Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-01-09
TARIFF OF PHILIPPINES.
Provisions of the New Protective
Measure That VIII Probably
Become Law.

The house of representatives has
acted with commendable promptness
in regard to providing tariff system
for the Philippine islands. 1t is inn
peratively necessary that something
be done in this line, since the supreme
court decision makes illegal any coll
lection of duties except such as are
specially imposed by congress. The
sooner the tangle is Strengthened out
the better both for this country and
its new dependencies, says the Troy
Times.
The act passed is simple but eff
fective measure. 1t imposes the Ding
ley rates on goods entering the Philip
pines from the United States. 1t also
provides for the collection of tonnage
taxes on vessels plying between the
United States and the Philippines, and
that foreign vessels may ply between
these ports until January l, 1905. The
duties and taxes collected under the
provisions of the bill are to go into
the Philippine treasury, to be eNpend-
ed for the use and benefit of the is
lands. In brief, it conforms precisely
Z y
by the federal courts. The fact that
it has passed the house less than three
weeks after the decision in the Phil
ippine case is proof of the readiness
by the popular branch of congress to
make laws in conformity with con-
stitutional requirements and of its
desire to relieve the government from
an embarrassing situation.
At least, such is the case as regards
the majority. The bill was passed by
a vote of 1G3 to 12S. Only five repub-
icans-Messrs. Littlefeld, Of Maine;
! Mccall, of Massachusetts, and Heat
wole. Stevens and Eddy. of Minnesota
voted against the measure. Only
three emocrats-Messrs. Davey,
Broussard and Robertson, of Louisiana
voted for it. The party division, it
win be seen, was practically complete.
The speeches made by members of the
| democratic opposition showed that the
minority as a whole has learned moth
ing by experience They were pitched
in the same old Bryan key of "anti-
Imperialism" without the presenta-
ton of a new fact or argument. The
speakers acted as though in blissful
ignorance that they were using burnt
powder-the very ineffective kind that
made much noise but did no execution
in the last presidential campaign.
| They made it clear that the attitude of
the democracy in congress, as shown
by the utterances and votes of the
| leaders, is to be one of stoIid antag-
onism TO republican measures deal
ing with new conditions, and that
it is incapable of rising to the high
er requirements Of the situation. or
indisposed to do so. The republican
administration and a republican con-
gress are. thus left to settle great
questions arising from the nations
growth. while the democrats fill the
role of helpless obstructionists IT is
/ not a dignified or impressive position,
but apparently it has been deliberate
ly chosen.
The Philippine tariff bill now goes
to the senate, and though equal celeri-
ty is not to be anticipated there, it is
reasonable to hope that the measure
Will pass that body and receive execu-
tive sanction not long after the re-
assembling of congress in January.
The need of the law is urgent, and it
is so we'll designed to protect the in
terests and advance the welfare of
our new eastern possessions that long
deliberation should be unnecessary.