The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-28
THE PHILIPPINE CUSTOMS.
Conditions According to the Report
of the Taft Commission.

of the Taft Commission.
The Taft Commission, in it's report to
the Secretary of War. upon customs in
the Philippines. states that the custom
house at Manila was opened for business
by the United States military government
on August 20 1898. The Spanish tariff
and regulations found in force were con-
tinued In anticipation of the occupation
of the islands a translation of the Spanish
tariff with some notifications was made
ia Washington prior to the arrival OF
troops, but this did not reach Manila
until September, several weeks after the
city had been taken.
The Spanish tariff and customs reguia-
tions'' says the report, were framed TO
meet conditions essentially different from
these which have prevailed under Ameri-
can rule. and in consequence there is an
urgent need for revision. Objections have
becn made both in the tariff itself and 10
the regulations under which il is enforc-
ed The objections 10 the regulations are,
however. of much greater frequency thah
those TO the tariff. IL is complained that
the present regulations involve unheces-
saTy delay and expense in clearing gooos
and constitute a serious restraint on
trade The rates of duty have been critl-
ciaed in numerous instances, and there
are serious faults in the classification.
but there has been comparatively h''ie
complaint with the tariff as a whole
"A thorough revision of the tarin ana
Of the regulations was begun in June.
1900, by board of officers appointed by
the Military Governor under instruction
from the War Department. The united
States Philippine Commission has taken
up the task of revising The tarin ana mas
a new tariff law nearly completed
The Spanish tariff now in force con-
sists of specific duties on all imports. sur
taxes for harbor improvements. so-calieu
sd valorem taxes on imports. consunp-
I tion taxes on certain imports. miscel-
I laneous charges and export duties. IN us
: present form il originated in he royal de-
/ cree Of January Z. 1891. This decree es-
| tahlished specific duties on all goods i'm
! ported to these islands, and upon certain
! goods exported. Other taxes were estab-
lished subsequently.
In accordance with the general prin-
ciple governing the Spanish colonial policy.
goods or merchandise coming from Spain
and entering the ports OF the islands un-
der the Spanish Tag were exempt from
the payment OF these duties. The United
States Government continued this eXemp-
tion on all goods leaving Spanish port
prior TO April %, 1895 the date of the
formal declaration of war by the United
States. and arriving in these Islands prior
to November 10. 1898. On the latter date
this privilege ceased. and since then Span
ish goods have paid the same duties as
those from other nations"
Continuing the report describes the
complex features Of these various taxes.
and the effect OF their operation upon the
commerce of the islands.
.'One striking characteristic of the
Spanish tariff says the report. is that
II discrimirates in a marked way against
the poor and in favor of the rich. The
application OF specific duties TO classes
containing both high and low-priced goods
caused a discrimination in favor OF the
rich Thus boots and shoes of all kinds
pay the same rate lamp chimneys and cut
glass decanters are in the same class.
and freproof safe pays at the same rate
per 100 miles as a bicycle or typewriter
The taxation of articles according to
their component materials operates in
many cases in the same direction. Thus.
for example clockworks unfinished pay
duty as common wrought iron or steel in
pieces Of less than % kilos each, or al
the same rate that is applied 10 horse
shoes Other Illustrations of each OF
these characteristics can be found IN
almost every number o. the tariff.
While there is no distinct discrim!na-
tion against American products. some of
them stand under peculisr disad' 'antages.
Thus in cotton goods, the du;y per yard
Increases with he number OF breads per
square inch. and with he weight in such
4 way that the American cottons have to
pay a higher duty in proportion to value
than the heavily claycd German and
English goods. with which they most di-
rectly compete The duties on smoked o.
sa!ted meats and on canned goods are so
high that these important American prod
ucts are practically excluded. In the re-
vision OF the tariff care has been taken
/ to see that American goods have as good
an opportunity to enter this market as
those of any other nation.
The increase In the commerce OF the
I islands since the American occupation and
/ the consequent increase in the revenues
/ has been phenomenal This cannot be re-
| sarded otherwise than as gratifying evil
! dence Of the general confidence which our
| Administration has assured.
! The largest importations for any one
year given in the Spanish reports avail
able were in 1894, when the total was
! abou. sI4 .21i Sss. and the duties on these
/ imports amounted to 1885,, ,446 pesos. Span
/ ish goods valued at 10,509.9 937 pesos were
admitted al reduced rates. The imports
!
/ norts open and two of these for only a
! part Of the year were about s2l ,0S6, ,131,
/ and the duties collected amounted to about
I s.. .g27 100 In the nine months from Janu-
/ ary ] to September so. 1850, the imports
have been 90 G53, ,31s pesos, and the indi-
| cations arc that they viii exceed 5O,Oo0.-
| 00O pesos before the close of the year.
! These figures do not include any goods I'M
! ported BY the commissary or quartermss-
ter for the use OF the army.
Briefly stated, the imports were II
! per cent greater the first year and Is
per cent greater the second year ;hnn
under the most favorable circumstance
under Spanish rule That this increase
should occur in the face OF actual war
fare. and Of the disturbed conditions oi
commerce and industry resulting from
the war makes il all the more significant
The imports from all countries except
Spain have increased; those from Srair
have fallen off about one-half f. e.. from
10 5C9. .93T pesos in 1894 to 5.24a. 75S in 1S99.'
LIEUT.. T. 3. AMISS STRICKEN.
The Policeman Becomes suddenly II
Will" Riding ou street Car.
Lieut.. T. b. Amiss. Of the First precinct