Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-01-30
Reports Of American Occupation Of
the Philippines, ~ secre-
tary Taft.
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER
Carrying Out. Of William Mel<inIey's
Policies Has Produced Brightest
Page IN American History y.
Costs so,0oo,0Oo Annually.

| uAtet tn0 DAttle OF MAnlla pay, SecfG
| tary Taft records the results of the
American occupation Of the archipel
ago and forecasts the future Of the
Filipinos, In an exhaustive report
transmitted to congress by the presi.
dent, with a letter written by the
chief executive, commencing In the
highest terms, the 'secretary's con.
illusions. The president declares that
ruin would have followed the adoption
Of any other policy toward the Philip
pines than that outlined by William
Mckinley and carried forward through
these nine years, and asserts triumph.
antly that there Is no brighter page
in history than that dealing with the
relations between the strong and the
weak in those islands. He adds that
the Filipinos shave yet long way
to travel before they will be fit for
complete self.government."
The presidents letter follows:
Il transmit herewith the report Of
Secretary Taft upon his recent trip to
the Philippines. l heartily concur in
the recommendations he makes, and II
call especial attention to the admir-.
able work Of Governor Smith and his
associates. It is a subject for just
national qualification that such re
port as this can be made. No great
civilized power has ever managed with
such wisdom and disinterestedness the
affairs Of a people committed by the
accident Of war to its hands. II we
had followed the advice Of the mis-.
guided persons who wished US to turn
the islands loose and let them suffer
whatever fate might befall them, they
would have already passed through a
period Of complete and bloody chaos,
and would now undoubtedly be the
Of some other power which
there is every reason to believe would
not have done az we have done; that
Is, would not have striven to teach
them how to govern themselves or to
have developed them, as we have de-
veloped them, primarily In their own
interests. Save only our attitude tO-l
ward Cuba, / question whether there
Ii a brighter page in the annals Of
dealing between the
strong and the weak than the page
which tells Of cur doings in the Philip
,ines. I cali especial attention to the
admirably clear showing made by Sec
etary Tan Ut the fact that It would
rave been equally ruinous II we had
'ielded to the desires Of those who {
Wished us TO go faster in the direction I
I giving the Filipinos self-govern
nent, and N we had followed the pol
cy advocated by others, who desired
s simply to rule the islands without Il
ny thought at all Of fitting them for 9
The islanders have n
lade real advances in hopeful d. 9
ection, and they have opened well e.
18th the new Philippine assembly; q
icy have yet a long way to travel pl
sfOre they will be At for complete "
disagreement, and for deciding, az Vi
win then be their duty to do, wheth- "
this self-government shall be &c. he
'mpanied by complete Independence. W
win probably be 4 generation, II th
~ even be longer, before this point
reached; but Il is most gratifying
at such substantial progress toward
is as a goal has already been accom-.
shed. We desire that II be reached ha
as early date as possible for the 80
ke VI the Fillpinos and for our own to
ke. But improperly to endeavor to ch
Try the time win probably mean that to-
, gOaH viii not be attained at all. re-
Theodore Roosevelt" ca
Secretary Taft's report records his IA
servations on his recent visit to the IA
lnds to the extent Of nearly so Ju
nted pages. Generally speaking,
secretary is optimistic in a high -
rec in treating Of this subject, even n
ugh he cannot fix time for de- "
ring the independence Of the Y
nds. In answer to the critics who "
e made 'the most astounding and
air statements in respect to the u
! to the United States Of the Philip
ss," he figures out a total annual u
Of 100000, and he Wig.
Isly denies the failure Of the X
ippine policy. He says that great
lges have occurred in the islands X
people are now anxious to have -
American soldiers retained. There x
high standard Of administration -
ustice. Nothing IL more popular a
the constabulary. There are no ~
Itions between the government and 4
Roman Catholic church, unless the "
pyan schiEm can be said to be in. 4
ed. Peace prevails in a greater ~
ee than ever before In the history x
le islanda The magnificent Ben. "
road Is now Justlned BY the 70 ~
obtained. "
10 secretary is willing to limit the
mt Of sugar and tobacco that can Y
rported to the United States. He
lets Development Of business
N IS years that will make the
mos themselves stand high IN the
Pc Industrial populations. His