Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-09
TAFT on THE PHILIPPINES.

When asked by Senator Hitchcock,
Of the Philippines committee. what
would happen If clf-goyernment
were given 10 the Filpinos, former
President Taft the first American
governor general Of the Islands. made
the following reply.
"A Filipino IN whom have great
/ confidence. said to me, Your steam
crs would not be around CorregidDr
/ stand before the throat-cuttlng would
begin ! verify believe that Is true.
1 We nnd the same condition In Mex
/ leo. The man who loses political
/ fight has his head forfeit That's
what developed when Agunaldo was
I in power I am describing an actual
condition existing there"
These words recall in striking fash
ion what Colonel Roosevelt told the
nationalist Of Egypt as he was re-
turning from his lion shooting expo
ditlon to Africa IN 1910. He said that
1t did no good TO give a people a
paper constitution" unless they were
prepared for constitutional govern
mont and ready for It as q whole.
that "a mere paper instrument can
not make a nation free II will be
recalled by those who read the ia
nous speech of the ex-president that
he boldly declared That the British
either ought TO rule cor get out"
The European war has solved the
problem for Great Britain by max
ing il necessary that a full protecto-
rate be established but the Mexican
problem and the ultimate disposition
Of the Philippines are not subject to
the decision Of a great colonial em-
piro and therein lies the difference.
Fer the very reason that the Unit
cd States liz not an empire and has
no desire 10 govern subject peoples.
most citizens agree that II would be
a good thing il we were we'll out of
the Philippines; but that is far from |
saying that we should desert the
islands at this time, defeating the /
only Justification for the blood and /
the treasure we have expended there
for the blood of the Filipino insur- T,
rectos we have shed there and let |
them fan into anarchy. such as pre-
walls IN Mexico
Those who advocate practical self I
government for the Flllpinos are look I
Ing Mt the problem from theoretical /
viewpoint That 80 what Mr.. TAFT |
meant when ho was describing IAN I
actual condition 1t is difficult for /
an administration. that knows little 4
or nothug OF alien peoples. to appre- 4
ciate that promises OF self-govern-
mcnt 10 them, while they are in a
condition OF political chaos and tram I
sition. are bound 20 be misunder-
stood Tho Filipino leaders interpret
such an attitude as a sign Of weak
ness and inability to control. This
leads to renewal of agitation and revo-
lutionary outbreaks IT acts as set
back m the development of ability TO
maintain q stable government.
Splendid as the Wilson adminlstra-
ton Inns boon IN dealing with domes-
tic affairs, aud much as we ali appre-
ciate the fact that we have been kept
out ot war when single misstop
would have preciplatcd one with an
of Mexico, the fact remains that IL.
has been based upon the belief that
the Mexican and the Filipino people
were endowed with AneIo-SaNon con-
ccptiona of governments but Mr. Taft,
la ais testimony very apty quoted
from MIR Wilson's writings TO the e.
fect that felf-governmont s not q
mere form of institution. hat a form
of character Ar ruu added I'VE
cannot present the Filipino people
with character