The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-05-21
JUDGE IDE PRAISES COMMITS
SION.

Judge Henry @. Ide of the Philip
| pine commission, who is in Washing
ton for few days on his way to his
! home in Vermont, discussed various
phases of the Philippine problem with
a New York Post man a few days ago,
and the published report of the inter-
view affords a valuable document for
students of insular affairs. Nearly
every important matter relating to
the government of the islands was
freely discussed and when he was
asked the question care we making
any progress, in your Judgment, in
winning the mass of the people to
pleasanter view of the American oc-
cupation?" lie replied by paying
the following splendid tribute to
Governor Taft and Vice Governor
Wright:
"Unquestionably. We have teen
singularly fortunate in the choice of
Gov. Taft as the head of the colonial
government. He is a man of remark
able powers, both physical and in
tellectual, a great originator of new
ideas, and so thoroughly absorbed in
his work that he is a constant inspi-
ration to those about him. He has
won the affection of the Filipino peo-
pie to an astonishing degree. through
the force of his personality as much as
anything else. 1t is probably not too
much to say that in all the United
States he is the best man who could
have been selected for his position.
Vice. Gov. Wright is also a conspicu-
Gus success, his tact, kindliness, and
geniality having as much to do as
his ability with the respect and love
that he enjoys in the islands. This
has been manifested when he has had
occasion to handle the reins of gov
eminent in Gov. Taft's absence. "
The interviewer then asked: con
the whole, what do you regard as the
greatest achievement of the American
administration in the Philippines?"
"You may think am moved by
professional prejudice when l answer
The establishment of complete judi
cial system. Gov Taft and Vice. Gov.
Wright were both, as you know, lead
ers of the bar in their respective fields.
| am myself lawyer. All three feel
alike about this matter-that at the
bottom of our entire establishment III
the Philippines must lie one solid
foundation stone, the confidence of the
whole Filipino people, from the high
est to the lowest, that justice is as
free as air to any one who asks it. To
a person brought up in the United
States the idea is hard TO grasp of peo-
pie who have to be affirmatively con-
WINGED that justice is not to be bought
and sold like so much merchandise. To
the Filipino people our theory was a
revelation. They had never known of
the existence of such thing before.
When we established among them
courts administered by men both able
and upright, and assured to every one
not only an inexpensive but speedy
trial of his cause, they could not be-
lieve the testimony of their own
senses Under the reforms of proceed
ure which we have introduced we re-
leased on habeas corpus numbers of
prisoners who had been incarcerated
for years without even knowing with
what offences they were charged.
Under the old procedure the mere ex-
animation which preceded the filing
of charges against prisoner was
liable to last seven or eight years by
repeated adjournments. Now we
have courts that will compare favor
ably in their general character with
those of any State in this Union. To
their honor be it said, the Filipino
indges have stood up to their duty
like men, regardless of the atmosphere
in which they had received their le-
gal training-never favoring a Fill
pino because he is Filipino, or
denying justice to an American be-
cause he is an American. -
This distinguished Vermonter may
certainly be pardoned for taking bit
of pride in the work of his compeers
and himself, for unless all reports are
misleading the Philippine commission
is doing work that reflects credit
not only on the members themselves
but on the country that sent them
across the Pacific.