The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-30
TAFT REPLIES TO
PARKER5 CHARGES
Administration Defends the
Philippine Policy
MAKES SPEECH IN BUFFALO
Ex-Governor Black and J. NJ. Mayer
Also Address Audience in Con
vention Hall

BUFFALO. n. Y, Oct. 2g.-secretary
Tafh of the War Department, former
Governor Frank s. Black. and Julius n
Mayer. of New York. the Republican
candidate for Attorney General. were
the speakers tonight at a largely at
tended Republican mass meeting al
Convention Hail.
Ogden p. Leechworth, a large employ
er OF labor. was chairman OF the meet
ing
Secretary Taft replied TO Judge Par
ker's charges OF national extravagauce,
and defended the Administrations Phn-
ippine policy
Mr. Black made characteristic cpl
grammatic speech.
The Secretary's Speech.
Secretary TAFT said:
Introducing his remarks. Secretary
TAFT commented on Candidate Parker
selection, in his speech OF acceptance,
OF the Democratic year 1856 as the basis
OF his calculations on national extraVa-
gance in 1894. He said Parker mad
hardly followed the course of "a judge.
but rather OF sharp advocate" in
taking the year of smallest eXpendi-
lures in Cleveland's eight years in Of
nee which year was Sis 9JJ. COO less
than the average expenses OF the years
Parker's transferring the year of COM
parison from 1886 10 1897. in his speech
or October q. Secretary Tart took up in
detail the comments of the candidate as
20 where best 10 cut national expenses.
The Secretary quoted figures at length,
and showed that. like other suggestions
OF the candidate regarding the Philip
pines, they were faIIaci0usly presented.
and were, in the end. impracucable and
F.Te Of
Following Tilden's Advice.
in support of his argument the Sec
retary quoted Samuel ]. Tuden, who. ia
q letter OF December ]. 1885, TO John C.
Carlisle. when the latter was about to
become Speaker OF the House, recon-
mended strongly the Improvement OF
the coast defenses Of the country. Til
den said thar the construction Of coast
defenses was paramount necessity
which ought TO precede the reduction
OF the revenue. and also TO precede an
excessive rapidity in the payment OF the
public debt. He said also that THE
property exposed TO destruction in the
twelve seapOrts or Portland. Ports
mouth, Boston, Newport, New York,
Philadelphia. Baltimore, Charleston.
Savannah, New Orleans. Galveston. and
san Francisco. could not at that time
b less than S5.D50, $50 100 and Ihat 20 this
must be added a vast amount Of prop
erty dependent for its use on those sea-
ports The Secretary then commented
on these quotations. as follows
In view OF the advice OF this letter in
Aar. CleveIaud's first Administration q
plan was formulated for the fertilization
OF our coast. and in thar plan is involved
the expenditure Of 100000. More
than half OF IT has been completed And
now guns are mounted SO that In TWEEN
ty-fve ports il VIII be impossible for
any modern naval squadron 10 enter and
expect 20 live. But in order properly TO
maintain these fortihcatious. I'm order to
give one shift Of men for each gun, IL is
necessary 10 have =. 600 coast artillery
men. iu addition 10 the remainder Of
the army This. i'm itself. jusJines =. 600
mon. in addition 10 the 1900 men which
were found necessary in 1881 when we
had no coast defenses at all. or $500
men"
Having shown whore a Democratic
Administration had made places for 5000