Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-21
DRUCE WITNESS HELD D'SECRETARY TAFT BACK
Robert Caldwell Arrested in Reaches Washington After
New York for Perjury. Long Tour Around World.
WANTED BY BRITISH COURT REFRAINS FROM POLITICS
Taken But Talks of His Round World
Steamer. Trip.
SECOND AFFIDAVIT EXPLOIT GIVEN HEARTY WELCOME
He
the Follow Philip
London Assembly
Reaches Washington After
Long Tour Around World.
REFRAINS FROM POLITICS
But Talks of His 'Round-the- World
Trip.
WEN HEARTY WELCOME
Hopeful That Good Results Will
Follow the Meeting of Philip
pine Assembly.

Secretary William II. Taft, accompanied
by his son. Charlie Taft. arrived in WASH
ington over the Pennsylvania railroad last
eve ming at Go O'Clock.
At the station to meet the Secretary
We're a number of the officials of the
War and other departments, who gave
him a hearty welcome. Secretary Taft,
in reply, expressed his great pleasure in
reaching home again. When Secretary
Tart alighted from the train his friends
in official life and number Of newspa-
per men gathered around him and an
impromptu reception occurred.
Among those at the station to meet
the Secretary were: Gen. Oliver, as
sistant secretary of war; Beekman VIM
throp, assistant secretary of the Treas
ury; Huntington Wilson. third assistant
secretary of state; Quartermaster Cen
eral Aleshire; Capt. Wright, aid to the
chief of staff; Lieut.. Commander Cleland
Davis, acting chief of the naval bureau
of equipment; Mr. Scofield, chief clerk
of the War Department, and Judge Charl-
ton, law officer of the bureau of insular
affairs.
Mr.. Taft Discusses His Trip.
Pressed for a statement concerning his
trip and on the subj ct of politics, the
Secretary gazed at the new union station
for a moment and jocuarly remarked,
THAT is subject l am prepared to dis
cuss. Further than that the Secretary
could not be induced to talk, explaining
that he was somewhat tired out and was
anxious to get home.
The Secretary wore heavy black over
coat and a Russian fur cap. He looked
the picture of health and appeared to
be ir good spirits. Mr.. Taft was con-
siderably tanned from his long ocean voy-
age. Mrs. Taft and Miss Helen Taft re-
manned in New York city. where they will
be the guests of the Secretary's brother,
Henry w. Taft, for several days
Secretary Taft met the newspaper men
by appointment at his residence last night,
after which he called at the White House
to discuss with the President his trip
abroad. Mr.. Taft talked freely with the
newspaper men concerning his long trip
abroad. He declined to be drawn into a
discussion of the political situation, stat.
ing that he had been absent for SO long a
time that he was not familiar with the
trend of events. He did announce how
ever. that he had made an appointment to
meet Arthur l. Vorys. his campaign
manager, early next week in Washington
to talk over the situation. Secretary Taft
said that he expected to remain in WASH
ington all of next week, but he thought
it possible that he might have to go to
Cincinnati to look after the settlement OF
his mothers estate.
The Philippines.
On the subject of the Philippines, the
Secretary said il would not be admirable
to grant the Filipinos independence for at
least generation yet. Il have been very
much encouraged" said the Secretary
las to what we are accomplishing in the
way of training the Filipinos. / think
that today there is more cooperation be-
ttraa ho A mo h.
Filipinos in working for the benefit of the
islands in the matter of education and
business prosperity than ever before.
There never has been time when condi-
tins We're so quiet as at present. | have
no doubt that the general assembly has
been instrumental in bringing about that
situation.
THE conditions in the islands with re-
spect to business are better than thu
have been since l have known them. but
they are still not as good might be,
owing to the continuance of the cattle
disease which took away about 10 per
cent of the CATTLE
In speaking of the Philippine general as
sembly and of its speaker Mr.. Asmania,
who is not quite thirty years of age,
Secretary Taft said:
THE speaker is a very sensible and con-
servative kind of man. easily the ablest
man of the assembly of eighty members
and | am hopeful that the assembly may
produce some good legislation"
Taft Lost in New York.
Secretary Taft brought renewed assur-
ance of Japans friendiness towar the
United States. but declined to say any
thing with respect to the political situa-
ton in this country. He said that he
had been too long out of intimate touch
with political affairs at home to discuss
them in any way. One of Mr.. Taft's in
reviewers had the temerity to ask:
well. Mr.. Secretary, tell us who 10
your choice for President"
Amid general laughter in which he
heartily Joined. the Secretary replied:
Il guess l will have to leave that to
inference
During his two-hour stay in New York
Mr.. Taft was aboard the army tug Gen.
Joseph E. Johnston. which had taken
him from the liner President Grant at
quarantine. Newspaper men who had
gone down the bay to meet the return
ing Secretary reached the steamers side
after he had been transferred and then
followed a lively chase in an endeavor
to overhaul the army boat with the
crested and four-starred flag of the Sec
retary of War flying at the masthead.
The Johnston had been placed at the
disposal of Henry W. Taft, the Secre-
tary's brother.
Gen Frederick D. Grant. commanding
the Department of the East. also went
down on the Johnston to pay his re-
spects. First the Secretary was carrieL
to Jersey City to find out about trains,
and there it was announced that he would
receive the newspaper men at West 23d
street. New York, at a given hour. The
small army of reporters gathered at the
pier. but found they were again few
minutes late. Away went the reporters
again. and the Secretary finally was over
Eauled just he was about to take
the train for Washington. ne was most
cordial in manner. and laughingly re-
marked that he was sorry TO have been
lost so long in the harbor and that he
had caused so much trouble.
Locking exceedingly well. the Secretary
said he had taken daily five-nf1e walks
on the decks of the Grant during the
thirteen-day trip from Hamburg
Japan Not Seeking War.
'It is the height of foolishness to talk
of possible war with Japan declared
the Secretary. Japan doesn't desire war