The Washington herald., 1909-03-05
TAFT FROMHIS BOYHOOD DAYS TO PRESIDENTIAL CHAIR

Z
were glad and proud 10 60
Thus, one by one. the problems OF the
Philippines advanced toward settlement
one question alone that Of the friaf-
/ lands. remained a sore spot Mr. Taft
came to Washington 20 lay before Con-
greSs information which he believed
would DO a great deal 10 put down much
I Of the unf0unded criticism OF The Philip
/ pine policy and action He also came 10
secure from Congress the necessary
money and authorization TO 90 70 Rome
and negotiate the troubled question Of the
/ friars' lands.
Going Caused Regret.
/ It was with great misgiving thu. the
! Filipinos saw Mr. Taft prepare 10 leave
/ the island. They were much afraid that
/ he would not return. But he made them
2 solemn promise that he would cOms
back, and they reluctantly acquiesced in
/ his journey
/ He did his work in Congress and pre-
! pared 20 redeem his promise 10 the Fill
/ pin0s and 90 hack 10 Manila via Rome
4 for negotiations with the Vatican His
health was badly impaired. His friends
and physicians advised him to remain in
! this country, but lie had given promise
/
This was in 1852 and during that visit
to this country there was talk Of a pros
pective vacancy in the United States Su-
preme Court. the goal Of 1r. Taft's am
bition. President Roosevelt spoke 20 him
about it while he was here. and said:
4 do not see how I could give the va
cancy TO you If It comes. ] need YOU
where you are.
1T has always been my dream 70 be IN
the Supreme Court" replied Mr Taf.
But If you should offer me a justiceship
now and if at the same time Congress
| should deprive me Of my entire salary -
/ governor Of the Philippines I should p
straight back. for those people expect ne
10 keep my word and I shall not desert
them
II believe I have the missionary spirit,
he told the Senate
Greeted on Return.
On his return 10 Manila. in August 1892.
he found his reward in the reception
given him by the people. He plunged az
once into the business Of the commission
and soon became engrossed in the nego-
+ tiations for the friars' lands Then came
q command from the President TO return
to the United States and accept the va
csncy on the Supreme Court bench But
Mr. Taft believed they needed him where
he was. He cabled hack:
T Great honor deeply appreciated. but
/ must decline Situation here most cTitl-
! cal from economic standpoint Change
proposed would create much disappCiut-
, n8ent and lack Of confidence among the
: people. Two years now 20 follow Of
! greater importance TO the development
? Of Islands than previous two years. Chol-
Z era, rinGerDcst. religious excitement. Ia
D drones. monetary crisis. all render most
Unwise the change OF governor Moth
Ing would satisfy individual tastes more
than acceptance. These are sentiments
Of my colleagues and Of two or three
!, leading FHipirOs consulted confdentialiy-
I Look forward 70 tine when can accept
: such an offer but even IL It is certain
p that it can never be repeated. must
= now decline Would not assume % an
: swer in such positive terms in view Cf
p words of your dispatch # gravity Cf SIT
: uatiOn here wes not necessarily known TO
! be better than It can be known in Wash
2 iugton.
Order from Roosevelt.
s But Theodore Roosevelt would not take
= no for an answer He wrote 20 Mr. Tart:
Ny Dear VIII. I an avfrly SHY. old nan. l--
after fai-ts=i cfort fCr month % r-v ard aUs.ze
s., matters cH the bass yCz wanted find that sil
. have 20 hs.aE sen kc1-e art rat r1 ile SrrTele
s Cosrt. sm very se-ry- lave TIE creates. c-7-
n deacc in sc-r judgment brit aftCr all cid tc--cr lT
= you uiLI permit sav So ! ths President ard
u see tse whole fed TIE rssucusiH5T f-r 1uy er-r
l. mus ultimately c0us U1Cu me- and tlf-e5c-c
Z ca1nCt sliTk the responsibility tire a=- re-
yield 20 ary ones decision i Ey Judgment against
T. After the careful rkc1Eht after r-st
n est effort 10 do what you desired ard Thought bc-.
r hare cone i-reTcczhly 90 che 6--sal thar s-all
q sTEcIuf y01 % he S1Trcue Court IN the vac1rg
hr n rsr f--'e
Wright IN yOrr place. with Ide as Tice g3vsTucr-
- With adectiolate Tegzris ever yous.
. THEODORE EOOSET ELT.
Taft. however. made another appel
= and Cnce more reuOunced the position
= which his ambition craved. but V-hl-l his
n understanding or his duty held him back
: from The arguments he presented this
\ time were so unanswerable that he r.
!. ceived cable from President Roosevelt:
= All right old fellow. you can stay
n Edueates the Filipino.
-e Then began the process Of providing
= the Filipinos with education. and the up-
: lift was carried well on its way Nr
a Taft remained governor Of the Philippines
s until 1904 when he was called home to be
8 Secretary OF War he had found in the
8 Islands a sulIen, suspicious. and dlsc5a-
n tented people. a people full Of hate ard
L distrust of the Americans. a people who
: were ready 10 fight rather than submit 70
decent government IL was Taft who
= changed them from enemies into friends
a He showed them their limitations. he
pointed out their possibilities. He showed
them their weakness; he put them ia the
! way Of becoming strong. He taught them
a the dignity Of labor and showed them the
-,-L- - -,-oe--e-- ETa fir-aa --a-,, ,.-s ~
M The slough Of desDond and superstition
,e and put them on their feet, handed and
le made
Sc It was with some reluctance. even. that
h Mr.. Taft ceased his work in the Philip
)r pines to take a Cabinet Office. but his OBJ
n jections were nitigated by the fact that
h as Secretary Of War the Islands would
so stiI be under his general supervision He
re was not quite dese-ting the people who
re trusted in him. And then. too, he had
e before him another gigantic work calling
re for the full powers Of a mantle super
d vision Of the building Of the Panama
Canal he had hardly taken his chair in
a his new Office before the canal problem
ie came before him
n His first step was TO send down 80 the
n. istkmus that Col Gorgas who had cleaned
le I'D the pest hole in Cuba and made Il
d sanitary and safe. and behind Col. Cor
az gas in his work in the Canal Zone stood
le Mr.. Taft ard the administration. Then
'h came that host of problems about the
as building of the canal which are not even
1t yet settled ar Taft went down. 10
ID Panama and stralShtened ont the reIa-
TO tions between the iSthmian republic and
a. the Canal Zone. Then came the organi-
a. zation of the work. its beginnings under
1e civil authority. and TiEally It's turning