The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-10-08
THE PARTY OF YOUTH TAFT'S WORK IN CHINA
He RehabiIitated Our National
Reputation.
CHECKED COURT ABUSES.
Cleared the United States Banner
From the Dishonor That American
Criminals Had Brought Upon II.
Readiusted Consular Service.

From the Dishonor That American
Criminals Had Brought Upon II.
Readjusted Consular Service.
IL was chiefly through the Influence
and at the instigation OF Mr.. Taft that
the recent rehabilitation Of our nation
al reputation In China was accomplish
cd by the establishment OF the United
States court in China. Until Mr. Taft
became a paramount figure In the far
east scandalous conditions had pre-
vailed In Shanghai and other cities OF
China where the United States exer-
cised extra territorial rights. Undesir-
able subjects of the United States. men
and women. had degraded the Ameri-
can dag by using It as a cloak under
which TO conduct numerous nefarious
enterprises. American sharpers. gam
blers and promoters OF questionable
schemes had long worked In cOaiuuc-
ton with discredited lawyers TO their
mutual and Illegal gain. In various
Instances these criminal endeavors
were aided aud abetted by American
consular officers, who were dismissed
from the service. The former practice
OF adjudicating all causes In which
Americans were parties In consular
courts gave rise TO abuses The Amer
lean dag. In Shanghai particularly.
stood for national dishonor In the eyes
OF other nations who by legislation AMI
the creating OF proper courts had
spared their flags the disgrace that de-
scended upon the United States ban
ner
When be was at the head Of the Phil
ippine government In Manila Mr. Taft
by his proximity TO China soon appre-
ciated the seriousness OF the condi-
tlons there aud foresaw the loss OF
standing In the eyes OF the Chinese 10
which we were indlferently exposing
ourselves by our failure TO keep In
check American criminals. He brought
the matter 10 the attention OF the state
department and Joined with Secretary
Root. Representative Edwin DENLY OF
Michigan. a son OF the former United
States minister to China: Charles Den
by. another son. who Is now consul
general at Shanghai. Senator SpOOner
and some others In an endeavor to rem
edy conditions He eXerted his lnfiu-
ence 10 obtain the passage by congress
Of a bill creating the United States
court for China. Lebbeus Redmond
Wiley OF Missouri. who had been Mr.
Taft's attorney general IN the Philip
pines. was named as judge
Mr. Taft from the first took deep
personal interest In the work OF Judge
Whitley and his court In a way he
supervised its work and was frequent
ly appealed 10 by Judge Wiley for ad-
vice as 20 procedure and other details
The lack OF adequate laws hampered
Judge Whitley but by proceeding In ac-
cordance with the common law he
quickly made the court effective. With
In a few months after the court was
organized Shanghai and other cities In
China where conditions were such as
10 require II were thoroughly and dras-
tically cleaned up. shyster American
lawyers were disbarred. so that the
gamblers. dlsreputable women and 9TH
er Offenders against the law were de-
prlved Of legal support The reputable
American lawyers in good standl q
aided Judge Wllhey. Heavy fines and
terms OF Imprisonment exercised a de-
terrent effect upon the lawbreakers.
many Of whom summarily fed from
China before the court could bring
them 10 account for their misdeeds.
when Mr.. Taft was In Shanghai
last fall he was heartily thanked and
congratulated by the law abiding
Americans there for the part he had
taken in removing the stigma from
the American flag and restoring the
good fame Of the national name In the
orient. In his speech before the Amer
lean association In China he paid a
high tribute to Judge Whitley. saying
I'm part:
"Our government was fortunate In the
selection as the first judge of the court
OF a gentleman who had had four
years experience in the orient as at
torney general OF the Philippines and
who went to Shanghai with an init
mate knowledge OF the method OF unit
ing I'm one administration the princi-
pies OF the common law OF the United
States with the traditions and condi-
lions OF a foreign country. His policy
In raising high the standard OF admis-
sion TO the bar and in promoting the
vigorous prosecution Of American vio-
lators OF law. which eliminated from
that community many undesirable
characters who had brought disgrace
upon the name of Americans In the
cities of China. cannot but commend
itself 10 any one interested in the good
name Of the United States among the
Chinese people and with our brethren
OF other countries who live In China"
Free trade England is alarmed again
at the physical deterioration OF her
submerged classes" In this land OF
protection the rule Of social progress
is that of emergence and physical.