Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-17
PASS TAR|FF Bill To-Day
House Takes Up Philippine Mea.
sure With Expectation Of
Passing 1t Today.
Payne. Majority Leader. Explains
the Object and Purposes
OF the Bill.
Opposition Makes . Spirited At.
tack and Some Interesting
Colloquy Develops.

washington, Dec. -4Le Note oiAs ~
Philippine tariff bill will be taken this
afternoon before the house adjourns
where is no doubt that it viii pass. that
being conceded by the opposition.
After the routine business was dis
posed Of the house went into committee
OF the whole for the consideration OF the
Philippine revenue bill.
Payne, floor leader of the majority. in
opening the debate carefully explained
the purpose of the bill, which had al
ready been set forth in his report.
Payne was followed by Swanson, OF
Virginia, who declared that none of the
benefits for the Filipino people spoken
OF could accrue thru the agency of the
nending bill. The voice of the floor
leader of the majority. he said, was the
voice of Jacob, but the hand was the
hand OF Esau. Swanson said the hold
ing of the Philippines by force weakened
instead OF strengthened this country.
The money we now wasted In the Philip
pines would build US the largest navy in
the world. The solution of the Philip
pine problem was a congressional dec
laration to give them independence as
soon as stable government could be
formed.
Payne reviewed at some length the
events leading up to the formal action
on the tariff. He contrasted the Spanish
rates with those fixed by the commis-
sion. On flour. for instance, he said the
rate HAD been reduced from $1.SS to o0
cents, on rice from So cents to 40, and
on hams and smoked meats from $9.lS to
%. Proportionate reductions had been
made on other articles. Payne explained
that the commission also deemed 1t wise
TO continue portion Of the old Spanish
export duty on hemp, sugar and tobac-
co, owing to the difficulty of paying and
collecting taxes. Personally he did not
like the idea OF the export tax. but there
seemed no other way at present. There
was a necessity for immediate action to
meet the situation created by the decis-
ion Of the supreme court. Payne also
explained the feature of the bill proyid-
ing for the extension Of the navigation
laws OF the United States to the islands
and the permission 1t granted to foreign
vessels to ply between the Philippine
and American ports until January, 1905.
Payne's statement that by that time 1t
was hoped the American ship would be
able to take care of this business
aroused scattering applause on his side
OF the house.
During Payne's speech there was
quite colloquy between Gaines. of
| Tennessee, who visited the island last
summer, and Payne. The latter de-
,ecribed the success Of the Philippine
lcommission, and asserted the republi-
Scans were trying to lift the Filipinos to
American citizenship. Gaines declared
4lle constitution and flag should be car
fled to the Philippines. Payne said he
was surprised Gaines had not carried
the flag and constitution to the islands.
s'You have done that covertly," said
Gaines. II propose to show you up"
Payne sarcastically replied he supposed
Gaines had learned more in his brief
visit than all the officials of the United
States in two years and a half of inves-
tigatfon. Payne also had a brief contro-
versy with Wheeler. of Kentucky, in
which the latter asserted that aggregate
capital had assurance that the attorney
general would not persecute the trusts
and that was why they existed. Payne
declared that Wheeler did not believe
his own assertion any more than he
(Payne )believed 1t.