The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-07
Governor Taft of Opinion that Duty
should BE Levied ON Articles
Coming Into the Islands.
ALSO DESIRES DISCRIMINATION
UNITED STATES HOUED ENCOURAGE
IMPORTS FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Reduction of Duty Would Benefit the
Sugar and Interests
of the Archipelago.

BR1aA1a a. NAC o1AaES -
the Philippines to-day with the intention Of
taking up the Senate Philippines tariff bill
and of d~evoting his attention to the reve-
nue. and tariff conditions of the Philippine
islands. but before beginning with the sub
ject he replied to a number of questions by
Senator Carmack. bearing on subjects here
tofore covered by the Governor in his tes-
timony before the committee. Mr.. Carmack
quoted from the report of General MacAr-
thur Of 1900, to the effect that there is sub
stantial unity among the Filipino people in
their opposition to the United States.
Replying, Governor Taft said the COM
mission had not originally accepted the
generals conclusion, and that the COM
MISSIONS tour of the archipelago had con-
WINGED them that they were correct in their
conclusions. What originally the people OF
the Philippine islands were much aroused
L do not doubt" he continued, ''but the OPP
position does not continue in its general
aspect. Since the second election of Presi-
dent Mckinley the great majority of the
people of the Philippines have been favor
able to peace and to the acceptance of the
sovereignty Of the United States, and it
would be impossible to continue the present
system of guerrilla warfare without the
system o lcIIOIlSIh WHICH HOW prevails.
that is my conclusion. and in so far as the
statement differs from General MacAr-
thurs report, to that extent 1 differ from
him." Governor Taft also said that he diff
fered from General Bell on the point of the
general desire of the inhabitants to main
tain hostiiities in Batangas; he did not be-
lieve the common people felt so inclined.
Taking up the question of the tariff, Gov
ernor Taft explained the present system of
taxation in the Philippines. saying that I'M
der the decision of the Supreme Court no
duties are now being collected on articles
going into the islands from the United
States. The plan Of the commission had
been to have no internal system of taxa
ton for the support of the general govern
ment Of these islands. Under the Spanish
system there was a general poll tax, which
Melted about $1,000, 900, while the receipts
from the customs were only about $780,
600. Even children were taxed under that
system. Under Spain, there also was a tax
on business enterprises, and that system
had been continued TO al extent by the
commission. The commission had also de-
cided to maintain the poll tax to the extent
of 81 per head on adult males, but to apply
ii only to paying the government expenses
of the towns and provinces. The people OF
the islands had generally urged the impo-
sition of the poll tax as necessary to get
some of their numbers to work. Under the
/ oRdAlon ItSlluC liz pan DGCl uSCd "
enforce a sort of slavery.
H LAND TAX.
Governor Taft said there never had been
a land tax I'm the islands. and he attributed
this immunity to the influence of the friars,
who had large holdings, and to the owners
of large haciendas. The commission had i'm
posed a land tax. There had been OPPOSE
ton to the system, but this was disappear
ing The inPOma from this tqV would no
small for q time because of the fact, due
to the retarded development of the coun-
try only 100000 acres of the 5000, 900 acres
of agricultural lands in the Philippines is
held by private owners.
Replying to inquiries Oy Senator Patter-
son the witness said the Spaniards had 4
method for acquiring government lands
similar TO our homestead system, but adj
vantage had not been taken of it because
of the complications of Spanish methods.
He also said there had been much fraud
i'm land matters, and he urged that i'm what
ever regulations may be made for the dis
posal Of the public lands of the Philippines
the rights of squatters should be recog-
nized.
Judge Taft said the assessable taxable
property in Manila would not exceed $780,
no 0o0 This. he added. would not exceed
one-sixth of the valuation of an American
city of the same size, and yet Manila would
require a far larger expenditure than would
an American city of the same class. One
considerable item of expense for admins
tration there would be that of maintaining
sanitary conditions. 1t was necessary at
all times TO guard against the plague, and
there are from $1,000 to 10000 lepers in the
entire Archipelago. These conditions, he ex-
planned, rendered it necessary for the CEN
trail government to bear part of the ex-
penses of municipal government.
Taking up the subject of general taxation
he said the commission is making an eff.
fort to make the customs tariff the only
source of revenue, land WHILE he said.
I'VE should be glad to have free trade With
the United States In order to insure the
progress of agriculture, we cannot but feel
that If ii is fair to collect a tariff on goods
coming into the Philippines from the United
States il is only fair to provide for a tariff
on Philippine articles coming into the
United States. In our judgment the GUS
toms tax is absolutely necessary, as the
government could not be supported by df-
rect taxation. OF course if there were no
customs collection on goods coming from
the United States the effect would be to
nullisy all tariff collections, as practically
all the importations into the Philippines
would be from the United States or from
Spain, which would also be given free
trade under the peace treaty" He said the
tariff adopted by the commission is a spe-
cihc duty of from 10 10 80 per cent. reduced
TO an ad valorem system, and that the eff
fort had been TO place the higher tariff on
l~uXuries and the lower on necessities, thus
reversing the Spanish system.
EXPORT DUTY ON HEMP.
Replying to a question from Senator
1IOukG DIS " NAAC 1AA01N VI III IGlAlONdl VI
the export duty on hemp exported from
the Philippines Governor Taft said nothing
could be done to change the conditions in
that respect. we can sell all the hemp
we can raise" he said. ''The effect of the
provision would be greater on sugar. 1
apprehend that the anxiety Of foreigners
to secure the hemp product of the Philip
pines has led to the furnishing of much of
the sinews of the war OF the Philippines
Explaining the reason for the adoption
Of the specific system Governor Taft said
this had been done in order TO save both
time and expense. wherever Cinnamon
are found" he added, smuggling is d
fine art"
In reply TO a question from Senator Cul-
lower tariff on American imports from the
Philippines han on Philippine exports from
the United states Governor Taft explained
that the commission had devoted no time
TO the Dingley tariff law. We were look
ing solely after the interests OF the Philip
pines, he said. and il is true that the
lower we get duties on our goods shipped
TO the United. States the more trade will be
developed"
In this connection Senator Patterson re-
minded the witness that he had in his re-
port a reduction of 80 per
cent, and asked why such a reduction had
been suggested. Governor Taft replied: II
am bound TO say that at present our princi-
pal reason for asking a reduction is senti-
mental. The effect Of a reduction OF 50
or even Is per cent. on Philippine imports
into the United States would not be great
for the next few wears and any cpDpasefop