Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-20
HARR|SON'S RULE
OFPH|L|PP|NES
ATTACKED
Former President Taft Declares
Wilson's Governor General Is
Playing Politics.

NEW YORK, Nov 20-Students of
Philippine conditions are to-day dis
GUESSING the remarkable denunClation
Of the present administration Of the
affairs Of the archipelago by Francis
Burton Harrison, President Wilson's
Governor General of the Islands, by
former President William II Taft
last night at the Brooklyn Institute
Of Arts and Sciences.
II was by far the most vigorous
address that Mr. Taft has made since
he surrendered the reigns of govern
ment. He openly charged that Har
rison was playing politics in the
Islands by appealing to the native
arlstocrats and scorning the advice of
Americans who have been long stu
dents Of Philippine affairs.
Promises Are Vague.
He also charged the administration
with endeavoring to salve the ma
tives with vague promises Of indie
pendence, while he asserted IT was
evident that the Fflipinos are far from
being prepared for self government.
Mr.. Taft said in part:
Are We to let these islands so
and turn them over to an oil
garchy Of eloquent and attractive
orators who really believe in aris-
tocracy and who have no real
conception of civil and individual
liberty and certainly no capacity
by training and education for
successful popular government?
The minute the strong back
ground of a powerful government
Is withdrawn the difficulties be-
tween the Moros, who are mu-
unous and have no sympathy
with the Filipinos and have a ra-
cial hatred for them, will at once
develop. The Moros have notified
US that they will not stand Fill
pino government and the Fill
pinos say they can not take over
the islands unless they take over
. all Of them.
The present declaration OF the
administration that they are look
ing forward to ultimate indepen-
dence. has been accepted by the
politicians Of the Philippine Is
lands as a great boon, although Mr..
Mckinley, Mr.. Roosevelt and |
promised II from the first and have
always promised It; but We were
little more definite in saying that
we did not think il was coming for
a generation and probably not for
more than that time. The present
administration clearly fixes no
time, but their attitude heretofore
has been such that the mere
declaration of their intention to fur
nish independence is accepted by
the Filipino people as a promise Of
early independence.
More War Likely.
Under these conditions. when the
Filipino people find that they are
no nearer independence under DEM
ocratic administration than they
were under Republican adminstra-
ton they will think themselves de-
ceived and this may lead to some
agitation and some disturbance,
which will have to be put down
with a strong hand.
The administration has enlarged
the Filipino membership in the
Commission SO that 1t becomes a
majority and legislation viii now
go through the Assembly under the
impulse OF the politicians of the
Islands and by arousing a popular
clamor in its favor they will force
their legislation through the Com
mission, however much the intelli-
gent Filipino members Of the Com
mission may wish to avoid il.
Some of the legislation will have to
be vetoed and it will have to be
vetoed by the Secretary of War at
Washington, because the Governor
General has not the power to veto.
Upon the arrival of Mr. Harrison
In Manila. and as soon as he had
announced his policy, he called for
the immediate bureaus in the is
lands and announced his intention
OF appointing Ftlipinos to some OF
these places and Americans from
the United States TO others. Among
these bureaus are that of customs,
Of public laws Of Internal revenue,
and of health.
These are bureaus that require
for their proper administration a
thorough knowledge of the islands
and technical familiarity with