Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-09-29
THEIR VIEWS
HAVE CHANGED
One Result Of the Visit Of the Taft
Party to the Philippine
islands.
MISSION oFTHE UNITED STATES
It ls Not Vet EndedEFilipinos Not
Yet Ready for Free Seif-Govern.
ment-Praise Japs.


Of the Taft party who arrived from
The orient today have summarized for
the Associated Press their impressions
as follows:
Congressman Cooper, of Wisconsin,
chairman of the house committee on
insular affairs, said
Zone effect of the trip will be, in a
large measure, to take the question
Of immediate Philippine independence
out Of politics. Personal study of |
the situation has, l think, convinced
the members. both Democrats and Re-
publicans, that the inhabitants of the
Philippine islands are not now capable
of free, self-government. This con-
clusiOn is admitted to be true by edu-
Gated, conservative Filipinos them
selves, though they, like majority
of the people of the islands, hope for
an independent government when the
inhabitants of the islands shall be-
come fitted to maintain it. The pros
perity of the Philippines depends up
on their agricultural productions. The
United States has done many noble,
wonderful things in the Philippines,
but it's most glorious work is the es-
tablishment there of a splendid sys-
tenn of American common schools.
These schools, steadily increasing in
number, attended now by 375,0OO chill
dren out of an enrolment of more
than 100000, win more than any other
influence, help to abolish the multi
tude of dialects and regenerate the
people of the PHILIPPINES. Our ex-
periences in China and Japan were
most interesting and instructive. Chi
ma is being affected by powerful in
fuences, one internal and the other
external.
China Waking Up.
ITO me the most significant thing
of the whole trip was a statement
made during conversation that l
had at Canton with a Chinaman high
in Chinese business and official life
had spoken about Japan's great sue.
cess in peace and war.
eyes, said he, We Cinnamon have
observed Japan's success. We have
studied the reason for it, and we know
why she has succeeded. We are going
to profit from our study. China ought
to turn over. She must turn over.
assure you that she will turn over.
It will take time. Powerful influences
are opposing, but China is going to
turn over
Among other things, he declared
that the greatest benefit ever conferr-
ed by one nation upon another was
when the United States forbid closed
doors in the far east. The trip has
left many important and lasting i'm
pressions, but the chief of these is the
impression of the great part that the
United States is playing, and must
forever play, in the worlds affairs,
and of the consequent grave RESPONSE
bilities that attach to citizenship in
the United States and especially to
membership in the American con-
gress."
Congressman Foss, chairman Of the
house committee on naval affairs. said:
Naval Base Needed.
II made this journey largely for
the purpose of making study of
questions coming within the scope of
the work of the committee of which
I am chairman. had the good for
tune to reach Japan soon after the
battle Of the Sea of Japan, and was
given every facility for inquiry and
investigation by the Japanese naval
authorities. visited their principal
navy yards and docks, and while at
Sasebo met Admiral Rojestvensky,
who is convalescing from his wounds
"The Japanese have splendid yards
and are doing very excellent work in
them. The journey to the Philip
pines gave me every opportunity to
see Cavite, Manila bay and Subig
bay. and I return home more firmly
convinced than ever of the vital i'm.
portance of the establishment of an
extensive and thoroughly. equipped
naval base in the Philippines"
Congressman Hepburn, chairman OF
the house committee on foreign and
interstate commerce, said:
my visit to the Philippines was a
disappointment to me in two respects
was agreeably disappointed to find
that my idea of the extent and value
of the islands as productive territory
was below the truth. regard Luzon
as the finest and most productive
island in the large group that extends
from Japan southwark along the Asi
attic coast. l was disappointed in that
the people Of the Philippines have no,
proved the equal in labor and skill
of their neighbors and have not taker
from the soil the riches that nature
has planted. Filipinos need education
and physical development and they
must be taught the dignity of labor
The United States has much to do il
the islands"
Congressman Chas. F. Scott. of Kan
sas. said:
Must Finish the Task.
81 think we all appreciate bette
than ever before how very difficul
problem the possession of the Phil
ippines has imposed upon us. To gov
ern the islands primarily for our owl
benefit with no regard for the ma
tive except to keep him in proper sui
lection would be very simple matter
To govern them primarily for the Der
eft of the natives is a task that wi
test to the utmost our tact and ski
and patience. While we all realiz
this more clearly than we did befor
: our visit, think we all came ava
from the islands stronger in the col
viction that the task we have set ou
selves must be performed, and thu