The Springfield herald., 1904-09-02
OUR FILIPINO WARDS.


DEMOCRATS NOT SINCERE IN
PROMISING INDEPENDENCE.
Republican Policy Of Educating the
I.onx-Oppressed People Toward Self
Government Is the Only Safe One
Recent Incident At the worid's Fair.
Washington. d. c., August 26.-1n no
other country in the world but this could
one see the Speaker of the National
Legislature sitting on the grass just out
side the once of the Chief Executive,
telling funny stories to the Secretary OF
War, and both of the men absolutely
unconscious of the exquisite democracy
of their attitude. So long as such things
as this can take place just outside the
White House, the American people may
well be assured that their lives and their
liberties are in good hands. Foreigners
who come here always fail to recognize
the real democracy of the public men
of America, and frequently they go
away with the impression that the Amer
Cause they do not realize that the men
they run up against on the street cars. or
the people they jostle on crowded cor
ners are the elected rulers of the Amer
lean people who step up one day and
down the next, and who are not injured
either by their elevation or By their
period Of subsequent retirement.
Speaker Cannon and Secretary Taft.
Joseph G. Cannon, the Speaker of the
House Of Representatives, is an excel
lent type Of the sturdy western agricul-
tural class. He has not a stuck-up hair
in his head, and while he never does
things which are out of place, he is
never afraid to do things for fear some
one might accuse him of lack OF dig
nifty. 1t WAS perfectly natural in him
when coming out of the White House
the other day to plump himself down
on a grassy terrace for the express pur-
pose of telling n series of funny stories
to his companion who happened to be
Secretary Taft. The Secretary of War
is big man in every sense of the word,
physically AS well as mentally. 1t was
no easy job for him to get his go
pounds down on the White House lawn.
and so he leaned against a convenient
tree, and the passers-by who saw two
ordinary Americans laughing over good
story had but little idea, perhaps, that
these were two of the great men of the
country who had been intrusted by the
people with vast power. but who never
theiess had lost none of their Republican
simplicity.
Secretary Taft but year ago was the
Governor of the Philippines. He re-
signed that oflce to accept the position
he now holds only because he believed
that as Secretary of War he could do
more for the Filipinos, the little brown
people he had come to look upon as his
own children, and who in their turn be-
lieve Taft is their best friend. 1t was
the Secretary of War who declined
position on the Bench of the Supreme
Court of the United States because he
wished to finish his work for the people
of the far-nway Pacific Islands, and he
would not abandon their interests even
to accept an Office to which he had hon
estly aspired every since the day when
he rowed with the crew at Yale and was
known as the strongest athlete in that
great University.
1t was perfectly natural therefore af-
ter the funny stories had been told, and
the last hearty laugh of the big-chested
Secretary of War had fioated around the
White House corner. that tho converra-
tion should drift toward the subject Of
the Philippines.
would Haul Down the Flag.
"I wish we could make the campaign
on the Philippine issue" said Mr.. Can
non. '-The Democrats in their platform
have pronounced for the ultimate indie
pendence of the Filipino. They have
denounced us for endea voring at the
present time to improve conditions in the
Island, and they have in effect declared
that il they had the power they would
haul down the American flag at the first
opportunity. think 1 know the peo-
pie of this country. l know they are
in hearty sympathy with the policy of
the Republican party in regard to the
Philippines. They know the work you
did out there, and they know the work
your SUCCESSORS are doing. They have
no notion of giving up the Philippines at
the present time, but they intend to mp
ply American institutions, American
ideas. and American civilization to the
people of the Island. 1t is not ques-
tion of independence at all at the pres
ent time. but of civilization. If we could
make the campaign on this one issue of
Imperialism so-called, taking the Repub-
lcan platform and the Democratic plat
form Just ms they stand, Roosevelt would
defeat Parker by m extraordinary ma
jority, and the people would repudiate
the reactionary policy of the Democrats
quite as completely as they repudiated
their financial policy of four and eight
years ago"
This casual talk between the Speak
| er and the Secretary of War, and their
| firm confidence in the good sense of the
American people, as well as in their
good faith toward the Filipinos. merely
| adds a point to curious incident at
the st. Louis Exposition the day after
the adjournment of the Democratic Con,
| vention in that city.
The Philippines Exhibit.
Everyone knows now that the most in.
| teresting and the most instructive ex,
| hibit of the great Worlds Fair in st
,ouia Ia in the reservation devoted ex.