The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-01-30
PRESIDENT PROUD
OF FILIPINO ACTS
NO BRIGHTER PAGE IN HISTORY OF
INTERNATIONAL DEALING,
SAYS PRESIDENT.
TAFT MAKES SPECIAL REPORT.
Secretary Declares Islanders Are Still
Unfit for Self Government and Makes
Recommends tiCns.
FREE TRADE TO UNITED STATES.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 27,-
President Roosevelt il submitting to
Congress the report Of Secretary Of War
Taft on lis recent trip to the Philippines
declares no great civilized power has
ever managed with such wisdom and dis
intcrestedness the affairs of a people
committed by the accident Of war to Its
hands.
IF we had followed the advice of the
misguided persons who wished us 10
turn the islands loose and let them suffer
whatever fate might befall them" says
the President they would have already
passed through a period of complete and
bloody chaos, and would now undoubted-
liz be the possession of some other power
which there is every reason to believe
wonld not have done as we have done;
that is would not have strivCn to teach
them how to govern themselves or to
have developed them, rs we have de
welcomed them, primarily IN their own IN
tercsts.
No Brighter Page in History.
.'Soye only our attitude toward Cuba,
I Question whether there il a brighter
mage in the annals of international deal
ing between the strong aud the weak
than the page which tells of our doings
in the Philippines
The President expresses the opinion.
as does Secretary Taft in his report, that
il will be n generation mayh" longer, be
fore the Eiipnos are fit tor complete
lie concurs il Secre.
torv Taft'a recommendations, which are:
First-'That legislation be adopted by Con
grrss admitting the products Of the Philip
pine islands to the markets. or IN" United
Statcs. with such reasonable limitations as
may remove fear Of Interference with the
tobacco and sugar interests IN the United
Sccond-That the present restrictions be
removed as to the acquisition of mining
claims and tn" holding of lands 10y corpora
lions in the Philippines.
Third-That further legislation be passed
the Philippine government II
II chooses. to open and conduct an agrirul-
tural hauk, with Il capital not exceeding
Fourth-That the coastwise laws Of the
United states be made permanently map
plirublr to the trade between the ports of
The Islands and the ports Of the United
States.
Denies Failure of Policy.
In answer to the critics who have
made what he terms "tbe most astound-
ing and unfair statements in respect to
the cost to the United States of the Phil
ippiucs," Secretary Taft figures out a
total expenditure Of S1,OOO,UUD, and he
denies the failure of the Phil
ippiuc policy. lie says the severe crltl-
cism to which the policy Of the govern
mcnt in the islands has been subjected
by English colonial statesmen should not
hinder pursuit of it in the least. 1T IS
of course opposed to the policy usually
pursued in the English government IN
dealing with native races, because III
common with other colonial powers most
of Englauds colonial statesmen have as
sumcd that the sufest course was to
keep the native peoples ignorant and
Quiet" says the secretary.
Speaking Of trade between the Philip
pines and the United States, Secretary
Taft says it is doubtful whether there
are cuouCht United States vessels TO
carry it on, and If rates are raised trade
will cease He believes corporations
may safely be permitted to hold 10000
acres of land, if any limitation is to be
imposed.
Says Peace Now Prevails.
On the present condition Of the islands,
the secretary of war declares peace pre-
walls today in a greater degree than ever
in their history. He says the people are
Loyalty supporting the government in
the maintenance of order
Secretary Taft asserts that the agency
of the army in bringing about order in
the islands must never be minmized:
that the hardships of the campaign it
has had to carry on were great. At one
time in the campaign against guerrilla
warfare. the report says, there were
more than 800 different posts and more
than $4,000 men in arms. He is certain
peace could have been restored in no
other way than in the service rendered
by the army. He says the American
soldiers exhibited toward the natives a
sympathy the character of the warfare
carried on did not invite
Medical School Established
The report tells of the establishment
by the government of n medical school,
the graduates Of which will spread over
the islands into localities which have
never known physician.
The average value of Philippine eX-
ports, including gold and silver coin,
from 1903 to 1907 was So go, 726. For
the fiscal year ended June 30, the insular
revenues were Sll ,119,6l9.25 and the
expenditures SS,iOS, O12.SI. The total
bonded Indebtedness, according to the
report is Sl3,5oOOOO
Secretary Taft says there is now no
question between the government and
the Roman Catholic church unless the
AgIipyan schism can be said to be in
VOWED.
On question Of reduction Of the
tariff on sugar and tobacco Secretary
Taft says:
$50 confident am that the develop
mrut, which the sugar and tobacco inter
ests of the United States fear in the