Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-23
.F|L|P|NOS' NEEDS
Brewster Cameron's Talk Of
Islands and People.
TO INSURE WELFARE
AN ABSOLUTELY STABLE CUR
RENcY rs NECESSARY.
Further Reduction Of the Dingley
Tariff and Amendments to the
Philippine Congressional Act.

Washington, but for several years past en-
gagged in business enterprises which have
taken him to foreign countries, is now at
the New Willard Hotel in this city. For
the last two years he has been engaged In
business in Manila. AT the solicitation OF
the men controlling the large business In
terests Of the Philippine archipelago Mr..
Cameron has journeyed to Washington to
lay certain matters before members of
Congress which, In the opinion Of Mr.. Cam
eron and his associates, demand immediate
congressional action. Representing the al
lied chambers Of commerce of the Philip
pines. as he does, Mr.. Cameron is in reality
a commercial delegate to Washington from
that section Of American SOIL and at this
particular crisis in the Industrial affairs OF
the Philippines his mission Is looked upon
as of far greater import than il it was of a
political nature. When asked what the
people of the Philippines wanted from the
home government Mr.. Cameron said:
What is Wanted.
"To insure the permanent welfare of the
Philippines it is necessary; first, that there
should be an absolutely stable currency
second, that there should be some further
reduction Of the Dingley tariff; third, that
the Philippine congressional act should be
amended in certain important particulars.
First of all We need stable currency.
The Mexican dollar, which Is now the
unit of value, fluctuates in price every day.
The Philippine government has already d.
rectly lost over $1.OOO,OOO in gold by the
fluctuations Of the Mexican dollar. In ad-
dition to this, the indirect losses to the
government are vartously estimated at from
100000 to $25O,OOO. And these losses, large
as they are, are small In comparison with
the losses that have been sustained by the
business and commercial interests, through
the fluctuations Of the Mexican dollar.
The result Is that no goods are now be-
ing imported other than those necessary
to fill orders already secured. The conserv-
alive business houses that formerly carried
large stocks Of goods have been letting
them run lower and lower. Prices have
been advancing accordingly. under the in
evitable law of supply and demand. A sta
BILE currency is the only relief from this de-
plorable condition of affairs, which is al
ready being misconstrued by the natives as
a conspiracy among the merchants to in
crease the cost to the poor of the necessa-
ries Of life.
1T is yariously estimated that the losses
to the business and commercial interests of
the islands through the fluctuations of sill
yer have been from s., 0OO, 900 to $40 COO 600.
But this Is not the only nor perhaps the
greatest damage that will result to the
people of the islands from the depreciation
Of silver. The poor natives in the prov
1nces who are engaged in agricultural pur-
and prosperity the welfare of the islands
depends. are unable to reconcile the benev-
olent purposes of our government as pro-
claimed by Governor Taft throughout the
islands, with financial policy that has de-
preciated the value of their money the
Mexican dollar. and thereby depriving them
of a large part of the rewards of their toll
They argue that even the Spanish govern
ment did not thus depreciate the earnings
of their labor. but maintained a fairly
stable currency.
Reduction Of Import Duties.
1.-THE second need Of the Philippines is a
large reduction in the import duties col
lected upon Philippine products brought
into the United States. This reduction is
not asked for on the ground that the islands
are an American possession. but on the
higher plea of humanity and mercy. This
appeal is now made to Congress because
millions Of Filipinos have recently been
visited with one of the greatest Affections
that have ever befallen any agricultural
people. The catastrophe which over
whelmed Martinique, while infinitely tragic
is small in comparison with the miseries
which Will result from the rinderpest plague
to the poor natives who live by agricultural
labor ii Congress shall deny this prayer of
the Filipino people.
For the relief of the Martinique sufferers
the American Congress generously voted
the munifcent sum Of 100000, and this
people Of the United States. Surely these
same people will not now begrudge the
small amount of tariff duties they are asked
to forego on Philippine products as a help
to the Ftlipinos to put them on their feet
once more.
lowing to the disasters which have be-
fallen the islands in the form of plague and
impending famine, There should be granted
Immediately reduction of at least 70 per
cent of the Dingley tariff. During the next
four years the Philippine planters can grow
but little, so that the utmost production
during that time could not materially affect
any article grown in the United States. The
chief gain to the island in the Immediate
reduction Of the Dingiey tariff now would
be in the encouragement 1t would give to
our planters to make whatever sacrifices
might be necessary to restock their planta-
tons, thus providing labor for thousands of
suffering people, who within the past year
have been thrown out of work on the plan
tations by the wholesale destruction Of the
carabao. the Philippine OK, through the
rinderpest plague. Unless this reduction to
Is per cent Of the Dingley tariff is made
now those who are most familiar with the
present deplorable agricultural conditions
in the Philippines apprehend great distress,
II not actual famine
Changes in the Philippine Act.
''The third need of the islands is the i'm
mediate repeal Of certain provisions of the
Philippine act, which have operated to
prevent the rehabilitation Of the agricul-
tural interests. We believe that Congress
will amend that act as soon as the fact is
made plain that the planters and land own
ers are laboring under serious disadvan-
tages because of this severe restriction.
1T is estimated that 95 per cent of the
Filipinos who live by labor are engaged or
employed in agricultural pursuits. What
ever laws, therefore, affect agriculture,
favorably or otherwise, affect the very ex-
istence Of practically the whole of the
Filipino people.
1.-The trouble and the remedy can be
stated in a few words Not only have the
land owners and the laborers been impov-
erished by the existing laws, but they have
met with ten-fold greater calamity
through the rinderpest plague which has
destroyed 80 per cent Of the carabaos, or
water buffalo, which Ia to the Filipino
farmer what the OK, the mule and the horse
together are to the American farmer The
appalling consequences of these laws can
hardly be appreciated by a nonresident OF
the islands. It Is easy. however, to give
numerous instances which confirm what 1
say. as for example. a Filipino business
house in the city Of Manila owns several
plantations. On one of these plantations
they have for years employed 10000 Filipino
laborers. The plantation produced. among
other things, 100000 piculs OF sugar an
nually. A picul il 1877 pounds. This plan
tation had 1900 carabaos, male and
female, of which all but fifty. have died
during the past year Of the rinderpest
plague. It Is not difficult to measure the
Iorcoce ros,,1tfnO from the r,laP11o when itS