New-York tribune., 1907-12-31
TAFT ON PHILIPPINES.
Talks of Progress Tending Touard
Ultimate -Gorernment

Boston. Dec. 3o-Prosress in the Philippines
political. educational and sanitary. ali tending
toward ultimate self-government was the basis
of the address OF Secretary Taft before four hum
dred Boston ministers this forenoon
Secretary Taft spent considerable time In refut-
ing the Of tho so-caed anti-imper'lists,
The nlajosity of whose advocates. he seemed 20
think, belonged in Boston. lie said that with only
per cent of the Inhabitants OF the Philippines suf-
ficentIy educated understand seif-goverument.
il would be dangerous to give the islands over at
this time He placed ultimate self-gOverufaeut not
earlier than generation. perhaps two genera
tons.
He said that great progress had been made in the
last 1--WE years, but that the movement OF
education had been held back by lack OF
funds He hoped that She islands would nor be
given I'D entirely to the Sgar the tobacco indus
try because both controlled more or less
by policies OF tie business world he considered
that the hemp industry was the most lucrative lie
strongly advocated the removal OF the tarln In
this country sugar and tobacco from the Philip
pines.
Mr. Taft was sparnlly greeted by the audience
and several ministers who spoke briefly referred
to his political future and expressed hope that ne
might become President The Rev Allen A
Sfockdale of the Union Church. OF this city, acted
AS moderator The Rev DR.. Joseph Anderson. OF
New Haven. snernber of the Yale Corporation
with Secretary Taft introduced his college mate
Secretary Taft said IN the beginning that ths
system of government and gradual education 1t
was hoped. would bring self-sovernment TO the
people of the the eEd of this or the next
generation Describing the intellectual condition or
the eight millions of Fipinos. he said that aside
from, the T per cent who spoke Spanish when the
transfer to the United States made, and who
were the most Intelligent the inhabitants spoke
sixteen dialects and it was impossible to install a
common medium of education Fortunately all out
eight hundred thousand of those in the islands
Christians so that the vast majority of the people
looked to Europe and America for their ideals.
pe smoke of the establishment of the Federal
party after the conquest a Aguinado and OF the
pro1nise of President Mckinley. through The COM
mission. headed by Mr. Root. of ultimate sef-gov
eminent He then briefly reviewed the formation
of the different commissions and the gradual giving
If nIaces On them to educated Filipinos. He re-
GREETED that many of the first Americans who went
there proved Inadequate and that sixteen were de-
fauiters but the example Of their punishment. he
said had not been lost upon the inhabitants. lie
said il was difficult 10 enforce sanitary laws, but
that some progress was being made
In regard 10 education, he said it was the policy
10 educate the children and through them show the
results to the parents English is being taught
throughout the schools. for the that it is
the business language of the Orient and easier to
learn than Spanish He wished that s. coooo0 might
be appropriated this fiscal year for this work.
Mr.. Taft thought that the greatest trouble in the
Philippines the physical weakness of the in
habtants. It supposed, he said, that the
people OF the islands were immune to tropical dis
eases, but it has been shown that they are par
ticularly susceptible those germs which produce
anRmia On the other hand, he declared that the
islands were very healthful. The death rate among
the Americans is 55a a thousand, among the Span
iards Is a thousand and among the Fiiipinos "a
a Thousand. The death rate among infants of less
than a year is 20 a thousand One of the
tasks of the government is the education of the
mothers.
advocating the removal the American tariff
on sugar and tobacco MIR. Taft said he hoped
that the islands would not be given up to these
two industries it would make them dependent
upon commodity the price OF which would be
governed by policies One of the most encouraging
features, he said, in conclusion. the tolerance
among the religious teachers on the islands