Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-21

be a second lien on the railway payable
after thirty years.
BY this means we secured the construc-
ton Of 100 miles Of railroad in each Of
three islands Of Cebu, Negros and Panay.
We secured the construction OF 900 miles Of
additional railway without any guaranty.
II was secured in this wise:
The Manila and Dagupan road had been
built under a Spanish franchise creating
a partnership In the railroad between the
government and the company and having
among its many terms a guaranty of a
fixed income to the company during the
fixed income to the company during the life
OF the franchise, lightweight years. Under
the advice Of the attorney general OF the
United States that the provisions of the
charter. and especially the guaranty,
were not binding on the United States, the
military government before became gov
ernor had declined to pay the income when
demanded and declined to obey the obliga-
lions Of the charter. This left the franchise
in almost in~determinate condition. In sub
sequent negotiations we secured a contract
with the company to construct 400 sddi-
tional miles in Luzon under a perpetual
franchise by bringing the old railroad
under the same franchise. All the railroad
franchises authorized by the present gov
eminent in the Philippines are perpetual,
Just as they are in this contry. They all
contain the provision, however. that they
are subject to amendment or repeal Of
congress. The arrangement made was
greatly for the public benefit.
This is the part Of my record in the
Philippines to which I suppose Mr.. Bryan
FnaQna IN call nv aftonftpn IIa anaaLz
Of the Benguet railroad franchise. There
Is no Benguet railroad. 1 wish there
were. 1 presume he refers to the Manila
g. Dagupan railroad franchise. 1t was
fully described in a report l made to con-
gress in 1906. 1t was approved by the
president and cabinet after full considera-
ton. Mr.. Bryan is the first person, so
far as l know, to question its wisdom or
propriety.
Friar Lands Problem.
Next we bought the frisrs' lands and
paid $1,000. 900 for them. This was done
to save a new instruction by the so, 900
tenants on the lands who refused to pay
rent to the friArs. The friars had good
title to the lands, but they had become
unpopular with the people and the ten
ants refused to recognize their title,
claiming the Aguinaldo government had
passed a law Matchmaking these lands
and that therefore they would not recoE-
nize the friars as their landlords. The
purchase rid the government Of the
necessity of enforcing at the instance Of
the friars judgments in the courts for
the election of 60,O 600 tenants and thus
avoided a new war. And not only in the
matter of the friars' lands, but in the
matter OF many charitable trusts we
have effected a compromi by which the
church takes over some charitable trusts
and we take over others. All the church
questions are ~settled-well settled and
fairly settled. Meantime the influence
Of the Catholic church in the Philippines
has been increased for good by the sub
stitution OF an American hierarchy for
the Spanish hierarchy. Episcopal, Meth
odist, Presbyterian and Baptist churches
have been established there and a great
improvement has come over the islands
with respect to religion and morality
after the Generalization OF four years
war and desolaiton.
In an interview l said that even the
i~ndependistas, that is those In favor of
immediate Independence in the islands,
prefer republican victory to Mr.. Bryan,s
promises. Mr.. Bryan now responds with
a cable from Alberto Barretto denying this
on behalf of certain authorities in the in
~dependista party, l relied for my state
ment on a conversation l had last month
Will Senior Quezon, who is the Leader
OF the independistas in the national as
senibly, in which he told me that although
the Undergraduates like Mr.. Bryan's plat
form they preferred my election as a friend
Of the Filipino to Mr.. Bryan's promises
This statement Senior Quezon subsequently,
repeated in a published interview. There
Is evidently a difference of opinion among
the independlstas."
Mr.. Taft referred to what he said was
The helpful work OF the churches in the
islands particularly in view Of the religious
nature OF the natives.
The speaker then took up what he said
was Mr.. Bryan,s claim that the republican
party and adopted his policy with refer
ence to the Islands, that he desired To
give them Independence and that we pro-
pose to give them independence.
Mr. Bryan's method Of giving them in
deperdence was to release them at once.
Immediately after the treaty OF Paris, and
let them make their way the best they
could. And his further method was 10
interfere as much as possible by agitation
IN TINS country and vehement dynunCiation
OF our policy with the efforts which we
were making to bring tranquility and peace
to the Islands. We have always contended
that the immediate independence which
Mr.. Bryan wishes to give to the Philippines
would result in the utmost misery to the
inhabitants of the Islands.
l submit there is rot the slightest re-
semolanoe between our policy and that
which Mr.. Bry an proposes"
Mr.. Taft concludcd:
Hence / say, my fellow citizens and
neishbors' that one OF the great reasons
FOR keeping Mr. Bryan out of the presi-
dency and his party out of control Of corr
sress Is that they are obliged to abandon