The Washington times., 1905-11-04
! HARD TIMES CAUSE
FILIPINO GRUNTS
Such Is Taft's Opinion After
Visiting Islands.
GENERAL STATE is HOPEFUL
Lethargic, Dependent Nature of People
One Drawback-Demand for Edu-
cation Good Sign.

cation Good Sign.
Secretary of War Taft has in the cur
rent issue Of the Independent state
ment OF his impressions OF the Philip
pines upon his return to the Islands, or
which he was the first American civil
governor.
He says in part:
I'VE Americans have grown 50 accus-
toned to rapidity OF development in our
own country, and to the display of great
individual initiative and enterprise, that
We are prone to expect results too rapid
ly in the Philippines.
Encouraging.
When one looks backward instead OF
forward. and compares the achieve
ments 10 date in the Philippines with
the state OF affairs previously existing
there, he finds reason for encourage
ment. and is able TO appreciate the pet
ter the net results OF the new govern
ment
Despite some few provinces in Whlcn
special conditions, economic or political
or both together, have prevented any
general Improvement It is impossible
not to think that the most important
features OF the situation in the RhlLp-
mines at present are the great increase
IN school enrolment and attendance. the
great and general popular enthusiasm
over education. and the significant re-
sr,lts already achieved in our American
schools there; a net Improvement. over
the archipelago as a whole, OF the means
of transportation, both by water ana by
land. for which the GovernmeshhI Ieo tbo
serves credit TO a degree when lne
charges of certain uninfcrmed crlIlcs en-
tireiy conceal; a net improvement ~
most Of the provinces. III m I5e(isoTS ~ TS,,r ~,
of the majority Of the people-thls Ids' @
despite hard times In most proVinces..
too; and general, steady improvement
in the conditions OF public order. IN al al
the provinces save the few ABOVE re
ferred 10 as exceptional.
Despite Hard Times.
.I would rather point to these results
ss the more notable because achieved
in the face of hard times,
NO Government policy could have
averted or wholly renedied the effects
OF the hard times that have come
to the Philippines in large. part through
providentiaI causes. The var, th'
destrnction of the draft animals b.
rinderpest. the cholera, locusts, ana II
some places a series, Of droughts. nav. nav
been woes that trod on each otheI
heels. so fast they followed.
Natives Sluggish.
Were there greater individual initia
tive among the Filipinos, and wer'
Ignorance and apathy less widespread
among their masses, the effect OF thes
visifations would not have been 81
great.
Even the relatively small class o
educated men Is too prone TO waste
valuable time in lamentations and L
count upon some governmental meas
11re of salvation when in part tn
remedy for their Ills lies in their hand
as landhoIders IN country rich Il
resources.
7 do not consider the present stat
of the Filipinos as being so ntlerI
miserable as some Of their numbe
nafnt IL Despite all the talk one hear
there is more ready money loose IN IN
Philippines today In IA al }nDo Prooa PHI u
very certainly there IS more none
passing through the hands of the low
er-class Fiiipinos
help toward legislation in Congress III
winter reducing al least 70 . per Ger
81 the rates of the Dingley tariff n
duties collected in our ports or PhlIiI
pine sugar and tobacco
Orient Their Market.
"But I have been saying TO my Filipin
friends that they must not think tha
matter viii prove 10 be panacea fS
al their Ills. I believe their natur;
market for sugar and tobacco Is in II
Asiatic region. in China, Japan an
other countries / regard the reductio
OF the tarifH In our ports as chiefly in
,,ortant sentimentaTy and in raising n
prices at which the Philippines viii di
nose Of their suoar to China and JaDal
E,Jt the FIIipinos must get down 10 WOT
and improve their own methods OF cult
waiting and preparing their products Il
the market"
Mr. Taft said the talk OF independent
was chiefly in districts suffering fro
hard times.
1.-THE influence that prosperity h
was apparent when We reached II
hemp provinces, where high price
for traders farmers and labOrers ain
have resulted in great general lmprOv
rnent in the standard Of living, the ina
guratiOn of public improvements out
local funds. and the existence Of a sta
OF relatively perfect order ana peac
In those communities the petitions al
speeches at the banquet did not speak
independence. but Of remedies for e
listing conditions IN government Viii
their makers thought worthy OF brln
ing 10 the attention Of our party.
viii Always Kick.
Grievances against our Government
the Islands. whether well-founded
unfounded. will always be seized up
bv q certain element which is only wa
ing for such opportunities for agitatiC
Political discontent in the Philippin
win always take the form Of a cal
pafRn for independence. more or less II
mediate The FihpinOs. who have OPT
ions OF their own. cannot at any III
thus be stampede0 FOR immediate inc
pendence.