Semi-weekly herald., 1908-06-22


be any real excavation there was a
tremendous task TO meet. First of all
the isthmus must be changed from
disease breeding pest-hole to a place
where Americans could live and work
In safety. The canal zone must be
cleaned up. mosquitoes stamped out
and the place made sweet and healthy.
Habitations must be constructed for
many thousands of workmen and their
families. The cities of Panama and
Colon, at the terminal Of the canal.
must be made thoroughly sanitary and
supplied with water and sewers. An
construction must be perfected and
millions OF dollars worth of machinery
and supplies must be purchased and
transported to the isthmus.
Real Self-Government for Cuba.
Aside from the Philippines and the
canal the greatest call that has been
made upon Mr.. Taft since he became
secretary OF war came from Cuba.
This was case largely similar to the
Philippine problem. The American
people have SO long imbibed the the
ory and practice of selfgoyernment
with their mothers milk that they
have developed tendency to believe
any people fitted for 1t who desire it.
To US liberty is self-goyernment. but
to many a people with neither expert
ence nor tradition of anything bu,
practical autocracy self-governmenr il
only license. So it was with the Gu
bans. When our Intervention had freed
that island from the Spanish yoke We
deemed ii sufficient insurance Of sue
cessful government -foi the Cubans 70
require them to adopt constitution
before we turned the island over to
| them. We ignored the fact that Cuba
had no experience of constitutions OF
understanding of their functions. 81
when Cuba had confcrmed to our re
quirements we sailed away from Ha
vana and left her TO work out her own
salvation unaided and untaught.
Tie result of that folly was newt
, able and not long delayed. The Gu
bans having adopted a constitution
to do with it, They proceeded to goY
ern under the only system of which
they had any knowledge. The proc
| laTnation of the president took th.
| place of the old rrual decree. III
created by his fiat the departments
| of government which should have beer
established by law OF congress under
authority of the constitution, Free
dom in the American sense was un
known in Cuba. Justice was mock
cry because it was matter of pur
chase, and government was oppres
sion.
This conlbative altruism is Nj
Tafrs most distinguishing character
istic. AS secretary of war he ha
earned the worldwide sobriquet o
secretary of peace He has tough
some hard battles. but they were will
bloodless weapons, and the result
were victories for peace. The create
the degree OF altruism the keener wa
| his zeal, the harder and most persist
ent his battle. The greatest struggl
of his career, in which he disregarde'
utterly his settled ambition, and cheer
fully faced continuing and seriou
| menace TO life itself. was on behalf o
the weakest and most helpless objec
in whose cause he was ever enlisted
the Filipino people. That was tn
purest and loftiest altruism.
| But although this is the dominan
trait of Mr.. Taft, he is well know
for other qualities. His judicial ten
perament, founded upon a deep-seated
comprehensive and ever alert sense o
right and wrong; his courage, prove
by repeated and strenuous tests: hi
calm, imperturbable judgment, and hi
all-embracing sympathy are character
istics that have been often and wide
ly noted. They are his by right O
inheritance from generations of broa
minded. upright men and women. Tn
development of his country has e,
tended the range of his opportunit
and given greater scope to his activ
ties than was enjoyed by Alphons
Taft, his father. or Peter Rawsol
Taft, his grandfather, but in characte
and intellect he is their true descend
The American people know Mr. TAI
as man of pervasiye good humoi
always ready with hearty laugh
and quick TO see fun in any situation
His other side has not often appeared
but he is capable Of tremendous wrath
Nothing arouses ii more quickly THAI
unfaithfulness to trust or an exhi
bition OF deceit. Injustice in any form
stirs him 10 the bottom instantly. H
has broad, quick. all-embracing sym
pathy. always ready TO respond to an,
call. His sense of justice is wonder
fully quick-springing and alert. An,
he has a genuine fondness for worl,
which enables him to derive real pleas