New-York tribune., 1901-12-03
EFFECT OF THE DECISIONS
Continued from first page.


-.a,,ar ., Congress over the Philippines ana
Porto Rico.
The effect of the decisions will be Immediate
action by Congress with respect TO the filliip
ninas as Congress already treated Porto rNioo
under the Foraker act. Pending this actioh ai'
merchandise and w~res from the fhlippine
will be admitted to the ports or the ohi.e0
s+.+es free of all duties, though goods from the
United States to the Philippines Will cohtiiue
70 nav such duties as may be fixed by the Iale
commission which acts under the general war
noxyers of the President and with a speciai
grant conferred by the Spooner JOINT resoio'ioii
passed by the last Congress. IL is not tnouen'
that much time will be lost or mucn oiincui'S
o,ntered in framing and pushing through a
revenue bill for the Philippines similar IN III
essential principles to the Foraker act 1or Ioi'o
pico AS Senator Lodge is chairman OF the
Philippine Committee it Is assumed that ne VIII
bring forward a bill covering the case oerore
Conpress takes a recess for the Christmas hon-
davs In this event the measure coulo De
rushed through both houses by February L.
unless the Democrats desire to obstruct "ereiS
for the sake of obstruction. as they d1o Wheh
the Foraker bill was brought before the L'A'h
CONGRESS- But even If the minority should take
this stubborn position the passage or the Dill
could not be delayed longer than a month or
two
the Democrats should not resort to obstructive
TACTICS.
REFUND NOT LARGE.
,,aar+in,e tbere can be no possible derange-
ment of Philippine affairs. OF course, until Con-
gross acts all goods from the islands will enter
the ports of the United States free or DUTY
and the Treasury will have to refund tne ihol-ey
collected on dutiable goods from tne
brought to this country from the ratlhcatlon OF
the Paris Treaty of Peace until to-day. FROM
September l, 1898 to October l, 1901, treasury
reports show that there have been entered at
the ports of the United States from the Phlilp-
pine Islands goods to the value of Slo4 500
OF this total amount SI3554 or entered
free of duty under the Dingley schedules, and
only 81 S94, ,523 of dutiable goods was entered
between the dates named Cane sugar paid the
great bulk of the duties collected. this single
article contributing to the dutiable imports OF
the fiscal year 1900 the enormous proportion of
1925, 900 of the total for that year of only
$4,000 The total valuation placed upon all
other dutiable articles from the Philippines In
that year only S13SS2 The Treasury ex-
perts have not yet computed the amount that
will have to be paid out in rebates in accord
ance with to-day's decision affecting the Philip
pines but 1t is conservatvely estimated that the
sum will exceed S250,00O. Only those persons
who had the foresight to enter formal protests
against paying these Illegal duties partici-
pate in this rebate under decision of the Con-
troller of the Treasury rendered in the De Lima
case.
ONE POINT STILL UNSETTLED.
Some of the abest lawyers in the Senate, who
have been conspicuously identified with all the
| legislation pertaining to the insular pos
sessions, point out that the Supreme Courts de-
cisions to-day dispose efectually of all the i'm
| portant features of the power of the government
| over these possessions except possibly one.
| which probably will hereafter have to be de-
termined by special litigation. That feat
ure is as to whether or not the right abdes even
| in Congress to lay taxes upon the people of the
| insular possessions for the promotion OF the
! general welfare In other words can any taxes.
! imposts. ETC. collected from the people Of Porto
| Rico and the Philippines. be turned into the
| Treasury of the United States. to be used for
| any other purpose than the promotion exclusive
" OF the interests of the people of those islands
| long as their political status remains what it
| now is? 1t Is a fact worth noting that Con-
| gress has scrupulously applied every cent OF
! taxes collected from the Porto RicanS and Fill
! pinos in the form of imposts etc, to the sup
port OF local government in the islands. not one
| cent OF all the millions thus collected having
| gone into the general revenue fund or the
| United States. The leaders of both houses of
| Congress declare that this shall continue to be
/ the nsular fiscal policy so long as the Repub-
! licans in control Of the government
In view of this fixed governmental purpose
| and in harmony with what is popularly in
! ferred TO be the spirit of the Supreme Court
! decisions. the question arises as to whether or
! not there is a warrant in the constitution for
the extension Of ali or any part of the Internal
! revenue laws of the United States to Porto
| Rico and the Philippines. II is not denied that
| the laying of internal revenue taxes Is in the
| interest Of the Federal government, or. ex-
| pressed In another FORM is for the promotion
| of the general welfare" Hence If the Porto
| Ricans and Filpinos. In their present relations
| to the Federal government. pay internal rev.
! enue taxes, they are contributing 10 the sup
| port OF the government at Washington. when II
| is designed that they shall be taxed only for
| the support of their own local governments
| This view OF the case Is giving rise TO serious
| doubts in Washington whether II Will be either
| wise good policy TO extend the Internal rev
| enue laws to Porto Rico and the Philippines
| Now If these laws not extended, the manu-
| facturers of beer. whiskey, tobacco, etc. may
| fhai igh
| the products which they export to foreign mar
| kets Already there is talk OF suit being filed
by the Brewers Association to test this question
| and the sooner such a suit Is filed and fought
| out the safer will the leaders of Congress fee
| in all future legislation for the insular pos
| sessions