New-York tribune., 1905-08-12
ASSEMBLY IN APRIL, 1907.
PLAN FOR FILIPINOS.
Secretary Taft Tells Mattress the
Presidents POIicu

Manila, Aug. ia dinner given by natives to
Secretary Tafts party tonight attracted great
interest, as it was expected that Secretary Taft
would outline the policy of the administration
For some time the feeling among the natives
has been that the administration deviating
from the Mckinley policy. and, as re-
suit, there has been noticeable disaffection
among politicians with the insular government
and much unrest This attitude was met fear
lessly by Secretary Taft who upheld the ad-
mlnlstration policy. When he finished his ad-
dress he was loudly applauded He said, in
part in response TO the toast The Present
Administration in the Philippines
On my part it is due you that if I do nothing
else tonight | should make clear the views of
the administration upon the present and future
OF the islands. The American people are divid-
ed upon the question l to discuss into three
parties.
There is a considerable number who have the
real lrperialistic idea of extending the influence
OF America, by purchase and conquest, into the
orient, ehlarglng the power of the American
government Tor the purpose of controlling the
Pacihc and securing the largest share possible
or the orient trade yet undeVelOped, during the
next one hundred years.
There is second party, and this much the
larger who regard our taking over the islands
from Spain after the with the gravest re-
Iuctance, and who would have been gatifed in
the extreme If the assumption of the burden
could have been avoided. The issue has been
under consideration by this party and. indeed
by the whole American people, and the attitude
OF mind they now hold respecting the Philip
pines may be stated with some accuracy
They have come to the conclusion that, how
ever reluctant they We're to accept the fate
thrown upon them il is their duty to meet the
responsibilities imposed upon them with
promptness, courage and hope They believe
that they have become the trustees and pro-
tectors of the whole Philippine people, and
must prepare that people TO maintain the stable
government now there.
There is a third party. which favors giving
the islands immediate independence This party
may be divided into two classes having diff
ferent motives. The first class is anxious TO
relieve the United States of the burden of gov
erning the Filipinos for the benefit of the United
States. The second class is anxious TO rid the
Philippines of the government of the United
States on the ground that the Filipinos can
make their own government. This third party
has been twice defeated in an election on that
issue.
The second party has for its chief exponent
President Roosevelt. He believes that it is the
duty of the United States to prepare the Fill
pinOs for self government This will REQUIRE a
generation and probably longer, and the form
of sef-gOvernment will be left to the individuals
who will control the nations at that time
II follows that the President (and he himself
desires me to say this to the Filipinos) feels
charged with the duty of proceeding on thig
policy and maintaining the sovereignty of the
United States here as an instrument of the
gradual education and elevation of the whole OF
the Filipino people TO a self governing COM
munity.
Secretary Taft in forceful language said that
the Filpinos who wished TO rule their country
must first learn the principles of democracy by
sending their children to the common schools
before they could invite the United States TO
transfer the trust which had been thrown upon
it to the shoulders of the Filipinos. To make
self-governing and popular democracy, primary
education and habits of greater industry and
thrift must always be kept he said before the
young, patriotic Filipinos.
In number Of the provinces he said, the
people with the greatest of difficulty avoid
starvation. Now, this is not due to the soil
or to unfavorable agricultural conditions All
these are easily overcome by the industry which
IS manifest in Java and Japan. The foundation
of a great nation like Japan is in the industry
thrift and intelligence of the people"
The Secretary affirmed that popular as
sembly would be formed, if insurrection ex-
isted In April, 1907.
The administrations policy. he said, was the
Philippines for the Filipinos. If the American
officers were not in sympathy with this policy
and with the natives, they would be recalled.
Secretary Taft said in conclusion that ii was
the Presidents desire that all must work for
their benefit.
Representative Hepburn spoke along the same
lines.
Miss Roosevelt entertained early this
evening at dinner given by Commissioner Ide.
on entering the hall she was rOundly cheered.