Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-07
TAFT AND BEVER|DGE
Address the Closing Session
Of Republican League.
A TORCHLIGHT ESCORT
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND THE
NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
Selection Of Time and Place for Next
Convention Was Referred to
Executive Officials.
A T0RCHLIGHT ESCORT

A dispatch from INDIANAPOLIS last night
says: William H. Taft, Secretary of War
and United States Senator Beyeri1ee were
the speakers tonight at the closing meeting
neid In connection with the convention of
the National Republican League of the
united states. A torchlght procession es-
cofteo the speakers to the hall, where a
large crowd had gathered. President J.
hampton Moore of Philadelphia, who was
reelected today as the head of the league.
was called home unexpectedly and Sid B.
Redd1ng of Little Rock, Ark national vice
president of the league, presided. He was
introduced by Capt William E. English,
mead OF the United Spanish-American War
veterans Mr.. Reddng introduced Secre-
tary Taft
An enthusiastic demonstration greeted
secretary Taft, who began by referring to
the pleasure he had in visiting the home of
the late General Harrison whom, he said.
was great lawyer, a great statesman and
great man."
Situation in Islands in 1898.
The speaker devoted substantially all of
his speech to the issues respecting the Phil
ippine Islands, and dwelt at some length on
the situation in (which the United States,
without fault, found itself after the proto-
col with Spain was signed saying that
there was no other course for the United
States to take other than to assume the
sovereignty of the islands.
ITO turn the islands back to Spain," he
said, would have been false to the reason
able hope of the insurgents, and to turn
the islands over to Aguinaldo would have
far greater than to continue them under
the rule of Spain" He described the con-
ditfon Of the people in the islands, showing
that per cent spoke Spanish, and that
the remainder were in a condition Of ignOr-
ance hard for the Americans to understand.
He spoke at length of the plan Of educa-
ton by thousand American teachers who
have been imported to teach ten or fifteen
thousand Filipino teachers the English Ian
guage. enabling them in turn to teach the
primary and secondary courses
The Municipal Government.
Secretary Taft described the municipal
government, which, he said, is completely
autonomous, and the provincial govern
ment, which is partly autonomous, as
schools in self-government and pointed
out that in two years from next January a
popular assembly would be elected by the
eople of the Philippine Islands which
should take equal part with the commits
sion in legislation for the islands. He also
described the material improvements that
have been made in the islands.
Secretary Taft discussed the question OF
the cost of the Philippines to the United
States and pointed out that down to May,
1902 the cost, as officially reported by the
Secretary of War, did not exceed S169, 0OO.-
600: that the $4,000 600 to be paid under
the treaty. added to this, increased IL 10
$lS9, 1000, 600 and that the cost per year 10
the United States for maintaining the
courts and the additional cost of maintain
ing 49, 900 troops in the Philippines instead
of in the United States, all taken together,
did not exceed five millions year.
Senator Beveridge also was ACCORDED d
warm welcome when he arose to speak,
following Secretary Taft Senator Bever-
idge said, in part:
( Senator Beverages Address.
The world moves the nations advance
and the republic leads them all therefore,
the Young men of America demand Pres1-
dent of their country who is up to date.
Americans keep step with events; therefore
we want a man whose convictions are not
eight years behind the times. Americans
are spirited and independent; therefore the
Young men of this country want a FreSi-
dent who has no master but the people
Themselves Young Americans are trying
to be worthy of their fathers; therefore they
want a President who believes in young
manhood and young men-a President VINO
believes that Americans of tomorrow VIII
be as wise, brave, pure and patr1ouc as
Americans of yesterday and today.
Young men want President whose con-
fidence in the American stock is strong
enough to leave the future to those future
Americans who must deal with it when 1t
arrives They want no man for the nations
chief who thinks that the nations young
men will not have the honor or ability to
meet events as they develop. They want
no President who insists on Stacking with
his promise the hands of ourselves, our
children and our children's children, al
though our hands and theirs must do the
work-insists on binding with his ideas the
minds of coming generations and our own,
although minds and theirs must solve
the problem after all. And that is what
Mr. Parkers proposed promise to the Fill
pinos means.
Presidents Pension Order
They oppose the Presidents pension or
der because it is extravaganza and because
1t violates the Constitution. On extrava-
gance we answer that the whole pension
system is based not on economy, but on
generosity and Justice; that anyhow the
expense of pensioning soldiers sixty-two
years old will soon be over, since the VET
Grams ere long will cross their last river
and that even If economy be needed we
will never begin on the food of the men
who with their blood revived the stricken
nation.
Under the Constitution we answer that
FORTY wears of practical construction of our
nension laws, acquiesced in by all, fixes
the legality of President Roosevelts pen
sion order; that Cleveland did the same
thing, and no voice protested; that Mckln-
lev did the same thing, and no voice pro-
tested; that acquiescence in Cleveland's and
McKinley's order impugns the sincerity of
those who denounce the same order by
Roosevelt that with those who assail the
order of Roosevelt, sound lawyers from
ocean to ocean disagree, and that where
LAWYERS differ about the Constitutions
meaning we will not decide to bubble
against the man who saved the Constitu-
ton itself.
1t is a rule of Interpretation to construe
legislative and executive acts as constitu-
tionaI, If possible; since legislature and
executive are presumed to obey the funda-
mental law. Since, then, at the very worst,
sound and sincere lawyers disagree about
the pension order the rules of Interpretation
would compel court to hold the order
constitutional; for no court could hold 1t
otherwise if the court were merely in doubt
Let me give you another rule: when in
doubt about the Constitution in a case
of iS ion,