The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-14
PLAN REVENUE
FOR PHILIPPINES
Lawmakers Submit Re-
ports on the Tariff
Measure.
Congress Urged to Educate
the People and Open
Commerce.

WASHINGTON, Dec. l3-The House,
after less than an hours session, ad-
5Ourned until Tuesday The bill to tenn
porarily provide revenue for the Philip
pine Islands was reported by Payne and
. by unanimous consent an order for the
consideration Of this bill on Tuesday and
Wednesday next was adopted, the gem
eral debate to close at 4 o'clock Wednes-
DAY, when the bill will be placed upon
Its passage.
The majority report on the Philippine
tariff bill says:
This bill is designed 70 raise revenue for the
government ana benefit Of the Philippine
Archipelago Il is intended to restore the
status which existed prior 70 the late decision
OF the Supreme Court in the diamond rings
case" Prior 70 that decision the Government
hso peen eoLecung duties on goods coming INTO
the United States from the Philippine Archl-
pelago al the same rates as those PROVIDED IN
our tarin laws for like articles imported from
foreign countries. The court holds that the
nv. srd tierefore ne general tariff law does
not apply. This bill extends the rate now ex-
listing upon imports from foreign countries 70
articles brought IN from the Philippine lslanos
In the Philippine Archipelago the OnlteQ
States Philippine Commission prepared q tarln
act after much care and study The chief OBJ
TO support a government in the Philippines TO
provide amply for the education OF the people,
10 open UP the highways Of commerce, botn
foreign and domestic anos TO proplde aInple
police force for the preservation OF ofuer-
ClIerenr
penses Of the government. This bill proposes
IN the first section to make TINS Pnlhppine Iarln
8 part Of the statutes Of the United States
Money Greatly Needed.
The necessity for a continuance Of revenue
which shall be both ample and certain is inn
. perative. If We continue the police and con,
: stabulsry system which has been inaugurated
and which is doing so much TO restore and con-
serve order in the Islands II will call for large
increase in appropriations We have enrolled
sch schools.
this number more than one-han are without
any school house accommodations. 1t is nee
essary that we build suitable houses at once.
Ten thousand adults were at last accounts en-
rolled for night schools, and We are told that
this number has since increased probably to
at least 81. coo. These people. anxious to learn
our language and TO better their mental COM
thousand teachers have been employed. nearly
all Of them recently. and their salaries must
be paid This great work Of education must
not be crippled. even for a short time, for lack
Of funds.
ically through the commission for the improve
nent Of the harbor at Manila They have let
the contract, after a public advertisement and
competitive bids. 70 the lowest BIDDER This
contract calls for the expenditure Of three mil
lions OF dollars in the near future Roads are
being constructed, and the building OF ROADS N
this tropical country are expensive These are
but few items Of expenditure which are i'm
perative All these expenditures are preparing
the way for q reduction OF the army and in the
end viii prove Of direct benefit to the taxpay-
ers Of the United States
4raQe among the 4S1dnoS.
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. 1t further
provides that vessels not Of the
tinted States may ply between these
islands, notwithstanding our coastwise
navigation laws. until the first day OF
January, 1905, when il is believed these
islands may safely come under the OPP
Grafton Of uur present statutes and YES
sells only Of the United States be EN-.
ployed in our commerce with them"
Representative Robertson presented tc
the House the minority report on the
Philippine tariff bill. signed by all the
Democrats of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, except Robertson The repor
says in part:
The measure is but another step IN the well
marked line Of Imperialism Il is enacting
policy Of pure colonialism and the worst form
of that policy. We are opposed TO our Govern
unent attempting 10 hold territories colonies
and treating the inhabitants Thereof subjects
and imposing upon them a government o
force This is the method Of the empire instead
Of that OF the republic We oppose the whole
policy OF the majority in dealing with tn
stead OF the effort they are making to set VI
and hold permanent colonies there We shoult
long since have inaugurated policy assuring
20 the people OF those islands stable govern
Inent and their ultimate independence.