The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-31
TAFT MAKES GOOD
IMPRESSION IN
BOSTON TALK
Secretary Hailed There as "0ur
Next President
IS A SON OF NEW ENGLAND
Defends Policies Of President Roose.
welt az the Best For Genera!
Good Of Country.

BOSTON, Dec. 31.--Progress In the
Philippines, politically. educationally
and sanitary, all tending toward ulti.
mate self government, was the basis Of
the address Of Secretary Of War VII.
liam II. Taft before 400 Boston minis
ters. 1t was his first pubic utterance
since the completion of his tour around
the world as well as the first Of three
addresses he made In Boston.
Secretary Taft spent considerable
time In refuting the arguments of the
so called anti-lmperialists, the MAORI
ty Of whose advocates he seemed to
think belonged to Boston. He said
that with only per cent Of the In.
habitants Of the Philippines sufficient.
ly educated to understand self gov.
eminent 1t would be dangerous to give
the islands over at this time. He plac-
ed ultimate self government not ear
lier than a generation or perhaps two
of them.
He said that great progress had been
made in the last five years, but that
the movement of education was held
back by lack of funds. He hoped that
the islands would not be given up en-
tirely TO sugar or tobacco industry, be-
cause both were controlled more or
less by policies Of the business world.
He considered that the hemp industry
was the most lucrative, while he
strongly advocated the removal of the
tariff In this country on sugar and to-
bacco from the Philippines.
Mr.. Taft was warmly greeted by the
audience, and several leading divines,
who spoke briefly, referred to his po-
litical future and expressed hope that
be might become president.
Secretary Taft at the banquet Of the
Merchants and Manufacturers asso-
citation last night said in part:
Il am glad to be here. For more
than two years l have been trying to
accept your kind invitation. l do not
feel strange in this New England COM
pany. My father was born In Yer
mont, my mother was born In Boston,
my two grandfathers were born I'm
Mendon, Worcester county; much Of
my boyhood was spent In Millbury, and
was educated at Yale While can
not claim to be one Of you, like to
boast that have enjoyed the good in
duence Of the same traditions.
II had expected to talk to you about
the Philippines. That was one Of the
reasons why accepted the invitation
so lightly. 1t Is subject easy for me
TO talk about. 1t may be getting a lit
tie stale. For instance, l have found
that one of the best methods Of dis
couraging my friends, the correspond
ents of the press In Washington, from
pursuing embarrassing inquiries into
other matters Is to insist On discussing
with them for publication interesting
phases Of the Philippines situation.
They leave forthwith. But I had sup.
posed that, however dead the islands
might be as topic inviting discussion
and attracting attention elsewhere, one
could rouse some excitement over II
still In Boston. I have been warned
however, that here, too, there were
subjects mere absorbing. at least for
business men. SO when was honored
! by an invitation to address the minis.
ters of Boston, whose profession car
ries them naturally in consideration
Of other worlds, said my say In re.
spect to the Philippines and the, to me-
very absorbing national problem, which
| hope and believe we are working OUT
successfully. 1t follows that for this
company must find another subject
During the last three months the
country has suffered from severe
monetary panic. Even yet the clear
ing house certificates linger In your
bank exchanges as emphatic evidence
of its severity and Of the extreme
measures which had to be taken tt
avoid greater disaster. Doubtless
many OF, my hearers have not yet re
covered from the intense nervous
strain and mental suffering to which
they have been subjected since tn.
middle Of October. The panic has beer
given a certain political bearing an(
importance. For this reason have sc
lected as my topic the panic Of 1907
its causes, its probable effects and tn
relation to 1t of the policies Of the ma
tional administration.
1T Is said that the administration
has arraigned the whole business com
munity as dishonest. deny 1t. Thu
president has condemned lawbreakers
He has convinced those who have TN
lawfully accumulated enormous pow
ers and capital that they are not i'm
mune. He has put the fear Of the Law
In their hearts. They have been acut
enough to attempt to protect them
selves by giving the impression tina
his action has been directed agains
the whole business community. 1t
true that the business men Of our CON
munity as whole are honest and thei
methods sound. The president Ia
never said otherwise. Indeed It
chiefly in the interest of the grea
body of honest business men TINT b
has made his great fight for Lawful
business methods.
| ssAgnin n Ia snid that the rate bi