The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-01
TAFT ON PHILIPPINES.
ADMINISTRATIONS POLICY IN
ISLANDS DEFENDED.

stantial Glass of FlIipinOs Do Not
Seek Independence-Our Policy One
| of AltruIsm-Free Trade Between
United States and Philippines AdvO-
cated-Experiment in Philippines SUI
periOr to EngIand's Ventures in the
Tropics.
Judge William H. Taft, secretary Of
war, delivered an address last night on
The Responsibilities of Citizenship"
as viewed from the standpoint of col
onial administration. The address was
one of the series delivered on the Dodge
foundation in Yale university. Judge
Tafts address last night was a defense
Of the administrators policy in the
Philippine Islands.
Judge Taft began by reviewing in
outline the salient points in the history
of the United States entrance into the
islands, the military occupation there
of, and the pacifcation of the islands.
| of the American merchants who came
in the wake of the big army, and the
| troubles that befell them on the with
| drawal of large part of that army.
He pointed out the serious defects in
the treatment by those merchants of
the class of people whose business they
hoped to secure when the American
| soldiers withdrew. He said that many
| of the merchants adopted an attitude
of bitterness and criticism toward the
| Filipino, and insulted their customers,
driving them to the English, German,
Spanish and Swiss merchants, who ca
tered to the Filipino more successfully
on that account. The American mer-
chants in their disappointment, said
Judge Taft, have sought out a scape-
goat for their failure TO get control Of
the business in the Philippines, and
made the government that scapegoat.
But he forsees chance now to q more
sensible view, because an incentive has
sprung up to secure the good will Of
the FHlipinos.
! Judge Taft discussed at length the
difficulties Of according to the Filipinos
immediate autonomy in government,
He said that the vast majority of the
Filipinos are not ready for it, lacking
experience, and lacking education In
| self control Scarcely tenth of the
people have good educational qualifica-
tons, and not all of that small class
are eager for the Americans to leave.
He pointed out that when there was
talk some time ago of the islands pass
ing to the Japanese there was anxiety
and alarm among a large class of Eli
ipinos, who greatly preferred that the
United States should continue to exer-
else guardianship and control over the
| islands,
Judge Taft said in part:
1T Is true that most of those who are
advocating Independence for the Flip
inc are Of those whose voices we heard
recently echoed In Boston and else
where. They are persons who have
not the slightest idea of maintaining
a really popular form of government in
the Philippine Islands. To give these
Islands now an independent form Of
government would be to bring on chaos
and would soon neeessitate the return
Of the American troops there. Even
the ten per cent. of the Filipinos who
want an olgarchy are really unfit to
assume the reins of government. The
men who favor independence In the
islands are not the substantial and
practical men of affairs there. The
| 40 fNtxy a.1 10 Ei
ands is one of altruisn. We have done
much for the Filipino that he could not
do for himself We haveorganized a
government there, and viii gradually
give him larger participate in that
government as fast as they become
capable of such participation. We have
suppressed ladronistn, and have elimin-
ated the question of the friars lands;
we have built telegraph lines and rail-
way lines. But we have not been able
to bring in a period of good times for
causes Aeyond our control But we are
in the Philippines to discharge the
highest duty Of one nation towards an
other, and not to increase our trade"
| Judge Taft said that congress has
been wise generally in placing the pow
err of administration at Manila. But he
regretted that greater prosperity of
material kind has not come with such
administration. He predicted that IL
free trade between the islands, and the
| United States Is permitted such pros
perity in trade will be greatly assisted
ard stimulated. But whether that will
Happen through legislation promulgat-
| ed by the present congress, he said DO
does not know, THAT 1t ought TO come
do know" he remarked. Until that
time we must expect to be blamed for
everything that comes. We must ex-
pect to hear the criticism and COM
plant of the Filipino also. But We
must persevere in order to put them on
their feet"
Judge Taft then compared the admin
| istration of affairs in the Philippines
with Engiand's commercial policy in
the tropics. He considered the expert
ment of the United States in the Phil
ippines superior to that Of England in
the tropics, even In Egypt, because al
though England has greatly benefited
her dependencies, the United States has
undertaken to elevate the individual in
the Philippines through education and
by giving him q voice in the admins
tration of the government, so as to
train him for independence. Judge
Taft said that the next century will
see great improvement in tropical coun-
,vA1A Il