attention and excite
interest. The denial manages some
how to convey the impression that Gov
ernor ,TAFT's state of health is 30 pre-
carious that his resignation is imminent;
that II il not an astonishing thing that
people should be expecting to see the
former Military Governor of Cuba
replacing Governor TAFT in supreme
charge Of the Affairs of the archipelago;
that this supposition is all natural enough.
but b not in accordance with the official
facts. Gen. WOOD says yesterdays
Ais not to become Governor
OF the Philippines as successor to Cover
nor TAFT. even should the illness ofthe
latter cause his resignation The de-
spatch proceeds to emphasize the state
ment that Gen. WOOD goes out in purely
capacity.
Indeed, Gen. LEONARD WOODS last
published words before sailing from
Boston on Saturday we're devoted to a
similar attempt to prevent any mistaken
Idea OF the magnitude Of the responsible
tiles swaiting him on the other side Of
ths earth. am going to the Philip
pines, he said, simply as a soldier "a
seemingly unnecessary un-
|ess he felt that people were or might be
at his assignment to remote
and subordinate military post 30 soon
after occupying the much more i'm
poFtant administrative station which he
held in Cuba.
The singularity Of these protestations
ID not diminished by another circum-
Btance TO which we shall refer.
Several months ago President RoosE-
VhLa generously urged upon Governor
rA1f nomination to the Supreme Court
" the United States, to succeed Justice
5HIRAs. The judicial Office in question
b thoroughly suited to the Governors
personal tastes and, as is generally un-
isrstood, it has long been the object
Of his honorable ambition. Acceptance
hen would have provided him with hon
orable and congenial employment on
The highest Federal bench for the re-
OF his life. 1t would have re-
moved him from the dangers Of a climate
which had already uttered it's warning
10 him in a most Ineligible way. He
,ouh have come home from the Philip
pines at that time with all the honor due
% an achievement unmatched in the
,stion's history, the successful organi-
sation OF American civil government ten
miles from Warrington upon
J foundation Of confidence among the
Tilipinos in the sincerity, the justice and
he integrity of American intentions
nth respect to them.
Yet Governor TAFT resolved to let the
presented TO him by Mr..
go by, and to stay at his post
t Manila. He did this for no other
eason than because he knew better than
my man here that the work in which
10 heart. and soul were enlisted was
,ot yet complete. He must have known
lOW loi VIC PCiuioiiSht euCStSS VI t1c
ifIicult experiment committed to his
Iands depended upon a continuity Of
he administration which was fast win
ing the confidence and friendship of the
ative elements. He must have fore
cen, more clearly than could possibly
ave been foreseen even at Washington, |
hat his recall from the islands at that
ime would have been misinterpreted
y the Flipinos and regarded as evil
enqe Of a change Of intentions and policy
cncerning them on the part of the Gov /
mment at Washington. In fact no
coner did the report reach Manila that
bere was possibility OF Governor
'AYT's departure than there was a great
optlar demonstration at Manila call
,g upon him to remain, demand in
'hich the Tagalog element was con-
picuois. Six thousand Filipinos of all
clitical parties and religious faiths
pIted in begging him TO stay, and peti-
on after petition, representing the
carly unanimous opinion of the natives.
'ent to Washington in protest against
nv change.