Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-05
THE PHILIPPINES
 FOR FILIPENOS."
Welfare of the Natives Dis-
 cussed by Governor Taft.

cussed by Governor Taft.
 NEEDS OF THE ISLANDS OUTLINED American Hostility to Native Preten-
 saons--Its Causes-The Labor Ques-
 tSaA and Progress of the Natives.
 Differing From Other Oriental Peo-
 ples, the Ftlip1nos Yearm For Lib-
 erty and Free Government.
 Before leaving the Philippines to as- sume the duties of secretary of war Governor William H. Taft delivered an address before the Union Reading col lege of Manila, Dec. IT, 1903. The gov ernors main theme was "The Philip pines For the Filipinos." He spoke in part as follows:
 What is meant by the principle, "the Philippines for the Filipinos" Only this, that every measure, whether in the form of law or an executive order, before its adoption should be weighed in the light of this question, Does 1t make for the welfare of the Filipino people or does it not? If 1t does not make for the welfare of the Filipino people then it ought not to be enacted or executed. The doctrine as interpret ed in the light of these authoritative declarations assumes that the Filipino people are of future capacity but not of present fitness for self government.
 Does the doctrine exclude the en- couragement of American enterprise, the American investment of capital in these islands? No; emphatically no. There is nothing which Americans can bring, and I do not except education or a free form of government, which can make more for the elevation and civ ifization of the Filipino people than the investment of American capital in the material development of these islands. Civilization follows material develop ment. What the islands are most lack ing are highroads, harbors and mod erni methods of intercommunication If the construction of railroads, the Inauguration of steamship lines, the construction of highways or building of port works comes under the definition of ''exploita tion." then that kind of exploitation is wholly consistent with the principle of 'the Philippines for the Filpinos" and is indispensable in car rying out that principle as properly understood. Nor is it to be expected that capital can be invested here un- less 1t is assured of an adequate return. The profit must be large to be propor- toned to the risk run.
 The idea that the policy of ''the Phil ippines for the Fi]ipinos" involves the exclusion of Americans or others from making money in the islands is as far as possible from a reasonable inter- pretation of it. The only kind of ex- ploitation which can be properly term ed selfish and which is not consistent with the principle of ''the Philippines for the F1lipinos" is that which takes wealth out of the country or produces condition of profit for Americans or others in the country at the expense of the people of the Philippines and without conferring upon them any benefit For instance, suppose the con- gross of the United States were to adopt a law which forbade interisland trade except in ships constructed in United States territory and thereby reduced tho carrying trade to one-half its cauyii capacity, increasing the freight rat-5 exorbitantly and confer ring profit only on Americans interest ed in that trade. That would say was selfish exploitation of the most detestable character.
 In carrying out the principle, ''the Philippines for the Filipinos," in re- spect to any measure, the question is, Is it for the welfare of the Filipino people? The doctrine does not include necessarily the independence of the Filipinos nor any particular degree of autonomy. It is, entirely consistent with the principle to object to an i'm mediate extension of popular govern ment on the ground that we are going too fast for the political digestion of the people and that it is not therefore. for their good. Whether an autonomy or independence or quasi independence shall ultimately follow in these islands ought to depend solely on the question, Is 1t best for the Filipino people and their welfare? It is my sincere belief that when America shall have dis charged her duty toward the Philip pines, shall have reduced the tariff and made the commercial bonds between the two countries close and profit giv- ing to both, the F1lipinos will love the association with the mother country and will be the last to desire sever ance of those ties. -. .
 There are many Americans in these islands, possibly a majority, and this includes all the American press, who are strongly opposed to the doctrine of ''the Philippines for the Filipinos." They have no patience with the policy of attra ction, no patience with at. tempts to conciliate the Filipino peo pie, no patience with the introduction into the government as rapidly as their fitness justif1es of the prominent Fili- pinos. They resent everything in the government that is not American. They insist that there is a necessity for firm government here rather than a popular one and that-the welfare O.