The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-12-08
HITS TAFT HARD
GARRISON DEFENDS AMERICAN
POLICY In PHILIPPINES
SHOWS Up news ARTICLES

Secretary Of War Says Republicans
are Attempting to Drag Insular Re-
lations into Politics In Order to
Get Campaign Material to Fight
President Wilson Next Year.
Secretary Garrison Of the war de-
partment issued formal statement
Monday sharply arraigning Former
President William H. Taft for having
lent his name to what was termed
Statements mendacious in character
and mischievous in intent" with re-
lation to conditions IN the Philippine
islands under the present admins
tration.
The statement follows:
ut Is becoming very plain that the
Republican politicians are attempting
to lay the foundation for campaign
material with respect to the Philip
pine islands. There have recently ap-
peared series Of interviews or arti-
cles exhibiting a shameless intention
in this matter. These statements are
mendacious In character and mischie-
vous IN intent. Many of them pro-
ceed from sources so inconsiderable
as to carry little II any weight, even
il undenied. Others, however, are
fathered by men whose names and
prominence supposedly lend weight
to their utterances. 1t is inconceiv-
able that even partisan zeal would
lead these men to so stultify them
selves.
"Realizing that the honor and
good faith of this nation were in
volyed in its relations to the Filipino
people, I have absolutely abstained
from any partisan comment or con-
duct with respect to this subject. The
United States took over an enormous
| responsibility which should be car
ried out in the highest spirit Of good
faith and altruism, and all those who
respect the good name of this country
should at least refrain from misrep-
| resentation and false statements con-
| cerning conditions
"The government Instituted in the
l
| ceived In the best spirit and has in
the main been carried out In the
most worthy way. Such mistakes as
have been made were only such as
are Inevitable in the conduct OF hu-
man affairs. That government has
been continued in the same spirit by
the present administration, and con-
ditions, governmentally considered,
were never better than they are in
the Philippine Islands to-day.
"The bill which was pending In the
last congress and which will be
brought before the next congress IS
exactly in line with ell that has here
tofore been done in the islands and
is simply the mex: proper logical step
to be taken toward developing the
people thereof for self-goyernment.
No honest reading and consideration
Of the measure can lead to any other
conclusion. Because the preamble OF
that bill repeated in concrete Ian
guage that which has been substan-
TALLY stated to be the position OF
this country from the time OF Presi-
dent Mckinley on down. 1t has been
falsely labeled an Independence bill,
and the impression has been widely
conveyed that 1t alters In some vital,
radical way the orderly progress of
the self-government OF the Filipino
people. Such an Interpretation creates
an absolutely false impression.
president Taft, when governor
general Of the Philippine islands, was
the first one to announce that the
motto Of the American adn1nistra-
ton was the Philippines for the Fill
pinos.' Ee properly and bitterly re-
sented criticisms against him for TAX
| ing this position. He constantly stat
ed that this was the only position
which any one acting in good faith
and with the honor of his govern
ment IN his keeping could take; that
| from the very beginning this was the
| announced policy Of this country con-
| stantly iterated and reiterated by the
presidents Of this country, by its rep
| resentatives and by its congress. NO
| one has so plainly set forth as has
| President Taft the malicious misrep-
| reservations, the mendacious state
ments and the vicious assaults that
! proceed from those in the Philippine
islands who are not permitted to e1-
| ploit the natives and the country for
their own benefit.
president Taft was absolutely JUS
titled In his bitter denunciation of
these attacks, which makes 1t all the
more amazing to ind him indulging
in exactly the same conduct toward
those who are now occupying posi-
tions OF trust and respor sibility In
the Philippine government.
"There lately appeared series OF
articles IN a newspaper called the
Oakland Tribune. Subsequently they
were published in pamphlet entitled
The Unhappy Conditions in the Phil
ippine Islands, by o. Garfield Jones.
Former Member OF the Philippine
Department OF Education. With an
Introduction by ex-President William
Howard Taft, Former Governor Gen.
eral of the Philippines In the in
PRODUCTION ex-President Taft says:
az have read with much interest
Mr.. o. Garfield Jones' articles on
present conditions in the Philippines
published recently in the Oakland
Tribune. 1t is not news to me.
w nat ne says OIL tuo ueuoI dliId-
tion in the present government, due
to the blind and foolish policy OF
President Wilson and Gov. Gen. Har-
rison, Is confirmed by every report
that I receive from the islands,
Undoubtedly any SANDER or lying
statement can be confirmed by re-
ports received from the islands. Mr..
Taft has pointed out with entire
clearness where such reports come
from. He said, when suffering from
similar Misrepresentation, speaking
with respect to the American press
and the three newspapers in the Is
lands who were supposed to speak the
American public opinion In the Is
lands, that they were engaged III
Holding the Filipino up to con-
tempt, exposing all his supposed
vices, and giving him no credit what
ever for any virtues, and 1t may be
that this represents the feeling OF the
majority Of the resident Americans In
Manila. But can we not, in the end, |
~ y,,,k .oS o}ro fo fha whole Fill