Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-02-11
NEED BIG CUT N Tariff:
Acting Gov. Wright of Philippines
Declares Reduction of 50 Per
Cent. insufficient.
CUT MUST Be At LEAST rs PER CENT.
Before Senate Commfftee-Ques-
ton of Holdings of Friars Comes
up-Their Titles Are Good-Have
/ Plenty of Money-House.

Washington, Feb. 1O.-COnt1nulpg
his narrative before the senate COM
mittee on the Philippines, Gov Taft
Saturday reverted to his testimony of
Friday for the purpose of introducing
q cablegram he had received from Act
ing Gov. Wright, urging reduction in
the tariff on Philippine articles i'm
ported into the United States from the
Philippines. He said this cablegram
was in response to an inquiry from
himself as to the effect of reduction
of so per cent. The reply of Acting
Gov. Wright is as follows:
Manila Feb. 4.-The public session Of
sugar and tobacco interests favor re-
duction of rs per cent. at least. A reduc-
tion of so per cent. leaves tariff almost pro-
hibitive. Sugar price now very low; Euro
pean market very dull on account of over
production and low prices. Beet sugar
planters here have lost heavily by cara
baos, machinery and otherwise. Sugar
cultivation in bad condition. Memorials
received from sugar growers association
of Negroes and Panay ask for free trade for
this reason. Think a reduction of rs per
cent, on sugar and tobacco would be, a
measure of relief and have excellent po-
aitical effect"
Senator Rawlins questioned Gov.
Taft concerning the holdings of the
5riars. The governor said he thought
the general opinion as to the wealth
and holdings of the friars had been
greatly exaggerated. He did not be-
lieve, for instance, that they had three
fourths of the property owned in the
cities. That, however, the religious
orders have ready cash was true. as
was evidenced by the fact that they
make loans. He instanced case in
(Which the friars had advanced money
to promote corner in hemp which had
afterward failed because of rregulari-
dies on the part of the manager.
Gov. Taft said that the Philippine
government is DESTROYS of purchasing
the Manila property he'd by the friars
and that it also would be desirable to
secure their holdings of agricultural
lands.
BANKING LAW Needed.
I In connection with the loaning of
money by the friars Senator Lodge
asked about the necessity for bank
ing law, and the witness replied that
such law is badly needed There are
now. he said, two English banks in adj
Glition to the Spanish-Filipino bank,
the latter being controlled largely by
the church and being the only bank of
issue He said there had been some
grants of land to the church orders, but
that as rule they had acquired their
holding by purchase.
''The charge has been made" he said,
''that much of their lard has come to them
by deathhed conveyances, but this charge
ds not borne out by the tracing of the title.
The truth is that the friars' have the best
titles. In the island, and even where there
have been Irregularities the statute of linn
atations would protect the title"
He said that according to the charges
one method of extending the holdings
of the orders had been by extending
%heir irrigation systems over adjoining
1ands.>
Where Frinrs Get Their Money.
Something after our own method OF
watering stock?" said Senator Proctor,
referring to irrigation encroachments.
Senator Proctor also asked where the
friars had secured money with which
40 purchase their lands, and this in
quiry led Gov. Taft to say that he fees
for marriages, funerals. christenings,
etc, had been so high as to be COM
plained Of These charges for mar
riages had, he said, led many couples
TO live together il.icitly, but that in
most cases, the obligations thus taken
nrere observed.
! Washington. Feb. 10.-Some routine
business was transacted in the early
part of the session of the house
Saturday. Bills were passed to au-
thorize the st. Clair Terminal Rail-
road company of Pennsylvania to
construct bridge across the Monon-
gahela river; to establish a United
States court at Cattlettsburg, KY; to
authorize the construction of light
station at Bluff Shoals, Pamlico sound,
N. G.. at cost of $4,000.
TO authorize the transfer to an adj