umerous
political appointments at one's disposal, and another to stand by and
keep it running smoothly and efficiently, when a lot of disappointed
politicians, who have seen their last hope of political preferment go
a-glimmering, are throwing sand into the bearings of the machine. This
latter class had begun to plot against Governor Taft before his
resignation took effect, but their machinations were rendered fruitless
by the wave of regret raised by his coming departure.

They now devoted themselves, with a good deal of success, to injuring
Governor Wright, who declined to be dictated to, in the matter of
appointments, by the Federal Party, and aroused the ire of many
politicians by occasionally telling the Filipinos unpalatable but
wholesome and necessary truths relative to their fitness for immediate
independence.

General Wright, whose title had been changed from governor to
governor-general on February 6, 1905, went on leave during the latter
part of that year, fully expecting to return and resume his work
in the Philippines, but the islands were not to see him again. He
resigned, effective April 1, 1906, to become United States Ambassador
to Japan. In my opinion, the acceptance of his resignation at this time
was one of the gravest mistakes ever made in the Philippine policy of
the United States. The islands were deprived of the services of a very
able and distinguished man, thoroughly conversant with their needs,
who had the courage of his convictions, and whose convictions were
thoroughly sound.

Certain Filipino politicians openly boasted that they had secured his
removal, and they and their ilk were encouraged to put forth new and
pernicious efforts. Had General Wright returned to the islands much of
the political unrest from which they have since suffered would have
been avoided. He was beloved by his associates, who felt a sense of
personal loss when they learned that the places which had known him
in The Philippines would know him no more.

He was succeeded for the brief period of five and a half months by
Judge Henry C. Ide, vice-governor and secretary of finance and justice,
who had performed his duties while he was on leave. Judge Ide was a
republican, from Vermont. He resigned on September 19, 1906.

He was succeeded by General James F. Smith, a democrat from California,
who had come to the islands as a colonel of volunteers, and had won
promotion because of his valuable services in the Visayas,