The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-22
TAFT TELLS
 OF HIS TRIP Discusses Conditions as He Found Them. SECRETARY IS INTERVIEWED Philippines Progressing at Very
 Satisfactory Rate. Head of War Department sums Up situation In NutsheIi ass Talks
 with Extreme
 ostimism.

Washington, Dec. 21--As soon as he has disposed of the vast amount of de- partmental business which has accumu- lated during his long absence, Secretary Taft will begin the preparation or an extended report on his observations in the Philippines.
 Tn an interview tonight Mir. Taft dis cussed at much length the situation In the islands. from both political and material viewpoint. and expressed him self as highly gratified with the pro gross that had been made and the out look for development in all lines.
 'sThe whole situation" he said, briefly may be summed up in this way: Peace prevails throughout the Philip pines today in a greater degree than ever in their history. either under Spanish or American rule. Agricuit- ure is nowhere impeded by fear on the part of tho farmer of predatory bands. Under the policy inaugurated by Pres- ident McKioley in reference to the es- tablishment of temporary govern ment In the Philippines,a community consisting of several million people. in- habiting three hundred different is- lands, many of whom were In open rebellion against the government of the United States for four years, with all the disturbances following from robbery and predatory bands which brokc out from time to time. due to local causes, have been brought 70 a state of profound peace and tranquility in which the people, as a whole, are ioy- ally supporting the government In the maintenance of order. This Is real peace. This Is the first and possibly the most important accomplishment of the limited states in the Philippines.
 fsducatiouaI Encouragement.
 From an educational standpoint too. I found much to encourage the support CTS of our policy In the islands, and those who share In our hopes fer the future. Tho Filipinos are In state or tuteiage. ripe to veceive modern west ern conceptions of religion and politics. as they shall be educated to understand thsr,. This is the reason why I have said that tho whole Christian Filipino napnle are capable hy training and ex- r,erfepce of becom4nE z sslf-rover.f ing people There is no real dfherei'es between the educated and ignorant Ftifr pino that cannot be overcome by the education of one generation. . be sufiiciently well educated to enable them to govern themseivesY" the Sec retary was asked.
 '"rhe Philippine government has not funds enough to educate in primary and industrial schools all the present generation of school age" he replied. land. unless some other source of funds of governmental means Is found. 1t will take more than generation 10 complete the primary and industrial ed' ucation of the common people. Until that Is done, we ought not to lift our guiding hand from the islands.
 T might refer to certain admitted shortcomings in the conduct of muni- cipal affairs in the Philippines. which. @k hn afP af discouraging those who are interested in the success of the experiment. To offset these. it might be remarked that. even in the United States. municipal government has not been shining sue cess I do not hesitate to say that autonomous municipal governments are making good progress and are grad ually accomplishing the purposes for which they were created. We are in this quandary; when we. who are re- sponsible for the policy of autonomy in municipal and provincial govern ments assert that it is progressing sat- isfactory, we find that our words are apt to be construed by enthusiastic theorists, who are convinced off-hand of the complete fitness of the Filipinos to govern themselves and so fully es- tablishing the correctness of their views.
 "on the other hand, when the defects In such local governments are pointed out. the cry Is raised by pcssimists and adherents of the English crown colony system that this is an admis- sion of failure as well as a concession that we have gone too far in entrust- ing local governmental power to the F.lipinos. The truth. as 1t is conceived by me. lies between the two extreme positions"
 MT. Taft was asked if fin his opinion the people were fit for the introduction of the jury system. and if they could safely be permitted to bear arms.
 Too Great a Temptation.
 "No, to both questions" he said. There are elements among the people prone to violence, and who. with the use of arms. would at once resort to ladronism or robbery as a means of