The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-04-29
Voters More Independent Than They Used To They Of


Rico, Cuba and on the isthmus OF
Panama. IL Ii inevitable that great
many OF the Americans who 90 first W
our tropical dependencies. a long dis
lance from the United States. should
he wandering aud irresponsible"
He pointed out that even stald-and
upright men OF good habits ut home
often yielded. when IN the tropics, 10
the temptation 10 drlnkAnd otherwise
clsslpate. This was due In n measure.
he thought, 10 the fact that there were
few places OF amusement, the libraries
were insufficient and home surround
ings were lacking. This he thought
was particularly unfortunate both for
the men themselves and ON dccount
OF the public example I'm view OF what
we are trying TO do with these tropical
people In the Philippines.
Nothing contributes more 60 the
support OF the views OF opponents OF
our plans Of progress than the pres
ence In Manila and other cities and
towns Of dissOlute Americans whose
example Is anything but edIfying and
who form an object lesson 10 enforce
the claim made by our opponents that
there Is nothing Of value In American
civilization for them 10 follow. Their
people are generally temperate peo-
pie. ~ most tropical peoples are. while
northern people In the tropics are not
lnfrcquently given 10 lntempcrance.
Now. the way Ia avoid this Is 70 fur.
nlsh place In which the leisure hours
of Americans In these dependencies
can bcpnssed In rational. cleyatlng aha
moral pursuits and entertainments.
The Young Mems Christian assocla.
ton Is one of the most effective In.
struments ~ this end that we have.
Recently MIR. Mott ~ the association
raised In this country $4,000 for the
construction ~ building In Manila
on condition that $4,000 should he
added 10 the SSOO0O for this purpose
10y the citizens of Manila. II II ex-
pressing highly for the public spirits
~ the Americans and Others I'm Ma
Mia and for the energy ~ the agents
who represent the association In Ma.
Mia that In very few days after the
offer became known. although bssine-s
conditions are by NO means highly
prosperous. $4,000 were raised. and
the generous enterprise has become q
completed thing"
Secretary Taft said that on the 18th.
mus ~ Panama. In the American zone.
the canal commission had constructed
four cluhhonses. one each at Culebra
Empire, Gorgona aud crlsiohal, al
alike In design.
Z have not hesiiatod." he said. mot
ONLY 10 authorize the construction u
cfrhhsr-e- under -ie auspices ~ the
| Y. A. q. A., hut slr~ o. confirm the
actisn Of The commission Ia rhe pay.
ment ~ chaplsins 81 different domlna.
lions who oficiate la the church Serv.
Ices held In the buildings Of the aS~o.
citation In the various harl,or CENTER.
across the lsthmus.
For those reasons have I come a.
bear testimony 20 the greatness ~ the
association whose strength aud useful.
ness this beautiful building typlhes
II l. only one ~ many evidences ~ h.
found all over thIs country. ir the fsr
distant Philippines. on the isthmus 81
Panama. In Cuba and In Porto Rico. ~
the great work which the association
l. doing IN the moral elevation Of
American manhood"
Political Interest here aud NJ Clncin,
natl cenicrs IN the possibility OF n
definite announcement ~ the candi'
dacy for the Republican nomination
for president on the part ~ Secretary
Of War William n. Taft. lie Il "a
address the business Mems club a,
Cincinnati. but In view of the fact that
he seems 10 have taDoocd politics In
his public utterances since going "a
Ohio II Il considered doubtful whether
he has anything 10 say In definition Of
his position az this meeting Before
he leaves for the west he i expected
90 have q conference with some " his
political friends In Ohio. out u which
some positive action may come.