The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-02-01
TAFT R|D|CUlES
FILIPINO FREEDOM
DECLARES ISLANDERS ARE NOT
YET CAPABLE OF SELF Gov
ERNMENT.
SEES ONLY CONFUSION,
Urges the Democrats to Investigate
Conditions in Islands-"Coh-
wcbbed Planks," He
Says.

Washington, Jan. 30.--Presilent
TAFT. in his farewell speech TO the
Ohio society of Washington, vigorous.
ly attacked the bill now pending in
congress proposing autonomy and in.
dependence in eight years for the Phil.
ippines. rs il possible" asked the
president. that the Democratic party
is going TO reverse the policy that has
vindica,cd itself by 10 years expert
cnce, merely for the purpose of con.
forming 10 the cob-wcbbed planks Of
forgotten platforms? Will they not
before they take such an irrrtricvahle
step. obtain reliable information as TO
the conditions that obtain in the ia
lands? This issue has been relega ed
TO tho limbo Of free silver or the mar
row doctrine Of states rights Those
who continue to give on, their uc,r
hra,ions on tho Philippines arc now
fewer than those who expect 10 attend
tho next inaugural ball"
Clark Declines Debate.
Speaker Clark. WHO followed the
president. declined 10 debate With him
the democratic policy for independ.
encc for the Philippines. u am not
going 10 debate the question of Phil.
ipDinr Independence with President
Taft said Mr.. Clark II have no in.
clina'ion to make Philippine speech,
and I'm not going TO. either wish
We were out Of there in as good shape
as We We're when VIC go, in. Rul. &C.
cording to the Democratic platform =
which ] didn't mako wa arc commit
ted 10 a policy. believe that when a
man gets office on platform he
should relisiously live up 10 the planks
that arc in that platfor
President Taft began his address
with an oul Of President McKin-
ley. From praise OF Mckinley he
turned to the Philippines aH1 said in
part:
Cites Campaign Issues.
after three administrations and
more have passed. and after two sue.
cessivc presidential campaigns with
silence on the Philippines as the is,
Sue. the country is asked 10 make a
change. We are asked to meet !. re-
crndesccnce of opposition to our Phil
| ippinc policy and the threat to run
| back the hands Of time: to reverse the
| verdict of Il decade and to give up ali
our achievements for a now expert
ment. which can only result in con
fusion and humiliation and involve ns
in international complications and
bring ns again with damaged prestige
| to an abandonment OF that pOlicy.
Those of us who. by reason OF OUT
information and experience, believe
that Il reversal of that policy now will
lead TO national humiliation and en-
! barassmeni. ;.hould not keep on,
mouths closed, but we have a right tc
appeal 10 those WHO are coming into
| power in the next adnnistration---thc
! executive and the egisators~~tO in
! form themselves we'll before they dc
part from course which has beer
| fraught with the utmost benefit to the
| people Of the Philippine islands. The
| Philippine islands arc not yo . read,
| for scf-govcrnment and no influence
could be more detrimental upon thnil
future than tho enactment of tho meas
urc now pending in the house Of repre-
semtatives, providing for change ir
| their government"