Recollections of Full Years · Chapter
III: To the Philippines explained
The Taft party departs from San Francisco aboard the transport Hancock, bound for Manila.
What happens
The Taft party departs from San Francisco aboard the transport Hancock, bound for Manila. The chapter introduces the members of the second Philippine Commission—General Luke E. Wright, Judge Henry C. Ide, Dean C. Worcester, and Professor Bernard Moses—along with their families, highlighting their backgrounds and qualifications. The voyage includes pleasant days at sea, business sessions, and a stop in Honolulu, where the beauty of the tropics is contrasted with the sobering news of a bubonic plague epidemic. The narrative also reflects on President McKinley's personal kindness and the harmonious spirit of the group.
Themes in this chapter
Public Service and Duty
The Commission members are portrayed as dedicated public servants, chosen for their expertise and commitment to the work of establishing civil government in the Philippines.
Cultural Encounter and Colonialism
The chapter describes the American encounter with the Philippines and Hawaii, highlighting the colonial context and the Commission's role in American governance of the islands.
Family and Domestic Life
The narrative includes details about the families of Commission members, such as the Worcester children growing up in the Philippines and the social roles of wives like Mrs. Worcester and Mrs. Moses.
Adaptation to Change
The Taft party adapts to shipboard life, tropical climates, and the challenges of a new environment, including the plague outbreak in Honolulu.
Characters to notice
- William Howard Taft
Member of the second Philippine Commission; walks many miles daily on deck for exercise.
- Helen Herron Taft
Narrator of the chapter; describes the voyage and her first impressions of the tropics.
- General Luke E. Wright
Commission member from Tennessee; a Democrat and former Confederate lieutenant; known for his bravery during a yellow fever epidemic in Memphis.
- Henry C. Ide
Commission member from Vermont; a lawyer with Samoan experience; his daughters Anne and Marjorie are noted as belles of Manila society.
- Dean C. Worcester
Commission member from the University of Michigan; the only one who had previously visited the Philippines; author of a book on the islands.
- Mrs. Dean C. Worcester
Described as frail in appearance but resilient; accompanied her husband on expeditions through mountain and jungle.
- Arthur Fergusson
Spanish secretary to the Commission; traveled with his wife.
- William McKinley
President who appointed the Commission; remembered for his personal kindness and interest in the welfare of his administration members.
Key passages
“The men of the Commission, coming, as they did, from different parts of the United States, were widely contrasted, no less in associations than in their varied accents and family traditions.”
The Commission members came from diverse regions of the U.S., bringing different backgrounds, speech patterns, and family histories.
Highlights the diversity of the Commission's composition.
“Mrs. Worcester has proved herself to possess the frailty of flexible steel.”
Despite her delicate appearance, Mrs. Worcester has shown remarkable strength and resilience.
Metaphor describing Mrs. Worcester's inner toughness.
“Mr. McKinley never failed to take a personal interest in the everyday welfare of all those in his administration who came under his own observation and we were made to feel this throughout our experience on the Philippine Commission, while he lived.”
President McKinley consistently showed personal concern for the well-being of his administration members, which the Taft party experienced firsthand.
Illustrates McKinley's attentive leadership style.
