The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-14
TkFT'S POLICY
IN PHILIPPINES
Declared to Have Been Laid
Down by Mckinley and Fol-
lowed by Roosevelt.
TALK OF PRESIDENT-ELECT
OCCASION DEDICATION OF M'KIN-
LEY MEMORIAL ORGAN.

New York, Dec 13.-President-elect
William H. Taft, speaking tonight at
. the dedication of a Mckinley memorial
organ in Metropolitan temple, told an
audience, which repeatedly interrupted
him with applause, the story of his Of
fetal association with the late president,
and declared with reference TO the Phil
ippine islands that the policy laid down
by Mr.. Mckinley in 1900 had been the
policy of the present, as it will be the
policy of his own administration in the
White house. Andrew Carnegie and
John j. McCook also spoke.
1T was in February, 19o0,' said Mr..
Taft, in relating the personal narrative
of his resignation from the bench and
entry into public life, which in eight
years has brought him to the presi-
dency, that / received from Mr.. Nc
Kinley a telegram which read like this:
If you have no other engagement, you
will do me a great favor by calling on
me in Wa Ellington some time next
week.
What Mckinley Wanted.
Il did not know of any vacancy ex-
listing on the supreme court bench at
that time, but / went to Washington
just the same Arriving at the White
house, 1 was ushered into the cabinet
room, and there l met the president
Judge he said I'd like to have you
go to the Philippines
Il said, Mr.. President, what do you
mean by going to the Philippines
He replied, We must establish a
government there, and 1 would like for
you to help
But, Mr. President l said, L am
sorry we have got the Philippines. l
don't want them, and 1 think you ought
to have some man who is more in sym
pathy with the situation
. You don't want them any less than
I do replied the president. But we
have got them, and in dealing with
them l think / can trust the man who
did not want them better than 1 can
the man who did,
Persuaded by the President.
You can easily understand" con-
tinued Mr.. Taft, 1.-The feelings of a
man whose only object in going to
| Washington was in the hope of finding
vacant cushion on the supreme bench,
| to be asked to go 10000 miles from
home But after l had talked with Mr..
Mckinley and with Secretary Root, 1
decided I would go, and in a hurry. I
went under the influence of Mr.. McKin-
ley's personality, the influence he had
of making the people, do what they
ought to do in the interest of the pub
lie service. Mr.. Mckinley said he would
stand by me in the Philippines, and he
did. He was man of the most Won
derful tact that 1 ever knew of. Mr..
McKinley's ideals-and his idea-we are
still carrying out in the Philippines
was one of benevolent assimilation.
That idea or policy has come in for
much criticism and ridicule because We
had to begin it by fighting a war-be-
cause tranquility was secured only
through the exercise of the sword. 1t
was the cause of deepest.sorrow to Mr..
Mckinley that this was necessary, but
today we are trying to carry out that
which we would do were he alive to-
day. We are trying to educate the peo-
pie in the islands and to teach them
through partial self-government to at
tain the point where ultimately they
viii be able to govern themselves.
Providence to Blame.
1T is necessary for us to stay in the
Philippines in order to benefit the peo-
pie There the rising generation is
grasping the opportunities for educa-
ton that are offered, and there are now
half a million Philippine children in
the schools.
Where providence thrust upon US the
responsibility of people. our duty In
aiding them is like that of men favored
by fortune whose duty IL is to help the
helpless and unfortunate in the COM
munity. / speak of the Philippines
with the confidence that comes Of hav-
ing watched the progress of the islands.
In good faith we are carrying out an al
truistic policy. We must continue this
policy and hold the islands for the
benefit of the people who live there. il
we use the Philippines for purposes Of
exploitation or of mere benefit to us at
the expense of these people. we depart
from the faith and desert the base upon
which Mr.. Mckinley would have US car
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