New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-08
BLUNDERS IN THE PHILIPPINES
former Judge Jenkins Replies Secretary Bakers Defence of Governor
and the Reorganization ActFiow the Care
of Political Pets Has Lowered the Judiciary.

The grounds of this protest and petition
were many, the main ground being that the
action of these young limbs of the law was
clear violation Of the provisions OF chapter
OF the Constitution and Articles ii and
Vi of the bylaws of the association.
Now that Mr.. Baker has made it necessary.
I will state further that Mr.. Harrison hrst
announced his intention to give preference to
Judges with long service and best record. he
had record of all the judges officially pre-
pared and then utterly ignored 1t; and for
some reason it has never been given general
publicity. Why not? Mr.. Baker and Mr.
Harrison are respectfully requested to an
swer this question and give the reason why
The War Secretary attacks my proposition
that retirement of judges without pay or pen
sion is unprecedented by saying that I'm the
British colonial service judges are retired at
the age of sixty-five; however, with pension.
As there is virtue in an If, so there Is mucn
virtue in these words however, with PEN
sion" which are included in this attack OF
Mr Bakers The mere fact that the reorgani-
cation act retires judges at siXty-nye years
Of age without a pension is the sole reason
why | said in my letter that it was "unprece-
denied"
That business was paralyzed by Mr.. Will
sons pronunciamento at Stanton in 1912,
the proposed scuttle policy, and Mr.. Harrl-
sons blunders is no longer an open ques-
ton; and as Colonel Roosevelt has recently
we'll said. there is no greater waste OF time
than to debate a non-debatable question
The present War Secretary, like his preds-
cessor. has never been in the Philippines and
knows nothing of conditions there.
During the last three years | have talked
with manv Filipinos, Americans Englishmen'
- liz hue
Islands. and they all agree that there is little
hope for their success in business II the
scuttle policy is to be adopted, or if there Is
% be no fixed and settled policy; but con-
slant agitation. such as there has been for
three wears. of the question of "indepen-
dencia." And every one comedies that II m
dependence we're granted it would be en-
phatically disastrous to all classes OF busi-
ness.
should like TO know by what authority
Mr.. Baker asserts that for several years prior
to Harrison's Administration | had been
DESTROYS of leaving the Philippine service.
This statement is unwarranted In 1911 |
nublisheI in The Oakland Tribune that |
was in the judiciary to stay, but was ms
taken. because adverse legislation by Ny.
Harrison, who controls the Philippine Legis-
iature. has forced me out
Mr. Baker surely does not fully understand
the English language Otherwise he would
not have so misconstrued the plain meaning
of the statement that Mr.. Harrison wanted
70 reassign the old judges and appoint a
half dozen new ones. Does the War Sec
rotary know what "reassign" means? | did
not say that Mr.. Harrison ever had the in
tention Of rejecting any Of the former judges.
Per contra, distinctly said that Mr.. Harrl-
son wanted to reassign them; the clear in
ference from which is that Mr.. Harrison
wanted a reorganization of the courts and a
redistricting of the islands, so that he could
reassign the thirty old judges and appoint
six new ones; and by that means only would
he be enabled TO take care of his political
/ favorites by giving them the choice and high
err salared districts
u The War Secretary contends that al
Judges in tropical climates should be retired
at sxty-fve because of the bad climatic
effect on their health. Manifestly, there
fore, if they have entirely lost their health
and mental and physical vitality by reason
of long service in the insular possessions
they should be better provided for than BY
the allowance of a mere years salary, mas
much as they are thereby forever in
/ capacitated for work in their native land.
u But this is not a fact. The climate in III.
I Philippines is better for men Of advanced az,
than in many localities in the states. becaus,
IL IS warmer and more uniform. For thil
very reason, many aged men and women II
the North and Northwest go South durin,
the winter months for their health.
i Evidently the War Secretary does not know
whereof he speaks; but he is a member o
the Washington Rescuing Squad.
II JAMES c. JENKINS.
New York, Aug. 4, 1916.