New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-11
TOO SOON TO FREE
FILIPINO, SAYS TAFT
Continued from first page.


quoted President Wilson, and said that
what President Wilson had written
was applicable to the Philippines. He
added:
ANA President Wilson said our duty
is to continue 70 give them what We
are giving them now"
The ex-President declared that no
colonial government was less unselfish
than the American government OF the
PHILIPPINES to-day. He referred to the
statement made by Senior Quezon that
{ . American officials in the Philip
pines. being of AnglO-SaXon stock
Wanted their superiority over the dark
skinned Filipinos.
Some Advice by Taft.
II know that there Is a certain hard
headed provincialism about an Anglo
Saxon" went on Mr.. Taft. And that
is what | was talking about when
talked out in Manila. | was giving
them lecture. ! was telling them how
they must act II they wanted to do
business with the Flipinos."
This last referred to the following eX-
tract from Senior Quezons address:
I'm 1903 the then Governor General
Of the Philippines, Mr.. Taft, said that
there was bad feeling toward the
Americans on the part Of the Filipinos.
And the Governor General advised the
American business men Of the ISLANDS
that II they wanted to build up a trade
in the islands they must take into con-
sderation the fact that there never
would be more than 10000 Americans
IN, and always 100000 Filipinos.
and that they must not hurt the feel
ings of the F1lipinos."
Senior Quezon spoke at length Of the
aspirations Of freedom that stirred the
hearts Of his countrymen. And speak
ing OF these aspirations. ex-President
Taft said:
"One Of the difficulties about the
aspirations Of the Philippine islanders
is the political discussions such as we
have here tonight. and which we
would not have but for the pledges
made by the Democratic party at
time when they did not understand
what We were doing out there. I'm
not attacking the Democratic party.
I've gotten over attacking the Demo-
cratic party. I'm out Of II.
We Represent Them All.
we are not trustees alone for the
illustrates. the educated Filipinos, but
for the whole seven and a half mill
ions. There is grave ground for the
suspicion that If we went out Of the
Philippines now the freedom and lib
erty would not be preserved for all the
people as We are preserving il now.
And as an illustration let me tell a
story. when I was Governor General
number OF Filipinos came 10 me and
said they wanted 10 start an indepen-
dence club.
zone OF the reasons they advanced
for self-independence was that they
had counted all the offices I'm the
islands and then counted all the illus
trados, and found that there were twice
as many illustrates as there were
Offices to be filed. And I told them
that they did not understand what
self government was; that they did not
have an intelligent constituency.
Il would suggest 10 the Democratic
party that IL now find out just what
conditions are in the Philippines. and
let them send out impartial witnesses
there. and I'm willing 10 stand by their
verdict. and then see II they don't de-
eide II il is not wiser to go on with the
beneficial course we have taken"
Senior Quezon did not deny the good
that had come TO the Filipinos since
the American occupation of the islands.
He said they had better roads and more
and better schools and more prosper
ity.
Material prosperity alone will not
satisfy Filipinos. What we need,
what we want, is not only your philan-
thropic, religious or commercial aid
what we want is freedom. II you
want TO do business with us you must
have a more sympathetic feeling with
us | would suggest to this society not
TO Join i'm this campaign of abuse Of the
Philippine Islands that has been going
on for the last few months.
TT will be absolutely impossible 10
create friendly relations between the
Philippine Islanders and Americans SO
long as they are governed as they are
to-day. The attitude Of American OFF,
Gals sent out to the islands toward
the Fillpinos Ia not what II should be
We need your friendship, but 1t is alb
solutely necessary that we be placed
on the same footing with you and live
an independent national existence"
Bishop Brent. who followed him, de-
clared that the Filpinos did not have
present capacity for independence.
Besides those mentioned others at
the speakers table were Justice James
w. Gerard, General Frank Mcintyre.
Hon. Horace NJ. Towner. General Leon
ard Wood. Swagar Sherley. Justice Eu-
gene A. Philbin, Justice p. A. Hendrick
and Captain Lewis S. Van Duzer.
AT NEWPORT.
lBy Telegraph to The Tribune.l
Newport. June 10.-The Eldrldge cot