Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-01-16
TAFT WILL REMAIN
YIELDS TO APPEALS OF PEOPLE OF
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
President Roosevelt Has Given His Ap-
provaI-Instead of Becoming Supreme
Judge, He Will Remain Indefinitely =
In Love With His Work, He Has Yet
Many Problems to Solve.

Washington, Jan. 15.-After mature
consideration it has been decided by
the president that Judge Taft shall re-
main in the Philippines as civil gov
ernor. The decision was reached only
after the president had discussed the
Philippine question thoroughly with
Secretary Root and the other members
of his cabinet, and with Vice Governor
Luke E. Wright, who has been in this
country for two months.
For several weeks it has been re-
garded as settled that Governor Taft
would return to this country, perhaps
in few months, to become justice of
the supreme court of the United States.
President Roosevelt indicated to Gov
ernor Taft in a letter dispatched to the
Philippines more than month ago,
that he could have the appointment t.
the supreme bench if he desired it. It
was the presidents purpose to name
General Wright as civil governor of
the Philippines.
AS soon as it was learned in the
Philippines that Governor Taft was
likely to leave the islands, cabled pro-
tests began to pour in upon the presi-
dent from prominent Filipinos. Even
yesterday the president was in receipt
of a cablegram from some of the most
important interests in the islands urging
the retention of Governor Taft as civil
governor. The protests received in no
manner reflected on Vice Governor
Wright, for whom the people of Manila
and of the islands generally have the
highest regard, but it was pointed ont
to the president that Goyernor Taft was
ideally equipped for the position of
governor. and that any change at this
time would be disastrous to the best
interests. of the Archipelago. 1t was
maintained that Governor Taft's relin-
quishment of his poet would retard the
development of the islands fully five
years.
Governor Taft is known, as one high
official expressed it, s'to be thoroughly
wrapped up in his work in the Philip
pines.
His ambition has been to round out
his career as Justice of the supreme
court of the United States, but be has
become impued SO entirely with the
spirit of the great work to be accom-
plished in the Philippines and is SO
perfectly in sympathy with the ideals
of the better classes OF the inhabitants
that he hesitated to relinquish his post
at this time, even to accept the distin-
guished honor the president offered to
confer upon him.
Today, in response to the presidents
letter offering him the supreme Justice
ship, a cablegram was received from
him suggesting, with a sincere appreci-
alton of the tender made to him by the
president, that it might be better for
him, in view of all the circumstances,
to remain where he was. After this it
was announced unoficially, but entire
ly authoratively, that Governor Taft
would remain indefinitely as civil gov
ernor of the Philippines.
During the afternoon, subsequent to
the cabinet meeting, Secretary Root
had a long conference with the presi-
dent, at which the Philippine situa-
tion was canvassed in all it's phases.
Many serious problems are yet to solved
with regard to the islands, and the ad-
is looking with confidence
to Governor Taft to reach such solu-
tion of them as will be satisfactory to
the people of this country, to the Fill
pinos and to the world.