The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-11
And Pushed to Vote After Brief Dis
cussion, Probably on the Evening
of the Same Day.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
RESOLUTION ADOPTED FOR RE
CESS FROM DEC. 10 To JAN. 6.
Bill for the Punishment of Assassins
and Their Friends-Other Meas
ures Introduced.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-The Republican
members of the ways and means commit
tee to-day agreed on a Philippine tariff
measure and later the entire membership
of the committee, Democrats and Repub-
licans was called together for the first
time. At an early meeting of the Repub-
lican members Colonel Edwards, chief of
the insular division of the War Depart
ment, was further heard as to the methods
employed in framing the schedule of rates
OH imports to the Philippines. In particu-
lar he brought out the fact that care was
taken to consult with the interested indus
tries whenever a delicate question of ad-
justment arose. The War Department
showing brought out the fact that in fact
the United States enjoys a preference un-
der the present Philippine rates, for al
though 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 Amer
lean product and give it decided advan-
tage over foreign canned goods.
After Colonel Edwards had been heard
the Republican members of the committee
began voting on various features of the
| Philippines bill. The first vote was on Mr..
Russells motion to impose SO per cent. of
the Dingley rates and the Philippine Com
mission rates. The motion was defeated,
to ., Messrs. Russell, Long and Tawney
voting in the affirmative and the remain
ing Republican members in the negative.
TEXT OF THE BILL.
Mr.. Tawney moved that the bill repeal
the export tax on the Philippines. The
motion was defeated by the same vote.
This cleared the way for the bill prepared
by Mr.. Payne, which was agreed to with
out formal vote. Its text follows:
'An act temporarily to provide revenue for
| the Philippine islands and for other pur-
! poses:
BE it enacted, etc. that the provisions
| of act entitled An act to revise and
amend the tariff laws of the Philippine
/ archipelago enacted by the United States
| Philippine Commission Sept. II, 1901 shall
be and remain in full force and effect.
| Sec. 2 That on and after the passage
| of this act there shall be levied, collected
and paid upon all articles imported into
| the United States from the Philippine arch
/ lpelago the rates of duties which are re-
| quired to be levied, collected and paid upon
| like articles imported from foreign coun-
/ tries.
Sec. 8. That on and after the passage
of this act the same tonnage taxes be
levied, collected and paid upon all vessels
coming into the United States from the
| Philippine archipelago which are required
| by law to be collected upon vessels coming
| into the United States from foreign coun-
tries until the 1st day of January, 1905:
| Provided however, That the provisions of
laws restricting to vessels of the United
| States the transportation of passengers
and merchandise directly or Indirectly
from one port of the United States to an
other port of the United States shall not
be applicable to foreign vessels engaging
F, in trade between the Philippine archipela go
and the United States.
Sec. 4. That the duties and taxes col
lected in the Philippine archipelago in pur-
| suance of this act, less the cost of collect
ing the same, and the gross amount of all
collections of duties and taxes In the
| United States on the same articles imported
| from the Philippines archipelago and on
vessels coming therefrom shall not be COW
cred into the general fund of the treasury
| of the United States, but shall be held as a
separate fund and paid into the treasury
of the Philippine islands to be used and
expended for the government and benefit
| of said Islands.
"fSec. g. That when duties prescribed bv
this act are based upon the weight OF mer-
chandise deposited in any public or private
bonded warehouse said duties shall be
| levied and collected upon the weight OF
such merchandise at the time of its entry.
Sec. 6. That all articles manufactured
in bonded manufacturing warehouses In
| whole or in part of imported materials or
| of materials subject to internal revenue
tax and intended for expectation from the
| m lie
shall when so exported under such regula-
tions as the secretary of the treasury NAV
prescribe be exempt from internal revenue
| tax and shall not be charged with duty ex.
| cept the duty levied under this act unor
imports into the Philippine islands,
DEMOCRATS NOTIFIED.
The Democratic members were called in
at IL o'clock and the committee was formal
ly organized, the former clerks and en-.
ployes being reelected and the subcomnit.
tees announced. The Democratic members
were furnished copies of the Payne Philin.
| pine bill and were advised that it would be
taken up at a meeting Of the committee
| tomorrow, reported to the House on Fri.
day next and considered in the House next
Tuesday. The debate in the House will he
! brief as possible, not exceeding dav with
a special rule providing for bringing the
question to a final vote probably on Tues
| the Cuban commissioners had asked for !
hearing. and he suggested a hearing next
| Monday.
Mr. Russell then made a motion. which
prevailed. directing the chairman TO adviss
| the Cuban commissioners that il would MOI
| he convenient for the committee to hear
them before the holidays and that after
the holidays the committee would consider
/ the question. The significance OF this reso.
luton II was explained after the meeting
1 vas to postpone the question of CubaI
reciprocity until action had been matured
on the Philippines.
The ways and means subcommittee as
announced by Chairman Payne to-day art
/ as follows:
ON customs. Customs Districts and Gus.
| TOMS Offcials-Messrs. Payne, Dalzell
| Hopkins. Grosvenor. Russell. Richardson
| and Robertson.
! on Administration OF Customs Laws
Nassrs Russell. Payne, Steele, Babcock
Swanson and Mcclellan.
ON Internal Revenue-Messrs. Steele
Hopkins. Russell. Tawney, Long, Mcclellan
| and Newlands.