New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-31
ASTONISHING STATEMENTS MADE By
PROHIBITIONIsTs.
THEY SAY DRUNKENNESS HAS ENORMOUS
LY INCREASED IN NEW POSSESSIONS
UNDER AMERICAN RULE-OF-
FICIAI. FIGURES TO THE
CONTRARY
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.J
CONTRARY


advocated the passage. with some amendments
of the bill recently introduced by Representative
Gett, of Massachusetts, to prohibit the fmpor-
tation manufacture and sale of distilled alco-
holic liquors in the Philippines. The principal
amendments they desired were to have the scope
Of the measure broadened as to include wines
and beer and other malt liquors. and to have II
made applicable to Hawaii, Cuba and Puerto
Rico. we'll to the Philippines. The speeches
made by Mr.. Crafts who is the superintendent
OF the Reform Bureau in Washington; by the
Rev. z. G. Dnwiddie. of the Antf-Saloon
League and by DR.. ]. B. Dunn. Of New-York,
an Official representative Of the National Tenn
perance Society and also of the Temperance
Committee Of the Presbyterian Church in Amer
lea, who were the principal speakers, abounded
in statements which. IL correct. were startling,
not to say astounding, and some of the docu-
ments they laid before the committee were of
the same astonishing character. The speeches
Of these representatives of the prohibition cause
also contained exceedingly thinly yelled and bit
ter attacks President Mckinley and members
of his Administration.
Chairman Cooper and Messrs. Payne. Hit and
Moody. of the committee. asked them a number
of pointed questions designed to bring out facts.
which they were not prepared to answer on the
spur of the moment, but they promised to fur
nish the desired information hereafter. Mr..
Crafts had brought with him copy of the con-
vention of 1892 entered into by most of the civil
lied nations for the suppression Of the slave
trade and the traffic in firearms and alcoholic
liquors in large portion OF Africa, and sug-
gested it's provisions as both basis and ar
gument in favor of legislation by Congress to
suppress the Importation manufacture and sale
OF intoxicating liquors in Cuba, Puerto Rico.
Hawaii and the Philippines. He also spoke Of
the order issued at Santiago by Major-General
Shafter forbidding the opening of saloons and
the sale of liquor, and said that General Wood
had pursued the policy there until over
ruled by superior authority He wanted to know
what influence caused the change of policy.
CHARGES MADE BY MR.. CRAFTS.
Mr. Crafts asserted that before the American
occupation of Puerto Rico. Cuba and the Philip
pines and the annexation of Hawaii drunken
ness was almost unknown in those islands; that
the people INDUCED only in light wines. and that
to small extent that there were only three
saloons in the city of Manila, where there are
now more than as many hundreds. each of which
had to pay license tax of only So; that the
natives. who never drank to intoxcation before
the Americans came. now drank to excess; that
there had been enormous increase Of the i'm
portation and sale of Intoxicating liquors, and
in these and other assertions he was supported
by DIR. Dunn and other speakers and by statis-
rails freely quoted and submitted to the
end. DR.. Dunn declared that the Presi- /
dent and Secretary of War could have put stop
at any time to the saturnala of debauchery In
Manila which has prevailed since the Americans
came" and after drawing the darkest of dark
pictures of existing conditions he wanted to
know 'ff this is the benevolent assimilation
about which the President has to much TO say"
Both he and Mr.. Crafts evidently did not place
statistics, the latter. after reading of his
own. remarking that figures could easily be
made to lie; and both he and DR.. Dunn appar-
emily attached little Importance to an oficial
statement made to the Secretary OF War by
Major-General Otis under date of November %.
1893, which, however. submitted the
committee by the latter.
OTIS ON CONDITIONS IN MANILA
In this statement General Otis said:
Saloon licenses were always freely granted
by the Spanish Government. and when we COM
menced to reduce them the Fipinos complained
of an abridgement of formerly enjoyed liberties.
The Filipino INDUCES In wine quite extensively
and is not as temperate this letter will indi-
cate though it Is seldom that he becomes
beastly intoxicated. Our present chief difficulty
here arises from the action of saloon men from
other countries. and the beer and whskey men
OF the United States, whose agents follow the
way of the Army. Several weeks ago I directed
the provost marshal general to reduce the num-
Der OF city saloons as fast as practicable, and
exercise great caution in the future In issuing
licenses. Drunkenness and debauchery in Ma
Mia as represented in United States newspapers
do not exist. There Is city in the United
States of equal proportions orderly and as
quiet. Soldiers visiting Manila pass or fur
Tough are often indiscreet, but generally receive
their deserts in punishments.
LIQUOR TRAFFIC UNDER SPANISH RULE
1t appeared from An admission privately made
by Mr.. Crafts after the committee had adj
tourned that the cost Of a saloon license In
Manila is now $3.50 instead of So: and accord
ing to the statement before the committee to-
day OF the Rev. DR.. Asa A. S. Ffske Presby-
terrain clergyman Of Washington. who had in
vestigated the subject and is warm advocate
or the proposed legislation the F'ilipinos even
pefore the American occupation. consumed
quantities or vino. "a pestiferous sort of gin
made from rice" That fact also appeared in
General Otiss official statement Mr. PAYNE
also remarked that. according to the Testimony
of Puerto Ricans before the WAYS and Means
Committee. the people Of the island manufact-
ured and consumed three million gallons OF rum
year.
According to the official statistics recently
published by the War Department the importa-
lions or alcoholic liquors into the Philippines
did not begin when the Americans came In
the year 1893 the importations of distilled spir
Its amounted to SO. 200 gallons valued at S11O
e4I; IN 1884 the importations amounted to 81
235 gallons, valued at S167 BOD and in 1890 they
amounted to 1O5,O14 gallons valued at X323 905
The increase from 1893 to 1894 was IA OBS gaI-
from 1893 TO 1890 1t 81 S14 gallons or o.
per cent In six years. or at the average rate OF
a little over 10 per cent a year as Compared
with more than 20 per cent from 1898 to 1894
IN HAWAII AND PUERTO RICO.
In regard to Hawaii. Mr. Hit. who was a
member of the Hawaiian Commission called
the attention Of Mr. Crafts. who had asserted