Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-08-12
ATTITUDE TOWARD FILIPINOS
Secretary Taft Outlines Policy Of Admins
tratioD in Speech at Manila.
UNITED STATES PROTECTOR OF ISLANDS
Campaign of Education Lasting a
Generation VIII he Necessary
Before People Can he Trusted
with Government.

MANILA. Aug IA banquet given by
natives to the Taft party tonight attracted
great interest as It was expected that Sec
retary Taft would outline the policy Of the
present administration. For some time past
the feeling among the natives has been that
the administration was deviating from the
Mckinley policy and as a result there has
been a noticeable dsanection among poll
ticians with the insular government and
also much unrest.
This attitude was met fearlessly by Sec
retary Taft, who upheld the administration
policy. When he finished his address he
was loudly cheered. He said in part in re-
sponse to the toast, THE Present Admins
tration in the Philippines"
On my part It is due you that II | do
nothing else tonight | should make clear
the views of the administration upon the
present and future of the Islands. -
question am to discuss. into three parties.
There is a considerable number who nave
influence Of America, by purchase and con-
! quest into the orient, enlarging the power
\ of the American government for the pur-
| pose OF controlling the Pacific and securing
! the largest share possible of the oriental
| trade, yet undeveloped during the next 100
years.
Policy Of fAdministration.
| There is a second party. and this is much
| the largest, who regard our taking over the
| islands from Spain after the war with the
! graVest reluctance and who would have
| been gratified in the extreme II the as
| sumption of the burden could have been
| avoided. The issue has been under consid-
| Grafton by this parry, and, indeed, by the
! whole American people and the attitude
| of mind they now hold respecting the Phil
! ippines may be stated with some accu-
J raCy. .
! They have come to the conclusion that
| however reluctant they were to accept the
fate thrown upon them. II is their duty to
! meet the responsibilities imposed upon them
! with promptness, courage and hope. They
believe that they have become the trustees
and protectors Of the whole Philippine peo-
pie and must prepare that people to main
tain the stable government now there.
lheIe Is a IIiru i paICg WnIci, ,,5 iaNOl5 81
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 governing 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 the
| ground that the Filipinos can make their
own government. This third party has
been twice defeated i'm an election on that
The second party has for its chief ex-
ponent President Roosevelt He believes
that it is the duty of the United States
to prepare the Filipinos for self-govern-
ment. This will require a generation and
probably longer and the form of self-gov-
ernment will be left to the individuals
who will control the two nations at that
time. 1t follows that the president and
Fiipinos, feels charged with the duty OF
proceeding on this policy and maintaining
here the sovereignty Of the United States
tion and elevation of the whole Of the
Filipino people to seIf-governing com
\ munity.
Generation of Education.
Secretary Taft in forceful language stated
that the Filipinos who wish to rule this
country must first learn the principles OF
democracy by sending their children to
the common schools before they can invite
the United States to transfer the trust
which has been thrown upon them to their
shoulders. To make self-governing and
popular democracy, primary education
habits of greater industry and thrift must
always be kept, he said, before the young
patriotic Filipinos. He continued:
In number of the provinces the people
with the greatest difficulty avoid starva,
tion. Now this is not due to the soil ol
unfavorable agricultural conditions. AL
| these are easily overcome by the industry
which is manifest In Japan and Java. The
foundation of a great nation like Japan Il
in the industry, thrift and intelligence OF
the people.
The secretary affirmed that a popular
, assembly would be formed, II no insurrec
, tion exists, in April. 1907. The admins
tration's policy he said, was the Philip
pines for the Filipinos. II the American
officials were not in sympathy with thiI
: policy and the natives, they would be re
called
The secretary said in conclusion that 1
was. the presidents desire that all mus
. work for their benefit.
Representative Hepburn spoke along tn
Z same lines.
Miss Roosevelt was entertained early thi
evening at a dinner by Commissioner Ide
On entering the banquet room she wa
roundly cheeTed.