Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-13
REPORT ON TARIFF BILL
Chairman Payne Of Ways and
Means Committee Presents Re-
port on Philippine Tariff.
The Measure Designed to Raise
Revenue for the Islands
Government.
Framed With View to Meeting
Requirements Of Supreme
Court Decision.

port on tue Tniippiue taiiA pi. =.
says:
ssTfis bill is designed to raise revenue
for the government OF the Philippine
archipelago It is intended to restore the
status which existed prior to the late
decision OF the supreme court In the
: .'diamond rings" case. Prior to that de-
xcision the government had been collect
ing duties on goods coming into the
United states from the Philippine archi-
pelago at the game rates as those pro-
yided in our tariff laws for like articles
imported from foreign countries. The
court holds that the Philippines archi-
pelago is not foreign country, therefore
q general tariff law does not apply.
This bill extends the rate now existing
upon imports from foreign countries, to
articles brought in from the Philippine
Islands.
I'm the Philippine archipelago the
United States commission prepared a
4arin act, after much care and study.
Their object has been and is to raise
suff1cient revenue to support the gov
ernment in the Philippines. provide am
ply for education Of the people, to open
up highways Of commerce both foreign
and domestic, and provide an ample po-
lice force for the preservation of order.
These different forms Of tariff In force
there produced surplus revenue, after
naying the expenses Of the government.
This bill proposes to make this Phliip-
pine tariff part Of the statutes OF the
United states. The necessity for con-
tinuar,ce Of the revenue which shall pc
both ample and certain Is imperative
and the object Of this bill is to meet the
pressing emergency, practically ana
sufficiezfly. We present the tariT act
OF THE consuiss.sn IS che best that can
he devised In the limited time left for
US to act. II we continue the police and
eonstnbulary system which has been IN
and which is doing SO much
% restore and conserve order in the is-
ands 1t will call for large increase in
appropriations. We have enolled 150. 600
Schooi children in the public schools.
OF this number more than half are
without any school house accommoda-
tion. It is necessary that we build
Huitable houses at once. Ten thousand
adults were at last accounts enrolled for
night schools, and We are told this num-
ber has since increased probably to at
east $4,000. These people are anxious
to learn our language and to better their
mental condition and must be amply
provided for. Four thousand teachers
have been employed, nearly all Of them
recently, and their salaries must be paid.
This great work of education must not
be crippled even for q short time, for
nack OF funds. Our government has gone
TO work systematically, thru the COM
mission, for Improvement of the harbor
at Manila. They have let a contract,
after public advertisement and compet-
tive bids, to the lowest bidder. This
contract calls for the expediture of three
millions of dollars in the near future.
Roads are being constructed and build
ing OF roads in this tropical country is
expenslve. These are but few of the
\ many items OF expenditure which are
imperative. All these expenditures are
preparing the way for reduction of the
army and in the end will prove direct
benefit to the taxpayers of the United
!. States. The bill also provides for the
collection OF tonnage taxes on vessels
plying between the ports of the United
States and Philippine archipelago. 1t
provides that vessels not of United
States may ply between these ports.
Notwithstanding our coastwise naviga-
tion laws, until the first day of January
1905. when it ss belived these islands
may safely come under operation Of our
present statutes and vessels only Of the
United States be employed in our COM
merce with them. At present our own
people who ship goods to these islands
are handicapped by internal revenue tax
and duties paid upon foreign goods inn
ported here and used in the manufacture
OF articles sent to the Philippines. The
proposed bill is designed to remedy this.
The bill provides that all duties and
taxes collected under the act shall not
be covered into the general fund of the
treasury Of the United States. but paid
into the treasure Of the Philippine is
lands, to be used and expended for the
use and benefit Of those islands"
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Richardson, Of Tennessee, presented to
the house the minority report on the
Philippine tariff bill. signed by all the
democrats on the ways and means COM
mittee except Robertson. of Louisiana.
The report says in part:
"The measure is but another step in
the weli-marked line of imperialism. 1t
is the enacting Of a policy of pure colo
nialism, and the worst form of that poll
fey. We are opposed to to our govern
ment attempting to hold territories as
colonies, and treating the inhabitants
thereof rs subjects, imposing upon them
8 government Of force. This is the meth
cd OF an empire instead of republic.
: We oppose the whole policy of the ma
jerity In dealing with the Philippine
archipelago. We believe that instead of
the effort they are making to set up and
hold permanent colonies there we should
long since have inaugurated policy as
,suring to the people of those islands a
stable government and ultimate inde-
pendence,
"But even II 1t be admitted that we
are to embark upon the dangerous and