The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-28
TAFT TALKS
 ABOUT TRIP Big War Secretary is Back I From Orient. EVENTS OF ITINERARY Jaunt Proved Interesting and
 Instructive. Cabinet Member, In an Interview, Tells Some of the Things He Learned
 During Long Journeys
 Progress.

| sNs1o A$o1b S~&AhNS Progress.
 San Francisco, Sept. 27.--The Pacific Steamship Company's liner Korea, Cap tain Feeder. arrived today from the Orient, beating the trans Pacific record hy several hours. Among her passen- gers were Secretary of War Taft and most of the members of a party which left with him for the Far East on the Nanchuria on July 8 last.
 The Korea sailed from Yokohama on September 17 and came direct to this city. emitting the usual stops at Hon oluiu.
 The best time for this passage was made by the same vessel which held the previous record of ten days and fifteen minutes. On this trip she has covered the distance In little over ten days Hat
 Tn an interview with an Associated Press representative. Secretary Taft said:
 "Reports coming from the Philippine Islands seemed to indicate that 1t would be wise for the head of the War Department to make a visit of inspec- ton to the island during the past sum mer and his going with sufficient stan was thought to present a good opportunity to form a party of Sena- tors and Representatives to visit the islands as guests of the Philippine government. The Philippine govern- ment was poor and was unable to do more than arrange for the passage money of the Congressman who would form part of the party. This did not include the sleeping car accommods- ton or the meals along the way and, indeed. left the Congressman to defray from their own pockets by far the larger part of the actual travelling ex- penses.
 .The party as organized consisted of twenty-three Representatives and sew eu Senator's. Of these thirteen were accompanied by their wives. Tn addi- tion, Miss Roosevelt and her friends. Miss Boardlnan and Miss McMillans were of the party and then a number of other persons, pleasant associates, joined the party, numbering about fifty people aER the unofiiclai party about eighty more.
 The Departure.
 We left Washington over the Bal- timore and Ohio Railway on tho 18th of June and sailed July on the Pa- cifie mall steamer Manchuria We reached Honolulu on the 14th and spent there only the hours between sunrise and sunset of that day, when we sailed again for Yokohama.
 We arrived in Yokohama on the 24th and were greatly surprised by the elaborate reception which had been prepared for us by the emperor. his cabinet ministers, the governors of the provinces. the mayors of the towns and the Japanese people. For five days we were the guests of the government and nothing could have exceeded the kind ness and enthusiastic manifestations of the people shown to us. It was chiefly due to the presence of the daughter of the President to whom the people wished to show their gratitude for his efforts for peace.
 Tn leaving Tokio we were given a popular farewell such as had never been seen In Tokio before. The whole immense square in front of the raiI- road station was crowded with people shouting Bansaf and extending to us every evidence of good will and friend ship and also along the line of the rail- road In special train which was called the welcome special
 As we went from Yokohama and the various towns on our way to Kyoto we were greeted by the governors of the various provinces and by the may ,ors of the various cities and bv the councils until we reached Kyoto, where we spent more than twenty-four hours as guests of the city and were given an opportunity to see the marvellous man ufactures and interesting places of the Japanese capital. From Kyoto wa went to Kobe, where we took the steamer through the inland sea to Ma gasaki and there again we had a real Japanese welcome and a midday festf- val
 Proceeding on the Manchurla to Manila. we enjoyed a four days, rest We landed in Manila on saturdav the 9th of August The whole party was taken care of by private houses. as there were no hotels suitable. This is one trouble in Manila, but the commute sion, through the municipal council. is taking steps to secure the necessary capital for the erection of a great hotel on the Luneta.
 Public ProeesaIon.
 Most elaborate preparations had been made for our reception in Manila. but we arrived one day ahead of time: accordingly, all of the reception except the flotilla of boats which met us in the harbor was postponed until Monday morning, when we were giyRn an op- portunity to see fin the procession the progress which has been made in civil government and in the business of the islands The procession was most in structive and worthy the character of the municipal organization of Manila. The school department and the fire de- partment of Manila showed that their city was now, under American manage ment ,an excellent up-to-date city. 1t is still lacking an adequate water sup- ply and the proper hygienlc sewer sys- tenn, but authority has been given by Congress to construct both
 Tt was very gratifying on landing to And that the harbor works, which will probably make Manila harbor as convenient as any other in the Orient. in the main were completed so that the largest vessels were able to land and unload in stormy weather, during the southwest monsoon, behind the break water. something which was unheard of two years ago.
 The Secretary here referred in detail to some of the recent improvements. He
 .~rhe political situation fin some re- .oats uias not as good as 1t ought to bs wave of Ladronism has swept o,,.- the nrovnce of Cavlte, and 1t has Soo, found necessary to suspend the ,,,rit of habeas corpus in the provinces es cevite and Exchanges. The same S,.. trna of Samar. but the use or t tn samar and the use of the
 o,,ts and constabularS in Cavite has mi an end to this business; however, there were two or three men responsi- bIe for the keeping up of the Ladron- isra who had not been captured. Com