The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-08
TAFT MUST MEND
ISLAND BREAKS
Civil Government at Serious Crisis,
with Wright's Influence
Almost Gone.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service.
Washington, July 8.-Imminence of
an absolute breakdown in the civil gov
eminent Of the Philippines is what is
taking Secretary Taft to the insular
possessions. Governor Wright has not
ments of the natives that would enable
him to administer the affairs of the
islands in a satisfactory manner.
The. governor has lost the influence
which his predecessor possessed over
the natives, and unless Taft succeeds
in restoring the old relations the early
retirement Of Governor Wright must
follow the tour Of inspection Of the
secretary.
Ore of the worst results of the gov
ernor g course is a refusal Of the native
property owners to pay taxes levied by
the new rulers of the country. Before
the Americans came there were no such
things as land and internal revenue
taxes. When they were imposed Gov
ernor Taft was able to "jolly" lead,
ing natives into paying them, altho it
went much against the grain.
Taft Jollied Islanders.
Taft's way Of getting disagreeable
things done was to get an influential
native into his office and persuade him
that by doing as the Americans wanted
him to do he was really serving his
own interests best. He was making
himself leader in the community and
in the end would be just as influential
as he had been under the weak Spanish
regime. 1t was all government by
"iolly.o
The Wright way has been. entirely
different. The Wright way has been
to point to the laws made by the legis-
lative body and suggest to the balky
native that he could read, or could hire
someone that could, and that his bust
| ness was to do what was commanded in
the statutes. That way Of governing
| has not been successful.
Saved by Bond Sale.
It does. no good in the Philippines
of delinquent taxes. The natives gen
orally are too poor to buy even tax
titles; besides, most Of them are toe
much in sympathy to take advantage
of such opportunities, even if they un
! derstood them. The falling off in rev
1 enues has been so great that had it not
been for the sale Of bonds the proba
bility is there would have been finan
cial collapse before this time. The pro
ceeds from bonds and certificates of i'll
debtedness have been used to bolster
up the weak places in the current ex
penses purse OF course, in time. thu
loans Of this kind are to be repaid.
The Friar Land Deal.
\ The thing that grinds worst is tn
rejectment Of compromise with tn
Dominican friars for the disposal O.
their lands to the Philippine govern
ment. That was arranged less thai
!! two months ago by Secretary Taft him
self. The titles to the Dominican land
are defective and for that reason tn
secretary called to his office here repre-
sentatives Of the company holding tn
lands. for the friars and arranged wit
them for transfer that safeguardet
as he thought, the interests of the Phi
5 ippine government.
, Then, as he thought, he went thr
the motions Of submitting the con
promise to the Philippine governmen
5 for its approval. Approval was t
come. as d mere matter Of form, b
thought.
II Instead Of approval. however, cam
/. a decided rejection. The governor we
!, particularly stiff -necked about the ma
4 ter. Taft could do nothing with hin
9 This reason for going to the island
!. arose after the trip was planned, but
Z made it imperative that Taft continu
: his journey even if John Hay We
dead