Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-10-28
TAFT IN THE ISLANDS
Why Mckinley Sent the Judge to
the Philippines.
STRONG, HONEST AND TACTFUL
ReIinquished Certainty of Elevation to
Supreme Bench at Call of Duty.
Proved His Ability as a Nation
Builder-A Real Altruist.


BuiIder-A Real Aitruist.
In the beginning of our occupation of
the Philippines the problems there
were military. Nothing of civil func-
lions could be essayed until the rebel
lion had been put down. In the midst
of this the first Philippine commission
was sent out to look over the situation
"as bearers of the blessings of a liber-
atins rather than a conquering ma
tiOn," as President Mckinley wrote.
The commissioners decided that it was
a bad mess.
Mr.. Mckinley was advised to try to
do nothing by civil power, but to give
military governor full sway This
would have been a fatal error. ANY
continuance of the military govern
ment beyond the time when it's stern
restrictions were REQUIRED to induce
peace and maintain it would still fur
Their have jeOpardized the trust of the
natives in our good faith. And it had
already been so strained that it would
stand no more tension.
The people at home, too, were grow
ing thoroughly out of conceit with 1.-THE
little brOwa brother" Our appetite
had become stated of military conquest.
Too many long, narrow boxes were
shipped over sea and land for inter.
ment in village churchyards. too many
mothers mOurned sons. done to death
by bullets or bOlo, to support general
conviction in the doctrine Of expan.
sion. We thought we had no prototype
of Cromer. no giants of colonial admin
istratiOn upon whom Nh Mckinley
might call to LAY the foundations of a
superior civilization. with specific ref
erence to the needs of the people to be
governed and with definite reference
to the welfare of the islands, both ma
terial and moral as he had put it.
There was dearth Of men wholly in
harmony with the presidents concep-
ton of what our national duty to the
FilipinOS comprised. who would con-
stantly bear in mind that it was liber-
ty they wanted, liberty that they
should have, as Mr. Mckinley had
promised. pledGlng our faith as a ma
tion-liberty. as he wrote, "of the
whole Filipino people and not of a
decimal fraction of them. who through
the leadership of education and prop
erty have acquired a domination over
the great mass
Mr.. Taft had not been thought of. II
his sentiments on the Philippine ques
ton was known it was patent that he
was neither believer in Mr. McKin-
ley's policy nor in our ethical right to
be in the islands. Said the president
one day to the then secretary of state
William r. Day, Il want man who is
strong. honest and tactful. man OF
| education and executive ability, a mar
| who is fearless. but conservative, who
| will get along with the army people,"
Judge Taft fills the bill if he will
| take the job said Mr.. Day in a stroke
| of inspirational genius. They sent fol
| Judge Taft, who was then on the su
| preme court bench. and told him wha
| was wanted He shook his head
! 81 cannot be of use to you there, Mr.
| President he answered Il didn'
want to take the Philippines. 1t wa
a mistake" The president regarded
him musingly for. moment then
Nor did l want to take them" sait
he. Il had to. There was nothing els
to do. We must build new nation GU
there. want you to help u.s.
Secretary Of War Root added hi
| ii To oh hot
the medal to Judge Taft Perhaps b.
was motived more shrewdly than b.
affected, for he descanted upon the diff
ficulties of the task compared witt
the congenial and relatively easy worl
that Judge Taft had upon the bench
with the almost ultimate certainty O
being elevated to the supreme court
He must fofego all this, said Mr.. Root
But what a chance offered in thu
Philippines to do, to create, to dis
prove the AVAILABILITY of some of Eng
lands pet theories of colonization, t,
bring into being a nation. Such argu
| ments turned the tide. Judge Taft &C
cepted one Of those duties which," t.
quote him, sis an entirety and no
fulfilled until it is entirely fulfilled"
AS he took ship, and always after
ward, there was in his mind the con
Guiding paragraph of the instruction:
given him by the president:
"a high and sacred obligation rests
upon the government of the United
States to give protection for property
and life, civil and religious freedom
and wise, firm and unselfsh guidance
in the paths of peace and prosperity t6
all the peoples of the Philippine Is
lands. l. charge this commission to
labor for the full performance of this
obligation, which concerns the honor
and conscience of their country, IN the
firm hope that through their labors al
the people in the Philippines may come
4 to look back with gratitude to the day
when God gave victory to the Ameri
can arms at Manila and set their land
under the sovereignty and the protec
ton of the people of the United States
J+,,,;c+:o Iorhonc, hr1f Mr. Tsf Il