Semi-weekly herald., 1908-06-22

IN their Islands, denounced and as
sailed with the utmost vehemence and
venom by Americans simply because
he steadfastIy resisted American ex-
ploitation and persisted in his declara-
ton that the Philippines should be for
the Filipinos. They saw him laboring
day and night In their behalf and fac
ing death itself with cheerful resig-
nation in order 10 carry on their
cause. II was a revelation to them.
II was something beyond their pre-
vious ken. outside of all their expert
ence. their education and their tradi-
tion. 1t convinced them.
A Revelation to the Filipinos.
Mr.. Taft gave them concrete exam
pies OF disinterestedness and good
faith which they could not fail to com
prehend. He gave them schools and
the opportunity of education, one OF
The dearest wishes of the whole peo-
pie. No man who was not in the Phil
ippines in the early days Of the Amer
lean occupation will ever understand
thoroughly with what pitiful eagerness
the Filipino people desired to learn.
Men, women and children, white-hair-
ed grandfathers and granimothers
craved above everything the oppor-
tunity to go to school and receive in
structlon in the simplest rudiments.
Il is difficult to tell how deeply that
eager desire touched Mr.. Taft and
how earnestly he responded to it.
But education was only begin
ming. Mr.. Taft gave the Filipinos the
opportunity 10 own their own homes.
1t was another concrete example OF
simple justice. When they saw him
negotiating for the friar lands, and
at great expense to the American
government, securing for the Filipinos
the right to buy those lands on easy
terms. 1t went home to the dullest
among them that he was working un-
selfshly in their behalf.
And they saw his justice in their
courts. For the first time in all their
experience the poorest and the hum
blest Filipino found himself able to
secure an even-handed, honest deci-
sion, without purchase and without
influence.
Even that was not all. They saw
Mr.. Taft literally and faithfully keep
ing his promise and calling Filipinos
TO share in their own government not
merely in the subordinate and lowly
places which they had been able to
purchase from their old masters, but
in the highest and most responsible
posts. They saw men of their race
called to membership in the commits
sion, In the supreme court, and in
all the other branches of their govern
ment. And they believed the promise
of even wider experience of self-gov-
ernment to come.
An Unparalleled Achievement.
1t was a practical demonstration of
honesty and good faith such as the
Philippines had never known. 1t was
showing of sympathy, justice and
comprehension which could not be re-
sisted. Convictions followed 1t inev-
itably. The whole people knew-be-
cause they saw-that Philippines were
TO be maintained for the Filipinos,
and they recognized their own unfit
ness for the full responsibilities of
independent self-government, and
cheerfully set themselves to the task
of preparation.
That is the achievement of Mr. Taft
in the Philippines. 1t has scarcely a
parallel in history. What 1t cost
him he paid without question Or com
plant. He had given up his judicial
career when he went to Manila. But
three times in the course of his serv-
ice for the Filipinos the opportunity y
10 re-enter it came to him, each time
with an offer of place on the SUI
preme court which had been his life
| long goal. Each time he refused It.
Not even President Roosevelt under.
stood the call to Mr.. Taft from the
| Filipinos, and when he offered a su
preme court justiceship to Mr.. Taft he
accompanied 1t with almost com
mand. But Mr.. Taft declined. He
saw clearly his duty lay to the people
whom he had led TO believe In him as
the personification of American jus
tice and good faith. and he made
the president see it too. How The
Filipinos felt was shown when On
hearing of the danger that Mr.. TAFT
might be called away from Maaila
they flocked in thousands about LIS
residence and begged him not to go
When ultimately he did leave the is.
lands 1t was only to come home as
| secretary of war, in which office ne
could continue his direction of Philip
pine affairs and make sure that there
should be no deviation from the sue
cessful line of policy he had mark d
out.
Secretary Of War.
1t is not important here to discnss
in detail Mr. Tafts administration of