Mountain advocate., 1908-10-30
TAFT AND COLOR LINE 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 AItruist.

Builder-A Real Altruist.
In the beginning Of our occupation Of
the Philippines the problems there
were military. Nothing of civil func-
tions could he 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
las bearers Of the blessings OF liber-
ating rather than conquering ma
tion." as President Mckinley wrote
The commissioners decided that II 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 its stern
restrictions were required to induce
peace and maintain II would still fur
ther have jeopardized the trust Of the
natives I'm our good faith. And IL had
already been SC strained that II would
stand no more tension.
The people at home. too were grow
Ing thoroughly out OF conceit with "the
little brown brother" Our appetite
had become sated 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 eXran.
sion. We thought we had no prototype
/ OF Cromer. no giants of colonial admin.
istrati tion upon whom Mr.. Mckinley
might call 10 LAY the foundations OF a
superior civilization. with specific ref.
erence 10 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 1t.
There was dearth OF men wholly IN
harmony with the presidents concep-
/ tion OF what our national duty TO the
! Filipinos comprised. who would con
stantly hear in mind that IT was liber-
ty they wanted. liberty that they
should have. as Mr. Mckinley had
promised. pledelng our faith as 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 domination over
the great mass"
Mr.. Taft had not been thought Of. II
his sentiments on the Philippine ques-
tion was known II was patent that he
was neither n 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. 81 want a man who is
strong. honest and tactful. a man of
education and executive ability. a man
who Is fearless. but conservative. who
will get along with the army people"
Judge Taft fills the bill II he will
take the job" said Mr.. Day in stroke
OF ins1ira tional genius. They sent for
Judge Taft. who was then on the su-
preme court bench and told him what
was wanted. He shook his head
~ cannot be of use TO you there Mr.
President" he answered. 81 didn't
want 10 take the Philippines. 1t was
a mistake" The president regarded
him musingly for a moment. then
Nor did | want to take them" said
he. 81 had to. There was nothing else
to do We must build new nation out
there. ! want you to help us"
Secretary OF War Root added his !
persuasions. He showed both sides OF |
the medal to Judge Taft. Perhaps he !
was motived more shrewdly than he /
affected. for he descanted upon the diff |
hculties OF the task compared with |
the congenial and relatively easy work |
that Judge Taft had upon the bench, |
with the almost ultimate certainty OF |
being elevated to the supreme court. /
He must forego all this, said Mr.. Root.
But what a chance offered In the
Philippines to do, 10 create. to dis
prove the infallabllity OF some OF Eng
lands pet theories OF colonization. TO
bring into being a nation Such argu-
ments turned the tide. Judge Taft ac-
quote him, "is an entirety and not
fulfilled until ii is entirely fulfilled"
AS he took ship. and always after
ward, there was In his mind the con-
cluding paragraph Of the Instructions
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 TO
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 all
the people in the Philippines may come
to look back with gratitude to the day
when God gave victory to the Ameri-
can arms at Manila and set their land
nnder the sovereignty and the protec-
ton OF the people OF the United States"