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Show WHAT ISLANDS NEED Stable Government the First Thing Desirable. GOV. TAFT CONTINUES STORY Great Evil of the Fretent Time ln Connection With the Archipelago, He Says, Is the Current Discussion of Their Future So Long Before That Can Be Fixed Governor Is Opposed to Extending the Constitution Consti-tution Therc His View Democratio Substitute tor Tariff Bill. Washington, Feb IB The hearing hear-ing of Gov. Taft on the rhlllprlnes by the Senate Committee on Philippines began today with a series of questions by Senator Patterson in regard to the fitness of the Filipinos for'jury duty Mr. Patterson asked whether tho native na-tive population on which the Noting franchise is bestowed could not be trusted to do Jury duty. The Governor replied In the negative, najlng they nre so used to corruption In the administration adminis-tration of Justice that they could not be trusted. "Thej need to be trained," he said, "to have examples, they me not ready for Jury dutj " com: of ritocEDtmn Referring to the code of procedure In the Islands, Oov, Taft said ln teply to a question by Senator Culberson that It Is an American code rather than a Spanish code I'nder the Spanish regime, said Gov. Taft, the courts were not only sluggish, but notoriously corrupt, nnd tho llrst courts established bv Gen Otla were no better. Under Spanish rule there was a substantial denial of Justice. PETITION FEDERAL. PARTY. Referring to the petition of the Federal Fed-eral party, Oov. Tnft said nil the cases of Imprisonment referred to were for mllltarj nnd not civil offenses Practically Prac-tically thero are no civil prosecutions for political ofrenses nt this time. "Is not tho commission responsible for the formation of the Federal party?" asked Senntor Dubois. COMMISSION NOT RESPONSIHLE. "No, It Is not," Gov. Taft responded. He gave the names of several prominent Filipinos who had assisted In the organization. or-ganization. They had, he slid, consulted the members of the commission and the latter had encouraged the formation, ns far as possible, because the party was for peace. The promise of fitntohood had been no prominent part In the mission work of the leiders. WHAT MEMORIALISTS MEAN. Senators Patterson, Cnrmack nnd Culberson Cul-berson nsked numetous questions based upon tho memorial from the Federal part j-, calculated to bring out Oov. Taft's Idea ns to what. If any. promise had been made to the Filipinos In the way of government for the future Re-pljlng Re-pljlng to nn Inquiry from Mr. Patterson Patter-son ns to the denunciation In the memorial me-morial of n colonial form of government, govern-ment, Gov. Taft said these memorialists mean Just what they saj. that they favor ultimate Statehood. CONSTITUTION AND ISLES. Repljlng to Mr. Carmack as to the wisdom of mnklnjr the Philippines nn Integral part of the United Htates, the witness said the condition In the Philippines Philip-pines today Is such that restrictions of the Constitution of the United Stntes cannot be safely extended to those Islands. Gov. Taft ndvocated the establishment establish-ment of a stable government for the present, with the understanding that some time In tho future the Americans nnd the Filipinos, could reach an agreement agree-ment as to what should be clono In tho way of government or ln maintaining relations, 'but," he said, "whether the Islands sjjould have their Independence, whether thej should bo given n quasi Independence or whether they should be made a State qt the Union. Is so far In the future that I have reached no conclusions. con-clusions. Tho great evil of the present time with reference to tho Philippine Islands Is the current discussion of their future so long heforo that can bo fixed." roSSlnLE STATEHOOD. Repljlng to n question by Senator Carmnck, he cnld that he hi.d not considered con-sidered tho problem of possible Stnte-hood Stnte-hood fifty jears hence. lie would not fnvor a. promise even of a form of gov eminent such ns Is guv en the Territories Terri-tories of the United Stntes He nlso raid he was opjmsed tn extending tho Constitution to c'mse Islands. ANARCHY WOULD RESULT. In reply to a number of questions by Penttnr McCnmas. based upon the Democratic substitute for the Philippine tariff bill. Gov. Taft said lint to turn the government of the archipelago over to the rillplncs ns therein piopnso.l, would, In his opinion, result In anntchj und In the disturbance of vested rights tn such nn extent ns to render It neres-sary neres-sary for the United States In testime Its control with nil the work to do over ngnln thnt had been done In the list two years Ho had no doubt, however thnt the Filipinos could form a government govern-ment ns they had done under Agulnildo. OEM OF THE ORIENT. "Would the condition be ruih." nsked Senntor Lodge, "as to lead to the acquisition ac-quisition of the Islands by foreign lowers" "That Is n matter of opinion," responded re-sponded the Governor. "The Philippines are called by the foreigners 'the gem of the Orient The records will show that Interest that Inpan has taken In tho islands is-lands nnd the Investments mndo hy citizens of other countries Indicate w hnt Is thought of them. Roth the Oerimns nnd the English hnve considerable cnpllnl Invested there." |