Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-28
TAFT IN ST. PAUL.


tiles, in schools. in business and other-
wise. to a subordinate government Of the
United States. in which, under our system,
the church must be entirely separate from
the state. II seemed Impossible to find any
one with sufficient authority in the stands
to effect a proper settlement OF these mat
tiers and it was proposed TO send an agent
Of the government to the head of the
Roman Catholic church to secure some au-
thoritative action and agency by which
the result desired could be obtained. The
president and Mr.. Root were anxious to
bring this about, but they hesitated, reluc-
tant to arouse any sectional feelings
against a course which seemed to recog-
nize the head Of the Roman Catholic church
as one with whom we could have diplomatic
relations, something contrary to the
presidents In our government since its be-
ginning. Accordingly they consulted the
ministers of most Of the leading Protestant
churches. explained the difficulties arising
and the necessity for the action proposed
and procured from them assurances that
they would stand by the government I'm TAX
ing the very common sense course-the
American course of dealing with the man
who had the authority to act, and l was
designated as the agent OF the government.
I went to Rome and effected a general
understanding as to what was TO be done
and was prepared when the apostolic dele
gate came to the Philippines to close with
him, after a great deal of negotiation. the
contracts of the settlement which, l do not
think IL too mach o. say, brought about
a result which was just both to the church
and to the people of the islands and the
government Of the United States. I venture
to think that but for the spirit Of tolerance,
both on the part of the Protestant denomi-
nations and the Roman Catholic church
that now prevails in this country, such a
result could not have been obtained. 1t is
due to the spirit of Christian tolerance and
It is a condition in which we should all
rejoice.
Snow the Young Mems Christian as
ISOLATION. with no denomination distinc-
ton, has done much to contribute to the
spread OF this spirit OF tolerance and It
is to be commended, because It has done
So
Good Work In Panama.
Referring to his experience on the 18TH
mus of Panan., Mr.. Taft said: There
we had to introduce 5000 people into a
strip, fifty miles long and ten miles wide,
in a series of seventeen owns. OF these
oJ.UlV, THAI lOtuVV = Aiiic nuns anu
10000 tropical negroes and spaniards and
Greeks, a community in which vice would
be triumphant in a month unless some
thing radical was used to stop it. We or
ganlzed clubs and put in charge graduates
of Young Mems Christian association.
Four OF these are very large and are doing
most excellent work on the isthmus, and
win now have to be added TO by three or
four more. / have been in them and
have seen their work, and cannot speak
too highly OF the real good they are doing,
They are a full justification for the ex-
penditures which the secretary of war and
the commission have authorized in build
ing the buildings and paying the young
men who aret carrying on this work. In
addition to that We pay and employ as
many as ten or a dozen ministers Of var
ious denominations and furnish them
churches. because we find that the incul-
cation of a moral, religious tone among
the people and the maintenance of higher
standard of living by the presence Of
churches and such Younug Mems Chris
tian clubs as have been established, make
men steadler, make them more effective
In their work for the government, and as
a mere business proposition, j~ustifies the
expenditure OF the money devoted to the
construction OF the canal for the purpose
OF furtherlnE and making more certain that
construction
judges Voice Improves.
Al the conclusion Of his speech, Judge
Taft held a reception, meeting, among
others, about eighty st. Paul ministers of
all denominations Quentin Roosevelt,
the presidents son, was I'm the audience,
He is just getting back from a hunting
trip in the northwest. Mr.. Taft took him
In his automobile over to the West hotel
in this city.
MIR. Taft's speech at the Fowler Metho-
dist Episcopal church was on foreign mis-
sions.
Judge Taft win leave here at ) o'clock
tomorrow for North Dakota. His princi-
pal meeting in that state will be at Fargo,
tomorrow night. His voice is considerably
improved.