New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-30

/ and myself was TO train the Filipinos
/ in self government by admitting them
! to partial autonomy. but by retaining
/ guidance and control through the ul-
/ innate authority of Americans in the
bureaus and departments.
"W. Cameron Forbes, the Governor
| General, was ousted by cable dispatch,
and his successor, Mr.. Harrison, was
sworn into Office In Washington before
! he had landed in the Philippine Islands,
/ or had even bresthed in the atmos-
phere in which he was TO exercise so
much power. This had never happened
/ before. Mr.. Harrison had no expert
ence whatever, and, so far as appears,
had no knowledge except that derived
from conferences with Manuel Quezon,
the Philippine delegate to Congress.
an all, in the three months between
October, 1918, and January, 1914, 1S9
Americans were separated from office,
and by July /, 1914, the number sepa-
rated increased TO 476. All these were
officially reported to have rendered
satisfactory service.
Demoralized the Government.
at is hardly necessary after such
an elimination of those men. who had
been so large a part in contributing
to the efficiency of the government,
to say that their separation from the
service completely demoralized the
government in the islands"
Mr.. Taft here refers to the demora-
lization Of the Bureau of Public Lands,
one of the most important in the ISL
ands. Captain Sleeper, who had sue
cessfully administered the bureau,
was removed from Office the day after
the first night which Harrison spent
in the islands, says Mr.. Taft. A
Filipino who took Captain Sleeper's
place was tried and acquitted on
charges Of maladministration.
During the six months when he was
in Office the arrearages upon collec-
tons upon Friars Lands, which it is
of the utmost Importance to make a.
little as possible, had increased TO more
than 100000 pesos" continues Mr.. Taft.
"The decentralization that the change
of policy has had upon the service OF
the Americans who still remain can
hardly be exaggerated. My sources OF
information are Dean Worcester, who
is the best informed man in respect TO
the islands and its government that
know; Governor General Forbes, who
keeps in touch with the islands by cor
respondence; Vice-Governor Gilbert,
whom have seen and talked with after
he revisited the islands and spent some
time in Manila during the present gov
eminent, and from whom ! received
letters on the subject, and Daniel r.
Williams, who is a prominent attorney
in the islands, who was formerly in the
government service as judge OF the
Land Court.
"Mr. Garrison seeks to give the i'm
preston that this administration Is
only following my policy in what they
are doing. II he thinks that what he
is doing is for the benefit Of the
Filipi2os, then to that extent we are
moved by the same motive.
But if his intended intimation is
that when ! was in the Philippines /
was in favor of eliminating the eff
cient Americans which this administra-
tion has eliminated by its policy from
the civil service, and who made the
government the success it was, he does
me grave injustice"
Opposed to Jones Bill.
Mr.. Taft says that he is utterly OPP
posed" TO the Jones bill, which, he
feels. will have vicious results. He
DOlllkS " MS OWN AOuI years VI Ailc
hardest kind of work in the Philippine
Islands for the benefit Of the Philip
pins people" and says that he was
Loyalty supported by Presidents Nc
Kinley and Roosevelt.
1--WE appointed quite as many DEM
ocrats to the civil service as Republi-
cans, and quite as many Democratic
judges to the bench as Republican
judges" Mr.. Taft goes on. "No ques-
tion was ever made in the islands as
to mans political preference or sffil
iations."
utterly denying" being a party to
q political campaign for the purpose Of
attacking the present administration,
Dir. Taft concludes:
81 have a feeling that in after years,
when Mr.. Garrison recurs to this Ian
guage Of his, he will regret his vehe-
mence, It's epithets and its injustice"