Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-02
FORMER PRESIDENT TAFT DEA
cLAREs HE is NOT PREPARED
FOR SELF RULE.
TRAINING WILL REQUIRE
MORE THAN ONE G. GRAFTON
Democratic Promi, : lnd.p.ndsres
Ar. Blamed : :. ..e.rt upri.irs-
Profession, <.voIutionist Fomsnts
oisturh, ,.c.raft Would Make FiIis
pinos Z. >ash- Speaking People.

Washington, Jan. 2.-t will take
more than one generation and probably
more than two to prepare the Filipinos
for self-government, in the opinion Of
William II. Taft. former president. who
today gave his views on the adminis-
tration bill for ultimate Independence
of the Philippines, before the senate
committee working on that measure.
I'm at last in a position where can
say just what l think said Mr.. Taft.
You called me here. I'm going to tell
you just what know about things"
we can not present -he Filipino
Philippines self government because
it can not be given.
We can not present the Filipino
with character. 1t must be acquired.
1t must be prepared by hard knocks,
as the AngloSaxon race acquired 1t.
Filipino Is Not Prepared.
When we went to the island we
tried to give 1t to them by maintainin8
a constitutional government as an OBJ
ject lesson. We tried to have the gov.
ernment participated in. but not con.
trolej, by the natives.
Now. for what time do / think IL
necessary to train the Filipino for self
government? time that will give
the people opportunity to learn Eng
lisf, so that they will become an Eng
ish speaking people. That may take
a generation and possibly two. You
can't educate all the people you
haven't got the money.
when President Mckinley sent mo
to the Philippines 1 told h:m that
thought we ought not to be in the is
lands. He said to me that we had ths
bear by the tail and that We had to
stay. But the idea then was that wo
would get out just as soon AZ we
could. Our. first purpose in being In
there was to get out.
Democratic Promises Cause Treuhlo.
Democratic promises OF Philippine
Independence. .Mr. Taft Eaid, have
been the great obstacle In our work
over there. Even now, IL Is causing,
trouble. This man Ricarte. who is
charged with fomenting the present
disturbance, is professional revolu-
zionist come down from my time in the
islands. He lives in Hong Kong on
funds he collects for revolutionist pur-
poses in the islands. This present out
break is probably the result of his
agitation In trying to collect money. He
probably argues that the democrats in
the United States have promised in
dependence at a fixed time. that the
time has passed, and that the promise
has been broken
Says Bill Is Trouble Maker.
Mr.. Taft opposed in detail the admins,
istration bill for greater measure OF
self government for the islands, de-
claring that no measure could be
framed better calculated to stir UP
trouble in the islands,
The people of the islands do not un-
derstand the republican form of gov
crnment as we know it, he said.
What would be the result If they
were given self government at once?r
asked Chairman Hitchcock.
"A Filipino in whom | have great
trust said Mr.. Taft. said to me, Your
steamers would not be before Correg-
dor island before the throat cutting
would begin. believe that is true. We
find the same condition in Mexico. The
man who loses a political fight has his
head as "A forfeit. That developed when
Agunaldo was in power.
A Diaz or Revolution.
II am describing an actual condition
that exists there. would be glad if
the United States could get ou, of the
Philippines, and l have great regard
for the poor people out there.
"If YOU give these people !ndepend-
ence now or by 1920 you will have this
terrible situation develop. Either a
Diaz would arise or thov would get into
q condition that caused the fall of Diaz
, In Mexico.
The former president said the obli-
cation of the United States to defend
The island might be "a source of weak
ness in time of war
But he continued. Il do not be-
lieve that any of the nations now en-
upon the possession of the Philippines
as a naval base as a source of weak
ness"
Japan Doesn't Want Them.
| He declared that in his opinion Ja-
pan had no desire to take the Philip-
pines.
Il twice visited Japan he said. "and
| 1t Is my opinion that their experiences
| in Formosa have been quite enough in
| that direction
Neither Presidents Mckinley.
i Roosevelt nor myself had contemplated.
! turning the Philippine government
over to the people until they were ablo
| to handle It," he continued. II be-
lieve Mr.. Roosevelt feels that way, as ]
do. OF course, l am not In Mr.. Roose-s
velt's confidence. but / feel that Is his
opinion.
The fultillment Of platform pledges
without regard to the good of the
] country has not been the consistent
course up to this time
| . J ~ b L Il