Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-29
new WAR SECRETARY
Taft to lake the Oath Of Office
Monday.
ROOT THEN RETIRES
LATTER WILL TRANSFER THE
OFFICE AT NOON.
Policy of the New Head Of the Depart
ment Toward the Development
of the Philippines.

1t has been arranged that Gov. Taft snail
take the oath of office as Secretary of War
at noon Monday at the War Department.
Secretary Root will be with him to turn
over the conduct of the business to his
care, and Lieut.. Gen. Chaffee will introduce
to the new Secretary the various military
officers as connected with the general stan
and military chiefs of bureaus, while Chief
Clerk Scotield will perform like service
for the civilian bureau officers.
The New Secretary's Policy.
'"The Philippines for the Filipnos,' will
be the keynote of the policy of. Gov. Taft
as Secretary of War toward the far east
ern archipelago. In almost the last speech
which Gov Taft made before leaving the
Philippines for home he reiterated this
Keynote which he first sounded when he
was inaugurated governor of the Phlnp-
pine Islands. This speech has been pup
lished by the inSular government IN an
official form and has Just reacneo me
War Department. In this speech Gov.
Taft declared that this doctrine does not
exclude the encouragement OF american
enterprise or the American investment OF
capital in the Philippines, for the reason
that nothing, not even education or a Tree
form of government, can make more LOT
the elevation and civilization of the FIN
pino people than the investment OF amer
lean capital IN the mdleTldl ucNSioPhi0A1
of these islands"
"CiviliZa tion," continued Governor Ia1t
follows material development. what the
islands are most lacking are mghfoads'
harbors and modern methods of 1nter.com-
munication. If the construction or the
railroads the Inauguration of steamship
lines the construction of highways or build
ing of port works comes under the Gen
milton of exploitation, then that KIND OF
exploftation is wholly consistent with the
principle of the Philippines for the Fill
pinos,' and it is indispensable in carrying
out that principle as properly understood.
Nor is it to be expected that capital can
be invested here unless it is assured of an
adequate return. The profit must be large
to be proportioned to the risk run"
Governor Taft stated that there are many
mericans in these islands, possibly ma
jority and this includes all the American
press who are strongly opposed to the
doctrine of the philippines for the Fill
pinos." They resent everything IN the gov
ernment that is not American, and insist
that there is a necessity for firm govern
ment rather than popular one, and that
the welfare of Americans and American
trade should be regarded as paramount.
In regard to obtaining satisfactory labor
from the Filipino the governor said that
experiments have shown that his work,
considering the wages, has been fairly
successful. To obtain good labor from the
Filipinos It is necessary 10 have them un-
der the control of master who under
stands them.
The Filipino Character.
In speaking of the characteristics of the
Filipinos Governor Taft said that in con-
trasting the Filipinos with other Malays
and oriental peoples one cannot name
people offering more opportunities for de-
velopment along the lines which American
ideas require than the people OF these is
lands. He said that they were Christians
1. fnr hn act N
dred years Many of them have fought,
bled and given up their lives in struggle
for independence 1t was a mistaken strus-
gle, but their sacrifices and their bravery,
he saws are worthy of our admiration and
besDeak a people capable of greater things.
Their intense desire for education, their
appreciation of European and American
improvements in dress. added to fine So
cial sense and charm make them people
peculiarly subject to the good and de-
yeloping influence of a friendly and sym
pathetic government in which they are
given a gradually increasing part.
''Were / assured said Governor Taft
that the present attitude of the majority
of the American merchants and the Ameri-
can press in the archipelago would be per-
manent and did not hope that there must
be great change in the future, should be
very much discouraged in respect to the re-
suit of the experiment which the United
States is making in these islands. l refuse
to believe that the American merchant is
not as keen and not as quick to seek COM
mercial advantages as any of his compeu-
tors in the world.
The governor added that the demand of
Americans for goods and supplies can never
exceed that of 10000 people in addition to
the soldiers who may be on the islands. The
demand of the Filipino people will be a de-
mand, when created and encouraged. of
$500, 900 persons.
Suppression of Ladronism.
Governor Taft stated that the successful
suppression of ladronism was directly due
to the help given by the native governors
and judges and officers, and had it not been
for them it would have been impossible
The country is admirably adapted to guer-
rilla warfare. Tropcal races have kept up