Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-06
Secretary Taft Before the
Geographic Society.
ANSWERS THE CRITICS
SAYS COMPARISON CAN'T BE
MADE WITH BRITISH COLONIES.
Those in tie Orient on an Entirely
Different Plane-Views
in Detail.

Secretary Taft took occasion to discuss at
length certain criticisms made of the Amer
lean rule in the Philippines during the
course of an address the Philippines be-
fore the National Geographic Society at
the National Rifles Armory last night.
ghe statements that Mr.. Taft made were.
in a measure. discussions of the arguments
advanced by the serious minded responsible
men who criticise the Philippine policy, bas-
ing their criticism on personal experience
and the experience of the British govern
nent in the orient. In only one instance
did the Secretary attempt to reflect upon
the integrity or honesty of the man whose
statements were cited, and in that one In
stance he declared the mans work, as far
as it reflected on the American government,
was not worthy of notice. and should not
be given attention by him. His name was
only mentioned because he had written
excellent book on the Philippines before
the American advent to the islands, which
contained more information of real value as
to what the Philippines were under the
Spanish rule than any other work the
Americans going there had been able to
obtain.
The meeting of the Geographic Society
was attended by one of the largest audi
ences of the season. Mr.. Willis Moore,
chief of the weather bureau. presided. Col.
Henry F. Blount was introduced soon
the meeting was called to order, to tell
the members and guests of the arrange
ments made for the trip to Indian Head by
the society next Friday The members will
leave at 10 o'clock In the morning, and will
return in time for dinner. Secretary Taft
was then introduced by Mr.. Moore
At the beginning of his address Mr.. Taft
stated that at the time of the acquisition of
the Philippines the policy of the government
had been subjected to some criticism at
home from the people who wanted the is
lands turned right over to the natives. Mr..
Taft said the Americans had Numbered into
the Philippines; had acquired them without
previous preparation for their holding, and,
low that they had them, intended to make
the endeavor to bring those people of the
islands up to such standard of citizenship
as will fit them to enjoy those measures of
freedom and liberty. of thought, action and
government enjoyed by the people at home
in the course of time. The great good sense
of the American people has shown them
just what is being done and what 1t Is In
tended to do, and therefore the walls Of the
anti-imperialists have lessened.
Where Noise Came From.
"Those who were responsible for the Phil
ippine government had the advantage, or
disadvantage, of much criticism of their
Methods he said. For long time most
OF the noise, II I may call 1t such. came
from the American anti-imperialists. We
were attacked for not giving to those peo-
pie the islands they had owned. But these
are not the critics with whom 1 wish to
deal. The greatest criticism of the govern
ment. the one that Is most vital to US now,
comes from those who found their state
ments on the experience of the British gov
eminent in India and 1t Is some of these
gentlemen that l will try to discuss to-
night
Whether the Filipino needs material de-
yelopment more than mental stimulus is
question that depends on conditions and
goes back to the purpose of our efforts In
civilization" Secretary Taft said. I'VE
blundered into colonization, determined to
do the best we could to work out policy
as nearly consistent with own as the
circumstances would permit If the Fill
Pine is incapable of self-government he
may not be incapable of education UP to
elf-government- The English had to deal
with the Mohammedans and Hindoos In
India. These people are generally reli-
gious fanatics and 1t seems to me it will
be impossible to ever Christianize them
On the other hand, we had to deal with
population of seven millions of Christians
who were deeply rooted in the faith after
200 years OF religious teaching They
We're Christian children because the friars
had brought them up SUCH fearing to
expose them to the kind of civilization
and education that was exemplified In the
European society of the islands. Now we
found these people had twelve different
dialects or languages and that there were
over 30 per cent of them who could not
speak Spanish. We determined that the
first step toward establishing the condi-
lions we sought was to give them a uni
versal language. We thought it just as
easy to teach 100 per cent English as it
was to teach 30 per cent Spanish and we
set to work.
When we went to the islands-the civil
government, / mean-we found that the
army had already done something In the
way of starting schools. No sooner would
company OF soldiers be quartered in
town than some of them would be directed
to form a school, and the children would
be invited to Join. This system was crude,
Of t,,t f&
foundation we builded. AS soon as a prov
ince was pacified we followed with civil
government and the school house. The
first year 10 per cent of the youth of the
island was attending school; the second
year. ID per cent. and the third year, 10 per
cent. Last August there were 263 900 chill
dren actually reciting IN the schools in
the Philippines. We have no compulsory
education law because We would need five
times the number of teachers and FIVE
times the number Of school houses to hold
the children. We haven't money enough
to spend on the schools Our idea is to
educate the native in our language: to
read our books. so that he might under
stand our system Of government. The
main Characteristic Of all orientals is sus-
picion and 1t Is necessary to be frank and
honest with them and to show them that
you are frank and honest. We want them
TO learn to think as we do as nearly as
possible, and to do this We giving
them our language and our literature"
Government Is Expensive.
THE Philippine government is expen-
sive." he said Doing what we have done
and suffering what we have suffered. II
could not be otherwise. Mr.. Ireland points
to the fact that in the Straits Settlements
the government costs 81 per cent of the
exports, while in the Philippines 1t costs
43 per cent. We want to put our education
al system down at 10 per cent of this; in
the other places 1t Is less than 2 per cent;
our constabulary takes per cent. Now We
have had to build up an island navy; in one
year the dread scourge, cholera. visited the
islands, and spent 100000 In the
health department, and the rinderpest Wis
ited US. and we lost 30 per cent of our draft
animals All these things took money. We
pay the Americans high wages. When we
think that we take the Americans thou
sands of miles from home and place them
in climate for which they have no special
fitness. we must pay them more than we
would at home. 1t is not unreasonable to
assume that when we replace American of
ficials with natives viii reduce the saia-
ries one half That is no more than right.