Taft In Far East
October 19, 1907
Summary
Secretary of War Taft visits Asian countries to get a feel for the affairs taking place and to see if military action is necessary.
Transcription
Taft In Far East
Secretary of War Comes at Opportune Time.
Manila, Oct. 16.-The visit of Secretary Taft to the Philippines, Japan and China, with his significant utterances in Tokyo and Shanghai, is regarded by American residents as the most important event affecting their interests, themselves and their country in the orient in many years.
Prominent American merchants here said:
“We have been drifting these last few years. Our trade is growing, but it seemed to many of us that our political and sentimental interests were steadily waning. Secretary Hay made the orient a special field for American diplomacy. Mr. Root appears in the greater interests of South America. Meantime events moved against us. The Chinese boycott hurt. The successes of Japan against Russia, followed by our friction with Japan, affected us adversely affects all in the far east.
“Secretary Taft’s significant measuring of our unlimited resources against Japan’s scanty means and Japan’s hard struggle to carry out domestic and expansion enterprises, his assurances that there will be no sudden cessation of control of the Philippines, his warning that America will oppose the efforts of rivals to secure special privileges in violation of the principle of the open door, show Americans who placed money in the orient where they stand.
“These events indicate the growing bond of sympathy between Japan, England and France in political affairs in China. We anticipate they will act in concert in securing certain concessions for themselves. Our country must closely watch these events and be ready to safeguard its own interests and lend a helping hand to China in the event that action is taken on the triangular, which programme we suspect exists. We sincerely hope the plan of consular reform inaugurated by President Roosevelt will be fully carried out. The situation and conditions demand our best men.”
Great interest is shown in the opening of the first Philippine assembly here today and in the arrival of Secretary Taft, which comes at an opportune time in the inauguration of Philippine home rule.
The action of the assembly on questions relating to the political future of the Philippines is expected to be determined largely by the opinion expressed by Secretary Taft in his address opening the session. This is the view held by Filipinos as well as Americans. The latter are generally in favor of a specific pronouncement on Philippine policy.
The course of legislative action will depend mainly on the result of the fight of the Gomez radicals for control of the National party. The Nationalists when united exercise controlling influence, but their internal divisions give the Progressive Independents the balance of power. It is not likely that party spirit will play much part in the assembly’s future owing to personal differences within the parties.
Secretary of War Comes at Opportune Time.
Manila, Oct. 16.-The visit of Secretary Taft to the Philippines, Japan and China, with his significant utterances in Tokyo and Shanghai, is regarded by American residents as the most important event affecting their interests, themselves and their country in the orient in many years.
Prominent American merchants here said:
“We have been drifting these last few years. Our trade is growing, but it seemed to many of us that our political and sentimental interests were steadily waning. Secretary Hay made the orient a special field for American diplomacy. Mr. Root appears in the greater interests of South America. Meantime events moved against us. The Chinese boycott hurt. The successes of Japan against Russia, followed by our friction with Japan, affected us adversely affects all in the far east.
“Secretary Taft’s significant measuring of our unlimited resources against Japan’s scanty means and Japan’s hard struggle to carry out domestic and expansion enterprises, his assurances that there will be no sudden cessation of control of the Philippines, his warning that America will oppose the efforts of rivals to secure special privileges in violation of the principle of the open door, show Americans who placed money in the orient where they stand.
“These events indicate the growing bond of sympathy between Japan, England and France in political affairs in China. We anticipate they will act in concert in securing certain concessions for themselves. Our country must closely watch these events and be ready to safeguard its own interests and lend a helping hand to China in the event that action is taken on the triangular, which programme we suspect exists. We sincerely hope the plan of consular reform inaugurated by President Roosevelt will be fully carried out. The situation and conditions demand our best men.”
Great interest is shown in the opening of the first Philippine assembly here today and in the arrival of Secretary Taft, which comes at an opportune time in the inauguration of Philippine home rule.
The action of the assembly on questions relating to the political future of the Philippines is expected to be determined largely by the opinion expressed by Secretary Taft in his address opening the session. This is the view held by Filipinos as well as Americans. The latter are generally in favor of a specific pronouncement on Philippine policy.
The course of legislative action will depend mainly on the result of the fight of the Gomez radicals for control of the National party. The Nationalists when united exercise controlling influence, but their internal divisions give the Progressive Independents the balance of power. It is not likely that party spirit will play much part in the assembly’s future owing to personal differences within the parties.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Benton Camper
Citation
“Taft In Far East,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed June 17, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/886.