New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-06
SECRETARY TAFTs SPEECH.


America to the Philippines"
As the strains of The Star Spangled Ban
ner" and the accompanying cheers died away.
Secretary Taft, large of body and simple of
manner rose
Il received my invitation to speak here to-
night before l left the Philippines by cable"
said he II was conscious of a great number
Of official engagements at that time and de-
clined. Later, in fact within short time.
received another cable this:
IT is deemed of the utmost necessity that
you should accept McCook's invitation of the
Ohio Society. Hanna. Foraker Herrick'
Il thought this might be a cataclysm, so 1
| finally offered myself up as the fatted calf"
After giving a brief history of the Philippines
for the last four hundred years to 1898, he
said:
The Spaniards were not all wicked. We have a
nj t ,usp1sIe O1 people IN two or three words
the height Of her power. They had fair laws also.
and the only Christians OF the Malay race in the
N world Higher education was introduced for the
Tebuoleanism visited Spain. these ideas visited the
policemen scho masters and Ee,a eveTv other
civil Office ANY difficulty thaJ listed. it was al
then then The friars We're large fndlords. do not
bai sey were oppresSiye landlords bat the fact
i dt they were landlords caused an active Opposi-
This led the revolution OF 1870 Inis was set
tied. and down 10 1896 all well. until the feeling
was Sharpened again 10 the time that AguinaldO
won his spurs The insurgents. worn out by the
Slahiards, were Willing for treaty. which fol-
little from either. and were satisfied that each SIDE
was following them. Shortly after this Resar
conditions I. in the islands The insurgent govern
constitution was adopted
Concerning the break between Aguinaldo and
would come before 81 was known 10 the Americans.
guns to nh IN Sriir our , men h anq 20 taks our
To turn and drive out the Americans. 1 must say
those eight rnontbs ~ tb is, Sd' PrSs,,ne IN
That was the embarrassing position the American
found himself In eight months after Dewey won his
Gould we turn the island over TO the insurgents?
MS we 10 leave d 5hs Island to the Iroefsi2 81
When you consider the real bone OF contention be-
na!do not permitted enter the city % Manila
and get the great loot they had been lighting for.
government. that Of the insurgents. would give TO
We could take the island and we did We could
have made protectorate. some said. That course
administer government OF the philippine Islands
for the beneft Of The Fiiipnos Was It wrong in 30
The sovereignty OF tn island by lawful treaty
being "a lawful sovereign in a country in which the
people were trying 10 remove their sovereign Whit
were obligations IN these circumstances? The
r@veTnment sboula not pov.r, snotber without th
Consent OF the cayerned Does th. Declaration OF
Independence construed under these circumstances,
ason3 any rherS are many states ' or rtRsr We're
" he hen
should We allow Hottentots or any one similar 10
bad governments are always better than a good
government n one people govern another. That f.
governments idea; ] say that Is not the fact and
trary. Would Egypt be strong and happy as
she IS u she had not been governed by England?
been placed under our control hundred years ago
than tho present state OF dissolution II finds itself
In to-day Why sacrifice truth 20 phrases Are
politics so different from the ordinary affairs OF
life that the same rules don't apply to both?
The question is asked Are they capable OF self
government" They are courteous. They are brave
thought their right. but they misled.
But they are utterly incapable and unable TO have
who can speak even Spanish They are. however.
bright people | am not decrylng their possible
Is charged with the care Of these people and they
| language Of some statesmen let them go To the
1t has been suggested that n they are not ready
for a general government. they might have self
| are in the Philippines as in Japan No govern
ment could be built what exists there unless it
were a government on another government or a
II has been Said that We took the islands from a
greed OF conquest. Perhaps debut was I'm
The neghborhoSd and had many confidential talks
Maybe he had the greed OF Napoleon. II he had
that attitude Of mind he was most successful in
concealing 1t from me. lie showed 10 me tnat
what was on his mind was the tremendous ar amount
He said to me. mo one is more conscious Of
sin.ereIy regrets we had to assume it The
Phillppines Tor the Fipinos" was the motto the
maxim which William Mckinley directed his COM
mission to follow, and think may say the com
/ do not for a minute desire to detract from the
neassaTy to esbsh six hundred posts self
reliance and first and second eutenants sergeants
and corporals planned campaigns and showed the
true spirit OF American manhood
What has been done in the philippines Is ASKED
Eight hundred municipalities have been cen eetapsne1
on the government system Of judiciary has been
established Criminal laws in the Philippines are
enforced much more Justly tnan cerIeiiy ~ e
The rights OF free speech denied in the island
and that any declaration OF Independence however
peaceful is denied. That is not true IL was true
during the war. as It was then decided that even
peaceful declaration might tend 10 arouse tne
vogue in the island There are some II is true and
there are in many States Of the Union. 1t is not
How are we preparing the people for free govern
rnent? asked.
| rhev are receiving preparation for a supporting
government which Justihes the sincerity ia teach
ing these people 10 s Etpinos beTe wear TO be
educated and make them understand what Anglo
or The whole the government is self-supporting.
II the government and the people OF the United
states treat these islanders with the Justice they
deserve considering the way they came into our
Jurisdiction they will flourish like green bay tree
I think IL can be safely said that ne matter Of
the friars is practically settled.
The matter Of education Is not al that II ought
,o he We can teach only about 10 per cent. IL Is
most encouraging sign, however. TO see the eager
ness with which the Fiipinos are anxious TO learn
We are asked often why we don't get quicker
do things and find at my breakfast table that they
are really accomplished But you must Temember
that you have got TO trust 10 time here GU don't
change a people IN three years, nor in generation
But say TO you that u you keeP on as you nave ave
more We first need pure water The ,i loss OF
children under six months Is rrighuuI we heeo