New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-02
TAFT IN ERROR,
SAYS GARRISON,
CITING RECORDS
Ex-President'S 1908 Report
almost Identical with
Jones Bill Preamble"
RULE CALLED
LESS PARTISAN
Fewer Removals in Philippines
by Harrison than Under Re-
publicans, Says Secretary.

lFrom Tho Tribune Bureau
Washington, Dec. 1.-Secretary Gar
rison replied to-day to ex-President
Taft's structures on the admiAistra-
tons Philippine policy in a statement
which, while il avoids he vehement
and unmeasured" language of his at
tack on Mr. Taft last Monday, lacks
nothing Of emphasis. The statement
seeks to demonstrate by reference TO
War Department records that Mr.. Taft
is entirely in error as to facts, and
that in criticising the policies Of the
Wilson administration he is attacking
the Republican party, which originated
them.
In attacking the Jones bill, the Sec
rotary says, Mr.. Taft is striving to
create the impression that 1t contem-
plated a change Of policy from that
initiated by previous administrations.
To demonstrate that this Is not the
case, Mr. Garrison quotes from a re-
port by William II. Taft. Secretary
Of War" in 1908, and points out that
)lr. Taft's language is almost Identical
with that of the preamble Of the Jones
pill
The Secretary takes up Mr. Taft's
charges one by one, quoting literally
from the records 10 disproye them. lie
opens with a reference to Mr.. Taft's
Endorsement Of a pamphlet by o. Car
field Jones attacking the administra-
ton. Mr.. Taft admitted in a recent
statement that Mr. Jones is now dis
credited witness" Mr.. Garrison's
statement, in part, follows:
"Mr Taft seeks 20 convey the i'm
preston that he is viewing the whole
matter in a detached spirit of patriotic
interest in this country and in the
Philippines, and yet we find him re-
ferring TO what he says was the dec
laration of Governor General Harrison
in the press Of Honolulu. that he took
sardonic pleasure in turning out Re
publcans.' When this SANDER was
first circulated Governor General Har-
rison denied that he ever used any
language conveying such meaning.
Civil Service Rules Observed"
with respect to the matter Of civil
service. the records OF the department
show that the Director Of Civil Service
Of the Philippine Islands. DR.. Falconer,
an official who was appointed under
former administration, reports that
Governor General Harrison in his APP
pointrnents has observed the civil SER
vice rules in letter and spirit, and the
records are all at Mr.. Taft's dispose!
if he wishes to dispute this.
Upon the general question as TO
whether competency has been elm
mated. the records show that the pres
bureaus and departments have aver
aged as long or longer periods Of ser
vice in the Philippines than under any
previous administration.
"Under no other administration were
30 few persons taken from the United
States and placed in responsible posi-
tions in the Philippine Islands; and un-
der no other administration was less
craftsmanship injected. SO much for the
cancellations INDUCED in by Mr.. Taft
"Mr. Taft's first specific complaint is
with respect 10 what he terms the new
policy introduced in October. 1913. He
says: 1t involved the separation Of
Governor General Forbes and all the
Commissioners and the substitution Of
men with no Philippine experience
whatever
THE Governor General Of the Phil
ippine Islands holds a position in that
government similar tot that OF Presi-
dent in our Cover ment, and the vari-
Gus commissioners are similar 70 the
Cabinet in this country. This admin
istration, upon sending Governor
~ L.. -. Il
ed him with a Cabinet Of its own selec-
Presidents Of this country surround
themselves with Cabinets selected by
themselves.
"Mr. Taft's next charge Is that he
Governor General HARRISON dis
charged at once upon his arrival Nc
Coy, Collector Of Customs; Sleeper,
Director Of Public Lands; Wilson, As
sistant Director of Public Lands;
Leech, Director of Printing; Parsons,
Consulting Architect; Welch. Assistant
Executive Secretary; Hogsette. Assist
ant Director of Printing; Helm, Di-
rector of the Bureau of Navigation;
Harding, Chief Of Manila Police; Scott,
Captain of Police
Sleeper Had Been Under Inquiry.
$50 far from this being a correct
statement, the fact is that Governor
General Harrison neither at once nor
at any other time discharged Wilson,
Parsons or Helm. He did discharge
within FIVE days after his arrival Nc
Coy, because he was acting, while the
head of the Customs Service, as the
National Republican Committeeman
from the Philippine Islands. He SINH
larly discharged Sleeper, whose conduct
Of the Bureau Of Public Lands had been
the subject of investigation by com
mittee Of the House of Representa-
tives while Mr. Harrison was & mem
Der Of that body, and whose admins
tration Of that bureau, as thus dis
closed, did not meet with Mr.. Harri-
sens approval.
"Mr Taft next says: The official
record shows that between October,
1913. when Governor General Harrison
landed, and January !, 1914, 1913 Amer
leans were separated from Office, and
that By July IA. 1914, tn number sep
arated had increased TO 49,
"Without stopping to verify these
figures, IL Is the fact that no impli-
cation Of improper conduct on the part
Of the Governor General arises or
should arise from this statement. The
period covered, from October, 1913, 20
1uly II, 1914, is nine months, and the
total number of separations from the
service for nine months under Gov
ernor General Harrison was, as stated
nv Mr.. Taft. 476. At this rate the aver
age annual rate would be about 500.
N