The Washington herald., 1911-09-23

fense of his vetoes, they told him. IL
was essential to squarely put himself
on record. The President found that
State Senator Walter Clyde Jones. a
progressive of the La Toilette type
and a candidate for governor on the
progressive platform. with the inftia-
tive and referendum and direct election
of United States Senators as his issue
had been making a dent in the Repub-
lican strength. Before Mr.. Taft spoke
various of the political leaders in spir-
tied speeches told him what Illinois
thought.
When Mr.. Taft spoke he evidenced a
more determined spirit than in any Other
OF his speeches in this trip. When he
assured his hearers that he proposed
adopting the middle ground he got
only a faint handicap. AS he launched
into his defense OF the vetoes, the State
leaders listened intently and did not in
terrupt him. The speech over, the i'm
preston left was that Mr.. Taft has em-
barked upon rocky path, but that he
will fight desperately to retrieve himself.
The Republican leaders give their assur-
ance that they will support him. but they
gave him TO understand that the burden
Of the fight is upon him.
During his rounds of the city. Mr.. Taft
stopped of at the Avoy Manufacturing
Company and, touching upon the loss of
the reciprocity fight, said he was sorry
Canada did not care to have closer COM
merCial relations with U.s."
Mr.. Taft spoke to the knights Of CO.
lumbus tonight upon his work in the
Philippines.
Discusses the Philippines.
Taking up the Philippine situation.
with respect TO efforts now under way
in Congress to bring about the separa-
tion Of the islands from control of this
government. the President goes into
the history OF the islands. He goes on
II bring this question up now because
1t has formed an issue between the two
parties in this country; at least this is
so II you can judge by the platforms Of
the two parties. I venture to think that
the platform of that party which ad-
vocates an early separation of the
Philippines from the United States does
not represent the voice OF the members
Of the party as a whole. and that when
the question comes up as a practical one
for cutting the bond which now unites
the Philippines to the United States
many will hesitate to give effect to the
declarations of the party platform.
Now Admirably Governed.
My own connection with the Philip
pine government was limited to the first
four years. and the government has now
been in operation eleven years l can
speak, therefore. of the success of that
government without actual or seeming
self-praise. The Filipino people to-day are
admirably governed. They have a school
system in which there are 4S1, 900 enrolled
pupils. 1t consists of upward of 5000
primary schools. of a proportionate num-
Der of secondary schools. and of one uni
versity. They have a number of normal
schools. and the feature OF industrial
education has been pushed with all the
vigor possible, so that now about $50. 900
Of the 81, 600 pupils are receiving instruc-
tions in useful arts.
When we went there we had to decide
what language should be the language
of the people, for there were a number
of different dialects, and only about
per cent of the people spoke Spanish.
To-day, under the educational system
which has been carried forward with
energy, and with large expenditure and
with effectiveness. more people speak
English in the islands than speak Span
ish. or than speak any one OF the native
dialects. In a generation English will be