Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-02-05
ISLAND POLICY IS
DEFENDED BY TAFT.
He SPEAKS At M'klNlEY DAY
FEAST IN CLEVELAND.
ALL POLITICS AVOIDED

u e. 4 u 3D. E.#.
ALL POLITICS AVOIDED
Secretary Of War Refutes Charges Of
"Imperialism"- and Others
EuIogize the Martyred
President.
Cleveland, O., Jan. 30.-McKinley.
the martyred president, was the key
note of several addresses delivered at
the Tippecanoe clubs annual McKin-
ley day banquet here Wednesday
night, at which Secretary of War Taft
was the guest of honor. The secre-
tary spoke on ''The Republic
All of the speakers confined their
remarks to the life and deeds of Nc
Ktnley, who was eulogized as an H.
lustrious son Of Ohio, and to discus
sion OF the problems engendered by
the Spanish-American war and the &C.
QUESTION of the Philippines and the
islands of the caribbean.
Secretary Taft, accompanied by Col.
Clarence Edwards of the United
States army and Congressman Duncan
e. McKinlay of California, arrived at
noon. He was met by a reception
committee. headed by ex-Gov. Myron
T. Herrick and taken to the Union
club, where an informal luncheon was
served. Late in the afternoon the
secretary was taken to the Tippecanoe
club rooms, where public reception
was held. This continued until 1880
o'clock, when Mr.. Taft was hurried
away to address the local chapter of
the Red Cross society. Mr.. Taft is
president of the national board of the
Red Cross.
Carefully Avoids Politics.
There were some expectations that
the banquet would develop a political
air, owing to the presence of Mr.. Taft
In his own state, the hotbed of his
spirited contest with his feilow-towns-
man, Senator Joseph B. Foraker, in
the race for the Republican presiden-
tfal nomination. Not only did the Sec
rotary and the other speakers conf1ne
themselves to Mckinley eulogies, but
Mr.. Taft at no time during his stay
here made any public reference to DO
l1tical matters. On several occasions
during the day and at the banquet the
secretary was humorously referred to
as the next president" but he made
no reply. to these sallies to which any
meaning could be attached.
At the banquet F. w. Prentiss, for
mer president of the Tippecanoe club.
acted as POSTMASTER The speakers
of the evening were Rev. DR.. Paul F..
Sutphen of the Second Presbyterian
church, Congressman Duncan E. Nc
Kinlay of California, Secretary Taft
and John w. Griggs, former governor
of New Jersey and attorney general
of the United States under President
Mckinley.
The banquet was preceded by pub
Tic reception at the Chamber Of Com
merce hall. Men prominent in politics
from Cleveland and all parts of the
state and a few prominent In national
Affairs were in attendance.
Taft on island Possessions.
In his speech Mr.. Taft said of our
island possessions:
Since the foundation of our govern
ment the people Of the United States
that is, the states as distinguished
from the territories been en-
gagged In governing other people. But
1t Is said that we have been engaged
In governing them with a view ulti-
mately to making them a part of our
government. That begs the question.
! The question Is whether we have the
power to govern other people for any
time. We have done it for hundred
years. We did it in the case of Lou
isiana. We have done it in the case
of every territory that was subse-
Quently admitted to the United States,
and we are doing it to-day in the case
of New Mexico and Arizona. What
inherent difference is there between
the government Of territory and the
government of colony by the con-
gress of the United States and the
executive appointed in accordance
with it's direction?
| IF the latter is violation of the
Declaration Of Independence, we have
been violating the Declaration of In.
dependence for hundred years. The
statements in the Declaration of Inde-
pendence are to be construed in the
light of contemporary history. If we
assume control over people merely
in the spirit Of conquest and merely
to extend our control and merely from
the lust of power, then we may be
properly denounced as imperialists:
but If we assume control over a peo-
pie for the benefit of that people and
with the purpose of developing them
to self-governing capacity, and with
the intention of giving them the right
to become Independent when they
shall show themselves 1T, then the
charge that we are imperialists IL Ut
terly without foundation"
Rich Farmer Commits Suicide.
Missouri Valley. Ia, Jan. s0.-Bert
Swan, a wealthy farmer near here.
committed suicide by cutting his
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