Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-13
TAFT CHEERED AT
LINCOLN BANQUET
Secretary of War Speaks in Grand
Rapids, ich.-Defends Admin
istration's Policy in the
Philippines

BY Associated Press.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, Feb. H.
THE Lincoln club banquet here tonight
was a brilliant success, with a galaxy
of speakers never equaled III Michi :
gan's political banquets. More than
1000 persons occupied seats at the
tables. The hall was deliberately dec
GRATED. and as a compliment to Am
bassador Jusserand of France French
colors We're mingled with the American.
The speakers were Ambassador JUS
serand, Congressman George Edmund
Foss, Secretary of War Taft, Governor
Curtis Guild, jr., Of Massachusetts and
Director John Barrett of the bureau of
South American republics.
Although all the speakers were greet
ed with enthusiasm it was Secretary
Taft who received the greatest out
burst of applause. 1t continued for
several minutes before he could begin
his address.
Recounts Philippine Progress
Secretary Taft, after expressing the
belief that Lincoln would have APP
proved the Philippine policy of the
Republican party, recounted the prog
ress made in gradually extending self
government to the people of the Phil
ippines as they become better and bet
ter politically educated.
Said he: Would Abraham Lincoln
have dissented from this policy of step
by step leading these people on TO an
understanding of the responsibilities
of self government and familiarity with
its difficulties7
we have introduced into the islands
all the constitutional guarantees under
the federal constitution, except the
right to bear arms and the right to
serve on juries, for both of which as
yet the civilization of the people is
entirely unfit, but we have given Them,
and they are now enjoying. the right
to life, liberty and property and the
pursuit of happiness and freedom from
deprivation from any of these rights
except by due process of law. We
have given them a judicial system. in
the impartiality and efficiency of which
they have every confidence. Would
Lincoln have dissented from this?
Great World Power
During the administration of Theo-
dore Roosevelt our influence as a'world
power has exceeded anything before
in history. We have done more toward
bringing about the peace of the world
than any power in this century. Under
these circumstances is there room for
doubt that Abraham Lincoln would
have approved the policy of Mckinley
session as a world power I'm increasing
the size of our navy so that when we
do intervene In international affairs
we exercise an influence commensurate
with our greatness as a nation?
Finally can there he any doubt
where Lincoln would have stood in the
issues which peculiarly distinguished
the administration of Theodore Roose-
welt? l refer to the struggle which he
and his administration has made for
elimination from our business and po
litical fabric of corrupting influences
of the unlawful business combinations
ami the demoralizing Influences OF dis
obedience to law by our great railroad
ana transportation companies.
I'VE may know with certainty that
cannot brook contradiction that in the
struggle to make all business lawful
to take away from great corporations
the illegal privileges and immunities
that official Investigations have ahown
in many instances to prevail, Lincoln
would have made the same good fight
which has endeared Roosevelt to the
same plain people of the country who
upheld the hands Of the martyred pres
ident through all the great trials Of
his administration"