The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-01
PHILIPPINE REVENUES
TO BE TURNED OVER TO USES OF
THE ARMY
SPAIN'S SCHEDULES TO STAND
Except That the Church and Religious
Orders Will Cease to Receive
Favors

NEW YORK, May 31.-A special to the
Times from Washington says:
AS a result of the investigation the
Treasury Department has been making
into the question of tariff for the Phil
ippines to be levied as a military contri-
button during the occupation of the is
lands by the United States forces, the
administration has practically decided to
enforce the existing Spanish schedules
with only such changes as the circum-
stances may make necessary.
The experts of the customs service have
made an exhaustive study of Spanish
tariffs, with special reference to the course
to be pursued in the Philippines, and the
results of these labors have been laid
before the President by Secretary Gage.
i The first proposition was to adopt a new
tariff, drawn on the American model, as
was done when this country occupied
Tampico during the Mexican war.
In that case, which has furnished the
most useful precedents of the present
emergency, a special tariff was prepared
and enforced during the brief occupation
of the port by the military forces of the
United States. In the case of the Phil
ippines, however, in view of the differences
of the remoteness of the territory and
of conditions entirely disslmilar to those
existing here, it has been deemed wiser
to take up the tariff lists as the Span
iards will leave them and continue the
same duties as usual. This, it is believed,
will cause less interruption to commerce,
be more satisfactory to the foreign merch-
ants who do business with the islands,
and prove more acceptable to the natives,
whose good will is recognized as worth
cultivating If the territory is to be re-
tanned.
The Spanish tariff in the Philippines is
different from our own, in that it is a reve-
nue. tariff. Pursuant of the Spanish policy
Of squeezing the colonies just as much as
they will stand, the rates have been made
just as high as possible. They are specific
entirely, no ad valorem being laid. No
goods imported from the mother country
are exempted from taxation, so as to make
1t to the interest of the people to trade with
the mother country. One of the particulars
in which the tariff will be changed under
the American administration is the free
list, so as to take away the Determinations
in favor of the church and the numerous
holy orders. The enforcement of the tar
iff will be left to the military forces under
General Merritt. The Treasury Depart
ment will have no official connection with
lit, although 1t will send out number of
expert assistants to aid the army in the
technical execution of this task. The tariff
being imposed strictly as a military con-
tribution, the proceeds will be turned into
the army's strong box without the formal
ity of offering them to the national treas
ury. In view Of international law the
Philippines, even after they have been oc-
cupied by the military forces of the United
States, will remain extraneous territory.
They will not be part of this country until
the conclusion of treaty of peace has set
tied the title upon us. In consequence
American goods shipped to the islands will
be made to pay duty just as other goods
| from foreign countries. AS the import
taxes will not be increased, and American
merchants will have no advantage over
those of other countries, and as there will
undoubtedly be an improvement in the ad-
ministration with regard to honesty and
progress, the commercial world of the Far
East, 1t is pointed out, has nothing to COM
plain of as result of the change Of
| masters in the Philippines.