The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-05
TAFT SECOND TO
ALICE ROOSEVELT
Trip to Orient Expensive to the
Island Government-And a
Girl Had First Place.
N.w York Herald Special Service.


ficials term trips, of Inspection and
what plain folks calls ssjunkets. u
It cost the civil government of the
Philippines about $4,000 for travelling
expenses and entertainment of Secreta-
ry Taft and his staff, Miss Alice Roose-
Welt, the presidents s daughter, and the
thirty-one senators and representatives,
who were invited to go i'm the hope that
they would become friendly advocates
of whatever the Philippines need in the
way of legislation.
Originally planned with view solely
to it's effect on insular policies, the trip
grew in significance until there. was i'm
perial pageantry and world: diplomacy
yon the side and little official heart
tration is, however, convinced that as a
result the Dingley, schedules on Phil
ippine products will be revised. '..''
Girl the Central Figure.
Miss Alice Roosevelt was invited to
join the party and went along merely
for pleasure trip. The result of her
presence, however. was to force Mr.
Taft and the grave e and reverend mem
ground. The orientals-not only in
Japan, China and Korea, but even in
the Philippines insisted on regarding
her as royal princess. They made
her the central figure at all functions,
relegating Mr.. Taft to the position OF
cicerone and CHASING the visiting states.
men as mere members OF the imperial
encourage.
The inception of tho trip occurred
when Mr.. Taft resigned as civil COVER
nor Of the Philippines to become sec.
retary of war, early in 1908. He told
the Filipinos he was coming back after
the census had been taken to see if
they were prepared for the popular as
sembly which had been promised them
AS secretary of war Mr.. Taft labored
with two congresses for free trade
legislation on Philippine.
standpatters Not Along.
He decided last winter that he would
go to, the Philippines some time after
and he asked Senator Allison, chair
man of the senate committee On appro-
priations, and Speaker Cannon Of the
house, to accom- pany him. Both are
standpatters. Their joint motto is
''no tinkering with the tariff - They
did not go to the Philippines Senator
outing and Speaker Cannon found some
excuse. to avoid getting on the other
side of the world, where he might be
converted. Thirty-one others Of more
or less Importance in congress accepted
and made the trip, many Of them with
their wives.
Their travelling expenses and that of
their entertainment in Manila was
borne by the civil government of the
Philippines. It cost about $500 for
each guest, and there were many ex-
tras. About $4,000 was spent by the
war department.. Had the entire sen:
ate and house of representatives de:
sired to go the civil government would
have had to foot the bill, for it was
made known to congress that it was de-
sired that any number Of either branch
was invited and his EXPENSE would be
paid.
& 80. The Trip to Japan. :s.r
: It will probably never be known just
what instructions Secretary Taft hao
from the president as to his visit il
Japan. Nevertheless, the visit was i'm
exerted his influence in favor Of peace
A good deal of mystery is maintained
in Washington regarding his confer
ences with officials of the Japanese gov
ernment, but there was general ex
change of views on the situation in tn
orient, with the result that Japan OK
pressed the same hope that Secretar.
Taft did-that the present status in tn
orient should be maintained, lastin,
peace effectual.
Secretary Taft asked Japan for n
disavowal Of designs against the Philip
pines, but as soon as the party lande
in the mikado g country Japanese off
cials took occasion Voluntarily to. lte,
ate and reiterate that Japan had n
designs against the Philippines. Eve
the leader of the political party, in OF
position to the government took occs
sion publicly to declare this.
Sooraforv Taff yUae told that lana
not only had no ambition to possess tn
Philippines, but hoped that no othe
government had, and that the Unite
Estates would maintain permane1
government in the islands, so tha
Japan would feel secure on that sid'
These protestations of no desire fc
the Philippines have been publicly II
newed in various forms everywher
since Mr.. Taft was in Toxic.
Were Filipinos Loyal,
The principal question which puzzle
the American legislators. was whethe
9or not the Filipincs were loyal; Man
of them were told by, persons outsid
the civil government that there was n
such thing as loyalty among the native
of the Archipelago. This is view el
tertained by many army officers.
At meetings attended by the senator
and representatives in Manila many {
the more rabid independence advocate
We're turned loose and told to preser
their case. They had only vague ide:
of self government! Senator Duboi
upon his return to the United State
represented the views of MANY when |
said that he believed Secretary Ia
was the only one in the party who W:
not sorry the United States had a
quired the Philippines, but having a
quired the islands, Senator Dubois
heartily in favor Of certain of the a
ministration's policies for their contr
and future.
The Chinese Boycott.
/, Before Secretary Taft sailed for tt
orient it was known that the Chine
merchant guilds contemplated bo
;cott in retaliation for the harsh a
ministration Of the Chinese .exclusi
law of this country. It was part
his mission to allay this anti-Ame
can propaganda, and he succeeded
part. He conferred with many emine
Chinese merchants and officials anu :
sured them that the United States W
disposed to treat China fairly in t
matter of immigration, but that leg
lation was necessary and that the 8
ministration would urge congress to
the proper thing. This was effecti
and the boycott began to wane.
So far as can be learned in Was
1ngton. the trip which Miss Roo!
yelt made to China and consequent
to Korea was purely Of her own vo
5fion and had no official oha o4a o4 r