The age-herald., 1901-12-11
REPUBLICANS FIX
 PHILIPPINE DUTY
Meeting ot the Ways and
 Means Committee
BILL TEMPORARY MEASURE
Provides That the Tariff Laws of the Philippine Commission Shall Have Full Force and
 Effect.

Washington, December 10. The Re publican members of the ways and means committee today agreed upon a Philip pines tariff measure and later the entire membership of the committee Demo- crats and Republicans-was called to- gether for the first time.
 At an early meeting of the Republican members Colonel Edwards, chief of the nsular division of the War Department, was further heard as to the methods em- ployed in framing the schedule of rates on imports to the Philippines. In particu- lar he brought out the fact that care was taken to consult with the interested in- dustries whenever delicate question of adjustment arose.
 The War Department showing brought out in effect that the United States en- joys preference under the present Phil ippine rates for, although no preference Is expressed, yet articles are so described as to prefer the American products
 Canned goods are specified as marked instance of this, the description being such as to fit the American product and give it a decided advantage over foreign canned goods
 MT. Russells proposition to impose 80 per cent of the Dingley rates and Mir Tawney's to repeal the export tax in the Philippines were voted down to 5.
 The Cuban commission, through Chair man Payne, asked for a hearing but was advised that no hearing would be given until after the holidays, the object being to postpone the matter of Cuban recipro- city until that time.
 The committee was formally organized and subcommittee appointed.
 A Temporary Measure.
 The bill agreed upon is designated a temporary measure and provides that the tariff laws of the Philippine commits sion shall have full force and effect. Up- on all goods coming from the Philippines to the United States the present rates of the Dingley law shall be levied and collected. The same tonnage tax shall be levied upon vessels coming into the United States from the Philippines as levied upon vessels coming from foreign countries until January l, 1905 with a provision that the coastwise laws of the United States shall not apply to foreign vessels plying between the United States and the Philippines. All duties and ton mage taxes collected either in the Philip pines or the United States are to be cov- cred into the Philippine treasury
 Articles exported to the Philippines subject to internal revenue tax shall be exempt from such tax and pay only the duty provided for in the Philippines.
 The Democratic members were inform ed or the programme regarding the bill which includes reporting it on Friday and passing 1t after one days debate next Tuesday under a special rule
 The significance of the resolution post poning the hearing of the Cuban com missioners, it was explained after the meeting, was to postpone the question of Cuban reciprocity until action had been matured on the Philippines.
 Sub-committees
 The ways and means subcommittee as announced by Chairman Payne today are as follows
 On customs customs districts and cus- tom officials, Messrs Payne, Dalzell. Hopkins, Grosvenor, Russell, Richardson ana Robertson.
 On administration of custom laws. Messrs. Russell, Payne, Steele, Babcock. Swanson and Mcclellan
 On internal revenue Messrs Steele Hopkins, Russell, Tawney, Long. McClel- Ian and. Newlands.
 On the public debt the preservation of the public credit and redemption of gov ernment notes, Messrs. Dalzell, Payne Mccall Richardson and Cooper.
 On reciprocity and commercial treaties Messrs. Hopkins. Dalzell, Tawney, Long Babcock, Swanson and Cooper.
 On revenue from other sources than customs an< excises and on miscellaneous subjects, Messrs Grosvenor, Cteele. Me Call, Long, Metcalfe, Robertson and Newlands
 The Democratic members of the ways and means committee held a meeting to- day in anticipation of the committee dis cussion of the Philippine tariff bill, with view to formulating some line of &C., ton. Considerable difference of opinion prevailed, and after two hours of gen. eral discussion the meeting adjourned without an agreement as to the course to be pursued.