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Show GAVEL WIELDED BY TAFT. The Philippine Assembly Formally Opened and Ready for Business. Manila. Secretary Taft formally opened tho Philippine assembly In tho National theatre at 11:1G Wednesday morning. In tho presence of a large crowd of peoplo. In his opening ad dress Mr. Taft declared that bis viows announced two years ago regarding tho Independence of tho Philippine peoplo woro unchanged. Ho did not bellevo that they would bo flttod to govern themselves for at least a generation, gen-eration, but he added that tno matter was entirely In tho hands of congress. Tho secretary denied emphatically that tho United States had any Intention Inten-tion of disposing ot tho Islands; said ho had absoluto confidence In tho Filipinos, Fili-pinos, denied that ho was disappointed disappoint-ed at their Inability to legislate conservatively, con-servatively, and asserted his belief that they folt their responsibility and acknowledged tho necessity of supporting sup-porting the American government. Mr. Taft refrained from suggestions regarding specific legislation by tho assembly, but recommended that attention at-tention be paid to tho civil service. |