Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-27
.F|L|P|NOS MUST WAIT
May Be a Generation Before They
Are Free, Says Roosevelt,
SPECIAL REPORT BY TAFT.
President Enthuses Over Our Dealings
In Archipelago and Says No Civilized
Power Has Ever Displayed Such
Wisdom In Similar Circumstances.

In Archipelago and Says No Civilized
Power Has Ever Displayed Such
| Wisdom In Similar Circumstances.
Washington, Jan. 27-To congress
and through it to the world at large
President Roosevelt announces that il
will probably be generation, it may
even be longer, before the FilipinOs
will be fit for complete self govern.
ment and ready to decide whether they
shall be Independent of American rule
This declaration from the president
accompanies special report to him by
Secretary Taft upon his recent visit to
the Philippines on the occasion of their
first national assembly and recording
the results of the American occupation
of the islands in the nine years since
the battle of Manila bay. Concurring
in the secretary's conclusions and his
assertion that the Filipinos are being
well and economically governed at a
present cost Of not over $5,0O0,0O0 q
year, the president says:
mo great civilized power has ever
managed with such wisdom and disin-
terestedness the affairs of people
committed by the accident of war to
its hands. If we had followed the ad-
vice of the misguided 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 possession Of
some other power which there is every
reason to believe would not have done
as we have done-that is, would not
have striven to teach them how to gov
ern themselves or to have developed
them, as we have developed them,
primarily in their own interests.
Save only our attitude toward Gu
ba, l question whether there is a
brighter page in the annals of inter-
national dealing between the strong
and the weak than the page which
tells of our doings in the Philippines.
/ call especial attention to the admira-
bly, clear showing made by Secretary
Taft of the fact that 1t would have
been equally ruinous If we had yielded
to the desires of those who wished us
to go faster in the direction of giving
the Filipinos self government and if
We had followed the policy advocated
by others, who desired us simply to
rule the islands without any thought
Mt all of fitting them for self govern
ment.
"The islanders have made real au-
vances In the hopeful direction, and
they have opened well with the new
Philippine assembly. They have yet
long way to travel before they will
be fit for complete self government
and for deciding, as 1t will then be
their duty to do, whether this self gov.
ernment shall be accompanied by com.
plete independence. 1t will. probably
be a generation, it may even be longer,
before this point is reached. But it is
most gratifying that such substantial
progress toward this as goal has al.
ready been accomplished. We desire
that it be reached at as early date
as possible for the sake of the Filipinos
and for our own sake But improperly
to endeavor TO hurry the time will
probably mean that the goal will not
be attained at ALL"
Secretary Taft's recommendations to
congress are:
First-That legislation he adopted by
congress admitting the products of the
Philippines TO the markets of the Unit
ed States with such reasonable limita.
tions as may remove fear of interfer.
ence with the tobacco and sugar inter
ests in the United States.
Second.-That the present restriction
be removed as to the acquisition OF
mining claims and the holding of lands
by corporations in the Philippines.
Third.-That further legislation be
passed authorizing the Philippine gov
eminent, il it choose, to open and con
duct an agricultural bank. with cap
ital not exceeding S2,0000O0.
FOurth.-That the cOastwise laws of
the United States be made permanent
ly inapplicable TO the trade between
the ports Of the islands and the ports
of the United States.
The secretary extols President
Roosevelt for his Philippine policy,
which. he declares, is merely the con-
sistent continuation of that originated
by President Mckinley. The United
States. he says. is using every effort to
increase the capacity Of the FilIpinos
to exercise political power. He denies
that 1t was ever McKinley's policy
merely 20 await the organization Of
a Philippine Oligarchy or aristOcracy
competent To administer government
.r,I sH..s, f5rrr, fiaa Fzfa rIS 0var fn IL