The age-herald., 1901-12-14
BILL ID TAX
 |MPORTSFROM
 PHILIPPINES Ways and Means Committee Report Measure Designed to Raise Revenue MINOR|TYOF THE COMMITTEE Their Report Says the Secretary of War Made the Tax Law, Thus
 Exercising kinely
 Power.
MINORITYOF THE ECOMM|TTEE

Washington. December 1S.-Chairman Payne of the committee on ways and means today presented the majority re- port on the Philippine tariff bill. It says:
 This bill is designed to raise revenue for the government and benefit of the Philippine archipelago It is intended to restore the status which existed prior to the late decision of the Supreme Court In the diamond rings case.'
 Prior to that decision the government had been collecting duties on goods com Ing into the United States from the Phil lppine archipelago at the same rates as those provided in our tariff laws for like articles imported from foreign coun- tries. The courts hold that the Philip pine archipelago is not foreign country, and therefore the general tariff law does not apply
 This bill extends the rate now existing upon imports from foreign countries to articles brought in from the Philippine Islands.
 In the Philippine archipelago the Unit ed States Philippine Commission prepared & tariff act after much care and study. The object has been and is to raise suf- flcient revenue to support government in the Philippines; to provide amply for the education of the people; to open up the highways of commerce both foreign and domestic, and to provide ample po- lice force for the preservation Of order These different forms of tariffs in force there have produced a surplus of revenue after paving the expenses of the govern ment This bill proposes in the first sec tion to make the Philippine tariff a part of the statutes of the United States.
 Necessity for Revenue.
 The necessity for continuance of ann ple and certain revenue is imperative. IT we continue the police and constabulary system which has been organized for the island and which has been needed to pre- serve order on the islands, 1t will call for large increase in appropriations. We have enrolled 150,000 school children in the public schools. More than one-half are without any schoolhouse accommo- dation Suitable houses must be erected at once Ten thousand adults were, at last accounts. enrolled for night schools. and this number has since increased probably to at least 35,00O.
 These people are anxious to learn our language and to better their mental con dition, and must be amply provided for. Four thousand teachers have been em- ployed nearly all recently, and their salaries must be paid. This great work of education must not be crippled, even temporarily for lack of funds.
 Our government has gone to work sys- tematically through the commission for the improvement of the harbor at Ma nila. They have let the contract calling for the expenditure of three millions of dollars in the near future to the lowest bidder after public advertisement and competitive bids. Roads are being con structed and the building of roads in this tropical country is expensive These are but few imperative items of expen- diture. All these expenditures are pre- pairing the way for a reduction of the army and will prove of direct benefit to the tax payers of the United States.
 Taxes Vessels.
 The bill also provides for the collection of tonnage taxes on vessels plying be- tween the ports of the United States and the Philippine archipelago. It further provides that vessels not of the United States may ply between these ports, not withstanding our coastwise navigation laws until the first day of January. 1905, when 1t is believed these islands may safely come under the operation of our present schedules and vessels only of the Onlteu states be employed Tn our cQm- merce with them" At present our own people who ship goods to these islands are handicapped by the internal revenue tax and duties paid upon foreign goods imported here and used in the manufacture of articles sent to the Philippines. The sixth clause of the proposed bill is designed to remedy this. The fourth section provides that all the utf shall not be covered into the general fund of the treasury of the United States. but paid into the treasury of the Philin- pine Islands, to be used and expended for the use and benefit of these islands
 The object of the bill is to meet a pressing emergency practically and ef hciently. We present the tariff act of the commission as the best that can he devised in the limited time left for us to act.
 The Minority Report Representative Richardson of Tennes- zee presented to the House the minority report on the Philippine tariff bill signed by all the Democrats of the ways and means committee except MT. Robertson of Louisiana. The report says in part 'The measure is but another step in the well-marked line of imperialism It is en- acting policy of pure colonialism, and the worst form of that policy. We are opposed to our government attempting to l hold territory as colonies and creating | the inhabitants thereof as subjects. and | imposing upon them a government of | force Ibis is the method of empire in- stead of a republic. We oppose the whole policy of the majority in dealing with the | Philippine archipelago. We believe in- | stead of trying to set up and hold per | manent colonies that we should long since | have inaugurated policy assuring to the | people of those islands stable government | and their ultimate independence But even if there is to be an admitted |