The Washington herald., 1907-10-17
Mr.. Taft TO the Filipiuos.

Secretary Taft has again set foot in
the Philippines 10 face a situation which
spells something like the failure Of Amer
lean administration. Not by any means
complete failure. for there is much that
may be commended IN our conduct Of the
archipelago's affairs; but a failure 10
win the loyalty and devotion OF our
wards. and 10 promote their material
prosperity. The very informing cablegram
from Manila which we printed on We'd
nesday tells OF the agitation, uncertainty,
and unrest prevailing in the Philippines
20 the detriment Of industry and COM
merce. Most Of this was attributed to the
want Of a definite and permanent policy
with respect TO the future of the islands
and there was noted an expectation that
Secretary Taft would bring a message
tending to obliterate the dreams Of indie
pendence and indicating Washington's
policy"
But Mr.. Taft as his address to the
Philippine assembly shows, brought no
such message. He could not do so, for
the determination OF our relations with
the Philippines rests with Congress. He
could only reiterate, what has been said
many times before. that the policy OF the
United States. so far as il has a policy,
is to tit the Filipinos for f-government.
and then to let them determine for them
selves what their future shall be. This
policy, Mr.. Taft admits, must logically
result in ending the sovereignty of the
United States, unless both people agree
to h..
beneficial trade relations" VIII this
answer the question so anxiousIy raised
in Manila? VIII it satisfy either the
FilipinOs. who want independence, and
who have a two-thirds majority in the
newly elected assembly, or the various
interests. largely foreign, which demand
that American control be settled and
permanent?
The cry Of the Filipinos, as Bishop
Brent has eloquently shown, is for eco
nomic justice. On this point Mr.. Taft
could be no more specific than on the
wider question Of future policy. and for
the same reason, Congress alone can de-
termine it. The Secretary of War, how
ever, ventured to anticipate that Congress
on the Philippine tariff bill by reducing
the duty on sugar and tobacco and lin
iting the importation of those commodi-
ties. BY placing a limit on impOrtations
it is hoped to allay opposition 10 re-
duction of the tariff Although this fine
bit Of politics looks very much like a de-
lusion and a snare. Mr.. Taft thinks it
will rastora the rrocnarft.y 90 al. -r-.-.
At all events, they viii have 10 content
themselves with the privilege, grudgingly
bestowed, of marketing whatever portion
Of their product in this country our stand
patters think fit
Our course in regard to the Philippine
ariff bill reveals the weak spot in our
colonial policy. 1t is that we persist in
governing the Filipinos from our point
Of view, not theirs What they want
and what they need is of small conse-
Quence beside what we think they ought
to have and are willing to give them.
They need our markets, but we are un-
willing to let them in because the beet
growers of Michigan and Colorado pro-
test They want clothing. We compel
them 70 pay exhorbitant prices unless
they buy from rs at prosperity figures.
Selfish exploitation. in brief. is the key
note Of our commercial dealings with
the islands, as a fine, though possibly
utopian altruism. is the keynote of our
political relations with them. We are
willing TO educate and uplift our wards,
we are ready to spend millions to defend
them from aggression. but we won't run
the risk of having a domestic beet grower
lose a dollar TO give the Filipino planter
a chance to live
And the worst Of it is that no one.
not even the optimistic Taft, knows Of
any better way of dealing with the
Philippine problem. Mr.. Taft feels pro-
foundly satisfied with the present state