The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-02-19
FREEDOM FOR F|L|P|N0s
PROMISED BY PRESIDENT
Roosevelt Sends War Secretary's
Report TO Congress.
CONDITIONS ARE MUCH BETTER
Philippine Products, Taft Thinks,
Should Be Admitted to the Uni
ted States Duty Free Within
Reasonable Bounds.

Washington, D. C.-To Congress,
and through it to the world at large,
President Roosevelt announces that
it will probably be generation, il
may even be longer, before the Fill
pinos will be fit for complete SELF
government and ready to decide
whether they shall be Independent OF
American rule.
This declaration from the Presi-
dent accompanies special report to
him by Secretary Taft upon his re-
cent visit to the Philippines, on the
occasion of their first natiopal assem-
bly,, and recording the results OF the
American occupation of the islands
in the nine years sincs the battle OF
Manila Bay. Concurring in the Sec
retary's conclusions, and his asser-
ton that the Filipinos are being we'll
and economically governed at pres
,ent cost of not over $5,OO0,O00
year, the President says:
"No great civilized power has ever
managed with such wisdom and dis
interestedness 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 to turn the islands loose
and let them suffer whatever rate
might befall them, they would have
already passed through a complete
and bloody chaos, and would now un-
doubtedly be the possession of some
other power which there Is every rea-
son to believe would not have done
as we have done-that is, would not
have striyen to teach them how to
govern themselves or to have devel-
opsd them, as we have developed
them, primarily in their own inter-
estS.
"Save only our attitude toward
Cuba, question whether there Is
brighter page in the annals of inter-
national dealing between the strong
and the weak than the page which
tells of our doings in the Philippines.
I call especial attention to the admir-
ably clear showing made by Secre-
tary Taft of the fact that 1t would
have been equally ruinous If we had
Welded to the desires OF those VINO
wished us to go faster in the d1rec-
ton of giving the Filipinos self-goV-
ernment, and If we had followed the
policy advocated by others, who de-
Sired US simply to rule the islands
without any thought at all OF fitting
them for self-government.
"The islanders have made real ad-
vances in a hopeful direction, and
they have opened well with the new
Philippine Assembly; they have yet a
long way to travel before they Will
be fit for complete self-goVernment
and for deciding, as it will then be
their duty to do, whether this SELL
government shall be accompanied by
complete independence. 1t will prob
ably be a generation, it may even be
longer, before this point Is reached,
but it is most gratifying that such
substantial progress toward this as
goal has already been accomplished.
We desire that it be reached at as
early a date as possible, for the sake
of the Filipinos and for our own sake.
But improperly to endeavor to hurry
the time will probably mean that
the goal will not be attained at all"
Secretary Taft's recommendations
to Congress are:
First-That legislation be adopted
by Congress admitting the products
of the Philippines to the markets OF
the United States with such reason
able limitations as may remove fear
of interference with the tobacco and
sugar interests in the United States.
Second-That the present restric-
ton be removed as to the acquisition
of mining claims and the holding OF
lands by corporations in the Philip
pines.
Third-That further, legislation be
passed authorizing the Philippine
Government IL it chooses to open and
conduct an agricultural bank,with
capital not exceeding $2,000,OO0.
Fourth - That the coastwise
laws of the United States be made
permanently inapplicable to the trade
between the ports OF the Islands and
the ports of the United States.
The Secretary extols President
Roosevelt for his Philippine policy,
which, he declares, is merely the con-
sistent continuation of that originated
by President Mckinley. The United
States, he says, is using every effort
to increase the capacity of the Fill
pinos to exercise political power. He
denies that it was ever Mckinleys
policy merely to await the organiza.
tion of Philippine oligarchy or arls-
tocracy competent to administer gov.
ernment and then turn the Islands