Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-12-03
PHILIPPINE TARIFF
Supreme Court Decision Discussed
by Cabinet.
A SPECIAL MESSAGE PROBABLE
The Refund of Tariff Dues Not a
Serious Matter.
ACTION AFTER HOLIDAYS

MOSt OIL tne Cap1net session t0Qdy was
consumed in discussion of the decision Of
the Supreme Court yesterday in the case
involving the right of the government to
collect duties on goods coming from the
Philippine Islands to the United States. 1t
is stated that the decision is satisfactory to
the administration, which now has the pow
er, by legislation of Congress, to impose
such tariff duties as it may fit 1t un-
doubtedly leaves in the hands of Congress
the right to make laws regarding customs
and all other matters pertaining to the
Philippines
AS to what these laws"wi be or ought to
be there is nothing but speculation. 1t is
probable that President Roosevelt will send
special message to Congress at some
future time, making recommendations.
The decision will bring forward the entire
subject of a tariff on goods from the is
lands The various views as to high or
low tariff on goods from the islands will
be thrashed over, and a fight in Congress
is likely as to the tariff policy of the gov
ernment applying to its new possessions.
The question of refunding the duties col
lected in this country goods from the
Philippines was really one of the least i'm
portant matters before the cabinet in con-
nection with the decision. 1t is estimated
by the Secretary of the Treasury that ST.
100000 will cover the repayments of Gus
toms duties. An important question how
ever, is whether the duties collected un-
der the War Department goods going
into Manila from this country can be re-
funded under the decision This would
probably be a larger sum than the 81, 900, 900
already given.
A Most Important Question.
BY far the most important question of
all considered by the cabinet is whether
the decision of the court does not imme-
diateiy apply the Dingley tariff law to the
Philippines, we'll as immigration laws
coastwise vessel laws and the various
other general laws that were applied to
Porto Rico when it became a portion of
the United States. To apply the naviga-
tlOn laws to the islands would be to pre-
vent foreign vessels from doing a coast
wise trade in the islands. Attorney Cen
eral Knox himself is not able at this time
to answer the questions, and will give se-
rlous consideration to them. At the Treas
ury Department the opinion prevails that
the Dingley laws are now in force in the
Philippines, revoking the tariff laws nut
in force by the War Department.
The tariff duties in the islands are col
lected by War Department officials and
employees, but if the Dingley laws apply,
the collection will have to pass into the
hands of the Treasury Department. and a
force of customs collectors and clerks will
have to be put on the work. Close atten-
tion is going to be given the matter both
at the Department of Justice and at the
treasury.
Temporary Laws Badly Needed,
1t is regarded as important that Congress
should enact temporary laws Immediately
to clear up the matters in dispute. BY do
ing this Congress would definitely settle
all the questions now obscure and uncer-
tain, the Supreme Court declares that
Congress has full power to do as it sees
fit
1t is therefore suggested that Congress
ought to at once pass a temporary law that
Will authorize affairs to be conducted in
positive manner. 1t could temporarily ap-
ply the Dingley law to duties collected both
in this country and the Philippines and
thereby remove an uncertainty, or it could
enact the War Department tariff into law
for the present. Unless something of this
kind is done it is predicted that there will
be much confusion. Until Congress does
something any amount of goods could come
to this country from the Philippines and
the treasury could not collect a penny in
duty.
Likely to Go Over Until After the
Holidays.
The Supreme Court decision relative to
the Philippines has brought to the atten-
ton of leaders in Congress the need of
legislation for the archipelago, somewhat
on the lines of that enacted for Porto Rico,
and particularly dealing with revenue ques-
tions and imports from the Philippines
Such legislation will originate In the House
of Representatives, and it appears to be
conceded that the ways and means commit
tee will get up the insular revenue bill, the
1nsular committee dealing only with uues-
tions outside of those involving revenue
Mr.. Payne of New York former chair
man of the ways and means committee,
who undoubtedly will continue in that DO
sition, said today that there had not yet
been time to consider the courts decision
with reference to the needs Of legislation.
1t was quite apparent, he said that Con-
gress was now called upon to frame some
legislation to meet the conditions laid
down by the court and the ways and
means committee undoubtedly would take
up the matter at an early day. But as
yet there had been no thought of the
terms of the bill and no consultation with
the Speaker.
Mr.. Hopkins Of Illinois, another veteran
of the ways and means committee, said
he thought there would be no hurry in
framing a Philippine revenue bill, and that
the whole subject probably would go over
until after the holidays. In some quarters
there was talk today that the Speaker
would announce the membership of the
ways and means committee very soon pos
sibly this week. owing to the Philippine
decision, but there was no authoritative
statement as to this.
In any event the House leaders doubtless
VIII prepare the general framework Of a
Phlllpp1ne bill before or during the holf-
days
which Senator Lodge is chairman, will
deal with the subject in the Senate
PENSION FOR MRS MoEuNurv