Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-02

as readily as desired, and, of course, they
feel that the officials of the government are
to blame.
But no one was willing to assume respon-
sibility for serious criticism.
Every one who complained about the ad-
ministration begged me not to mention his
name He did not want to get the govern
ment down on him. One after another
poured his willing tales into my ears and
promised to supply any amount of sensa-
tional information provided did not mix
his up with 1t. One man, or Whom
l saw a good deal. spent SO much of ms
time pointing out the errors of the off1ciais
that l felt 1t my duty to remind him of
the neglect of his own business, when
was being criticised by his patrons. An
other, who was mentioned to me as ia
miiar with events from the start and
was suggested by several as the proper per-
son to frame the indictment, fiunked alb
solutely when l furnished him list of in
quiries and asked him to give me answers
and explanations in writing. He said that
he was perfectly willing to furnish me all
the information l wanted on those subjects,
but he was not such a fool as to allow me
to carry off in his handwriting.
An Anonymous Statement.
Some time ago a local paper published
what was entitled "A Statement from the
Business Men of the Philippine Islands to
the American People" 1t was unsigned,
and no one has yet been willing to assume
the responsibility of its authorship, al
though it's source is well known. The lit
erary earmarks are too familiar to be con-
cealed, and the complaints and criticisms II
contains are recognized by many residents
as having been uttered In their nearing
many times before The writer Is, there
fore, as we'll known as if the statement
were signed and sealed, and nobody was
deceived or influenced by it. The article
came from group of dissatisfied specula-
TORS whose advice upon various matters
has not been accepted by the OffcfalS and
the document says:
THE business men of the Philippines feel
that any advice they might be able to give
would be indifferently received and never
acted upon. They feel this keenly. Tinci-
pally for the reason that neither the bust
ness men of the United States nor those of
the Philippines are represented on the civil
commission. They feel that they have
earned the right, by virtue of their sue
cess in life. to at least have their opinions
weighed and considered
And that paragraph contains the gist OF
the whole business
The commission have made many mis-
takes, mistakes of policy and mistakes OF
judgment, which they frankly admit, but
when l follow up complaints and criticisms
by cross-examnation I find that most OF
them are based on personal grievances.
When crowded into a corner each kicker
will admit that the commission means well.
and intends to do right. but if it had taken
his advice it might have avoided many par
ticular mistakes into which 1t had fallen.
Some Of the Complaints.
Gov. Taft, they admit, one after the
other is a remarkable man. and they adj
mire him socially and personally very much
but they assert he has had no business eX-
perience, he is a lawyer and cannot sym
pathize with the commercial interests of
the island and was altogether too friendly
tIat T. 10 ura nd in
the habit of Offering two hands to Fill
pino and only one hand to fellow country
man.
Gov. Wright, they say, is an honest and
able man, but he, too, they claim, is with
out experience, has no executive ability
and Is not willing to take advice.
Commissioner Worcester Is college pro-
fessor with a very bad temper, they de-
clare, and very bad manners. He Is charged
with being too positive and lacking tact.
He is accused of being a theorst with I'M
practicable ideas.
Commissioner Ide is able, learned and
Conscientious but they assert very narrow
in his New England notions
Commissioner Smith is too good natured
they charge. He is trying to please every
body and does not please anybody, so the
disconnected say. Is supposed to represent
the Catholic Church ON the commission and
to look out for its interests. but is afraid
to do anything for his Catholic friends for
fear he will offend the Protestants.
Secretary Ferguson is the best man in
the whole bunch" they declare. but the
commissioners do not allow him any au-
thority and if he had authority they be-
lieve he would probably be just like the
rest of them. Besides that he is too good
natured and yielding. Ferguson ought to
have been appointed to the vacancy on the
Philippine commission these critics of the
administration say, "and was recommended
by everybody, but President Roosevelt pre-
ferred to please Senator Lodge rather than
the people of the islands, and appointed
dude from Boston who had lots of money
and famous relatives, and that is the way
the interests of the Philippines are being
sacrificed for political and personal rea-
sons.
Legislation Blamed.
The last is one of the most grievous of
the complaints one hears in Manila and
there is more foundation for 1t than for
most of the others. 1t is actually true that
the most serious disadvantages under which
the government and the people OF the
islands aro iaboring are due directly to
congressional legislation. and too much Of
that legislation has been enacted with
view To it1 possible effect upon politics in
the United States rather than TO the well