The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-09-20
BRYAN'S CHARGES
WITH REFERENCE TO RAIL
WAY FRANCHISES.
PUBLIC IS BENEFITED
Ey Provision That Congress May Re.
peal or Amend Franchises,
Says Taft--TeIIs of
Frars' Lands.

{ Cincinnati, Sept. I9.-Taft tonic hi
Icitiaens of Norwood, Ohio in the as
sembly room Of the Sinton Hotel
Il remarks were confined to the dis
lcussion of the Philippine question
which he declared to be an issue in
THE campaign because of the position
taken IN the Democratic platform He
took occasion to answer the recent
Icriticisms of Bryan with reference TO
the railway franchises and Frlars
lands sale.
'The Democratic party" he said.
has declared in its platform that as
isoCn as stable government is es-
itab,ished in the Islands we should
leave them A stable government is
established, so that this is equivalent
to Il resolution in favor OF immediate
withdrawal
| Taft reviewed the alternatives pre-.
IseLted to the United States with ref.
erence to the Philippines at the close
of tn Spanish war and asserted at
iccncluson that there was no ether
course but to assume the responsi.
bility.
And, - he added, Mr. Bryan and
his followers were responsible for the
cost and suffering and loss of both
sides which arsoe during an unneces.
sary year of war"
Or the subject oa railway fran.
chises in the Islands which has been
critically referred to by Hryan re.
Gently, Taft went into detail In de.
scribing the manner of construction
of railways in the Philippines and the
status of franchises.
Railroad franchises authorized by
the present government in the Philip.
pines are perpetual said Taft, "just
as they are in this country. They all
contain provision, however. that they
are subject to amendment or repeal
by cthgress. The arrangement made
was greatly for the public benefit"
Bryan spoke of the Benguet rail.
road, There is no Benguet railroad"
said Taft
81 eakng Of the Frlar land matter
Taft said.
I'VE bought the Friar lands and |
paid $1,000 600 for them This was
lone TO save a new insurrection by |
he sixty thousand tenants on the
ands who refused TO pay rent 70 the
Fnars. The Friars had a good title
% the lands but they had become uu-
POPULAR with the people and the ten.
lnts refused to recognize their title.
thinning that the Aguinaldo govern.
nent had passed a law Matchmaking
hese lands and that therefore they
would not recognize the Frlars as
heir lawful owners.
The purchase rid the government of
h. necessity OF enforcing at the in
tauce Of the Friars a Iudgmen In the
outs for the election Of sixty thou
and tenants and thrs averted a new
var.
And not only Ga the matter Of tn
'riars' lands. but IN the matter q
many charitable trusts. We have ef
es,eI a compromise by which the
'hurch takes over some charitable
ust= and we take over Others. All l.
ha church questions are settled. well
.ettled and fairly settled Meantime
h. influence Of the Catholic church
n the philippines for good has been
increased by a substitution of the
american hierarchy for the Spanish
Ie.urchy Episcopal Methodist.
and Baptist churches
ave been established there and a /,
rea. Improvement mas come over the
stands with respect 20 religion and
iotaiity. after the decentralization Of !,
J1r years Of war aud deso,ation."