Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-08-19
A COLONIAL POLICY
Secretary Taft Outlines Amer
ica's Hope For Philippines.
INDEPENDENCE WHEN RIPE FOR II
Ex-Governor Clearly States Attitude
of Administration In Regard TO
the Island Colony and
Its People.

Its PeODIe.
MANILA, Aug. PA banquet given
by natives to Secretary of War Taft's
party last night attracted great in
fereSt, as it was expected that Score
fary Taft would outline the policy OF
the present administration. For some
time the feeling among the natives
has been that the administration was
deyiating from the Mckinley policy
and as result there has been no.
nceable disaffeetion among politicians
with the insular government and also
much unrest.
rms attitude was met fearlessly by
secretary Taft who upheld the adj
ministration policy. When he finished
MS address he was loudly applauded.
He said In part in response TO fbe
toast, "The Present Administration In
fine Philippines
On my part 1t is due You that " I
do nothing else tonight | should mako
clear fhe views of the administration
upon the present and future OF the
islands.
Inc American people are divided
upon the question / am to discuss into
three parties.
There as considerable number wf1o
nave the real imperialist idea OF ex-
tending the influence of America Inv
purchase and conquest into the orient.
enlarging the power of the American
government for rhe purpose Of CONTROL. |
ang the Pacific and securing the largest
snare possible Of the orient trade, yet |
undeyeloped, during the 100 years.
Inere rs second party, and this !
much the larger, who regard our tax |
Ing over .he islands from Spain after
the war with the gravest reluctance |
and who weuld have been gratified in
the extreme IL the assumption of the
byyden could have been avoided.
The 1ssue has been under consfdera
zion by this party and indeed by the
whole American people, and the atti-
tude CT mind they now hold respecting
the Philippines May be stated with
some accuracy.
@'They have come to the conclusion
fhat however reluctant they were TO
accept the fate thrown upon them. it
Is their duty to meet the responsible
aies imposed upon them with prompt
sness, courage and hope. They believe
shat they have become the trustees and
protectors of the whole Philippine peo-
pie and must prepare that people to
,naintain the stable government now
there.
il, There Is a third party, which fayors
giving the island Immediate independ
'ence This party may be divided into
two classes, having different motives.
The first class is anxious to rid the
United states of the burden of gov
,ernlng the Filipinos for the benefit of
the United States. The second class is
anxious TO rid the Philippines of the
government of the United States on
Vths ground that the Filipinos can
make their own government. This third |
,onrty has been twice defeated in an |
election on that issue.
THE second party has for its chief |
exponent President Roosevelt. lie be- !
lieyes that ii is the duty of the United |
States TO prepare the Filipinos for self
government This will require gen
Grafton and probably longer, and the
to the individuals who will control the
two nations at that time 1t follows
that the president. and he himself de
sires me TO say this to the Filipinos.
feels charged with the duty of proceed
ing on this policy and maintaining the
sovereignty Of the United States here
as an Instrument of the gradual edu-
Gallon and elevation of the whole OF
She E'llirinO people to self governing
community
Ybe secretary affirmed that popular
assembly would be formed, if no inSur-
gect1m existed, in April, 1897.
The administrations policy, he said,
rras the Philippines for the Filipn0s.
II the American officers were not in
sympathy with this policy and with
the natives they would be recalled.
Secretary Taft said in conclusion
that il was the presidents desire that
al must work for their benefit.
Representative Hepburn spoke along
the same lines
Miss Roosevelt was entertained early
last evening at dinner by Commits
Sioner Idc on entering the banquet
goom she was roundly Cheered.