The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-17
TAFT DEFINES HIS
PHILIPPINE IDEA
Favors Indefinite Retention of
the Islands
HAS BEEN misunderstood
Thinks the Independ, nee of the Is
lands viii Not Be Matter for
Consideration Wi.nin the
Next Generation.
HAS BEEN misunderstood

Washington, March 16-In order to al
lay any Misrepresentation relative to the
policy Of the administration with respect
to the future of the Philippines. Secretary
Taft today made public the text of
letter which he wrote to John n. Blair
of New York, bearing directly on that
subject. The Secretary states very plainly
that the policy of the administration is
the definite retention of the Philippines
for the purpose of developing the pros
perity and the self-government capacity
of the Philippine people," What shall be
done when the Philippines have reached
a condition when they can safely be
trusted with their own government, the
Secretary believes to be question which
doubtless will have to be settled by an
other administration than the present.
The Secretary's letter follows:
March 10, 1906.
MY Dear Sir-I have your letter of
March Z, in which you say that COM
mon Interpretation of my remarks before
the House committee on ways and means
is that 1t is purpose of the administers
ton to give independence to the Philip
pines within the next four years and that
this produces great timidity about in
vestments In the Philippines, growing in
great part out of the undercurrent OF
doubt as to what the future of these Is
lands is to be.
I'm reply l beg to say that I cannot
prevent misconstfuction of my remarks
except by repeating to you what actual
~ think in reference to the matter. The
policy of the administration is the in
definite retention of the Philippine islands,
for the purpose of developing the pros
perity and governing capacity Of the
Filipino people. The policy rests on the
conviction that the people are not now
capable of self-government and will not
be for a long period of time. certainly
not for a generation and probably not
for a longer time than that and that until
they are ready for self-government it
would be violation of trust for the Uni
ted States to abandon the islands.
The question as to the future, however,
Is one wholly of conjecture. The import
ant fact is the present policy which Is
that of the indefinite retention Of the
islands. What shall be done in the future
when the people have reached condi-
tion where they can be safely trusted with
their own government is a question which
VIII uoupliess nave W NC settieu ny an
other generation than the present, by the
American and Philippine people to whose
wisdom and generosity we may safely
trust the solution of the problem. Should
the Philippine people who are fit for self
government demand independence
should be strongly in favor of giving 1t
to them and / have no doubt that the
American people of the next generation
would be of the same opinion. / think II
much more likely, however, that after the
Filipino people shall have been associated
with the American people for a generation
or more and shall have tasted the pros
perity they will find behind the national
tariff wall they will prefer a relation to
America like that of Canada or Australia
to England to one of absolute independ-
enee. Very respectfully yours,
WILLIAM Fl. TAFT"