Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-15
PEOPLE NOT READY
FOR INDEPENDENCE.
Former President Taft Be-
Iieves Fi|ipinos Not Fitted
for SeIf-Government.
TROUBLE MAY FOLLOW
ILL-ADWSED PROMISES
Mexican Situation and U. S. Rela-
lions With Japan Also Topics Be-
fore Geographic Society.


fore Geographic Society.
Former President William IL. Taft
delivered an address last nigh at the
New Masonic Temple before the
National Geographic Society. on ques-
tions which have for some time been
engaging the attention Of official Wash
ington, and which, judging from the in
tefest shown by his audience. lie close
TO the hearts of the people
lie said he hoped the day would never
come when the United States troops
would suffer and undergo in Mexico the
| hardships they had experienced i'll the
! Philippines
| He declared that the United States
must keep faith" with Japan by not
I discriminating against its people. and
that California must be restrained in
its efforts to 50 discriminate.
He made public a warning that at
/ least two generations Will be required
| Tor the Filipino people to become fitted
/ Tor government, and he foresaw
dire consequences il iil-adyised promises
OF independence are made them
i! Although filled with personalities as to
4 himself and members OF mis- family and
i =
ture was a study of OF the world
wide questions which affect the United
states at the present time. He quoted
! President Wilson a number OF times. eX-
| pressing admiration for his ideas and
/ phrases. and he ifequcntl! alluded to THE
admittedly great part President Roosevelt
played in world politics while il the
+ White house. He spoke with more free
dom. evidently than lie has done ut any
time since he left the presidency.
/ Speaks of His Travels.
! Departing al times from the prepared
manuscript Oh the reading stand before
him. from which lie had delivered u SINH
lar lecture in the afternoon before an
other gathering Of the membership of the
National Geographic Society he described
himself IS one who had Travelled more
thar lou.u3J miles in recent years, on trips
which Included i've visits to Japan, three
+ to China, two to the Philippines one to
Russia and Manehuria. one To italy, seven
IL Panama. two 10 Cuba and one to Porto
Rico. lie said he believed this travel had
given him opportunities to form broad
views on International questions.
/ He declared that Dean &. Worcester.
the retiring secretary of the interior of
tue Philippines. knows moe about the
I Philippines than does any other living
man. He lauded the 'untiring energy
and dsinte"ested work Of w. Cameron
Forbes, retiring governor general of the
islands. He criticised Representative
Jones OF Virginia for his recently intro
/ Homer Lea for his expressed views on
the possibility Of war between Japan ana
+ he United States.
/ When Mr. Taft was introduced by Gil-
/ bert II. GIoSvenoT. director and editor
/ OF the National Geographic Society. it
/ was evident Mr.. Grosvenor's statement
/ that the former President needed no in
PRODUCTION TO Washington audience.
every member OF whom must love him for
his interest in the city, was literally
true. for the long continued applause was
nothing short OF an ovation.
MI. Taft's Address.
/ Mr. TAFT said. in part.
/ The only danger Of war with Japan
/ is i'll our injustice 10 the japanese They
are fighting the battle for trade and not
+: for conquest or further acquisition of ter
I ritorr. at least not in this direction All
We have to do 10 avoid otl'er than bust
i ness rivalry is To treat them as We would
wish to he treated.
Il After the end of the Russo-Jauanese
war when the Japanese found they Were
/ rot to get any Indemnity, the names of
I Ito. komura and President Roosevelt
Nao is credited with having PLAYED an
] e.
became anatheua in Japan. But Homer
| Lea or any one else VINO speaks of the
! possibility Of war between the United
states and japan Is speaking on assump-
| IONS which will never be realized. The
/ transportation Of an army 5000 miles
across the tracl<lesS wastes of the Pa
/ ciflc. With all the chances Of attack upon
\ the troop ships that would have TO carry
/ them. Is idle dream, and the Japanese
+! DO not dream idle dreams
= Japan Is a great power and il Is
/ III tho interest of the civilization Of
| the world that Americans keep on good
/ terms Win Them. They DO not insist
81 pushing themselves out in this colIn-
I try Their number is diminishing in
/ the Jnltcd States rather than iucreas-
lug. and the japanese who are here
ought TO he treated without discrimina-
\ tor. That is all they ask We made
y gentleman agreement with japan
/ tlat they should not increase their i'm
+ migration To this country That bar
gain has been Faithfully kept And ma
matter what the reckless and unjust
acts of thouShtless people in cali
'ornia or eiscwheH. may lie. they should
hc restrained. ! have talked with Ito.
konnra SaionJi, famanote. Hyashi
and Tcrauzi. Terauzi and | were sec
retaries Of war together. In ono talk
with lIyashi he told me frankly that he
deprecated tho outbreaks against the
Japanese in California. for the danger
in them Was that lie and the other lead
crS in japan might not be able to re-
strain their people if they continued
Problems in the Philippines.
4 As TO the Philippines, Mr. Taft said:
II hope and assume that the admin
/ istration is making itself acquainted with
the problem in the islands. 1t will take
at least one generation, probably two
and perhaps longer for the f'iIipiios {,
become fitted for self-governnent Til.
common people in the islands are hope
l"ssiN ignorant. utterly lacking in polti
cal knowledge, and not motS using tlteii
opportunities. even III small way. Tic
promise within any definite time IL give
them self government would he foolish
1T would be i failure to them n
would lie failure on Our p.irt n main
taiuinS the sef-respect that we ought
to have in diScharsinG a responsibility
that has come 10 us under circumstances
we could not control. and which we are
quite able TO discharge Hitl compare
lively small effort We shall mako Il Scri
Gus mistake II we follow the eloauence oi
the smooth spoken Filipino politicians
who are looking hunrriy for the cAer-
else OF power which they are i'll adapt
Ell To WELD for the benefit of their ou II
people.
II hone that tho administration will see
its duty III the Philippines as We who
have be1u there have seen it, to en-
courage the F.,pinoS TO take an active
I part III the government. II least as ac-
tive il is safe to have them take.
and retain : controlling hand While they
are IN their tutelagc. while they are