The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-26
PHILIPPINE OPEN. DOOR.
80 =: $3.50. ~ IatlIa i.EE9.: 1905 :
The. United States Not Maintaining
/. It-England and Germany i:
,,,4:.,. r. Make a Protest. .esa 2.,s

!: ashington, Dec. 26.-England and Ger
many have made protest to the, United
States against what they declare to be
the failure to maintain an open door in
the Philippines. s...s-.,<.. : -,.~g.,>- !.
The case in point involves the matter Of
an export duty Of $3.50 a ton on Manila
hemp and fiber which is imposed upon the
product. shipped to Egland and Germany,
but which is RENTED on that sent to the
United States. - ..' .f''' .te'' i
These protests, which came to the state
department and were then referred to-
Secretary Root because the war depart
ment has direct supervision over the
Philippines. have been transmitted to the
senate Philippine committee to be con-
sidered in connection with the measure
proposing to- reduce the tariff on Philip
pine goods coming into the United States
from Is per cent to Is per cent of the
Dingley schedules. ~ -- :
The question is somewhat perplexing to
the republican leaders. ..-.--.
The protest mentions the note addressed
by William r. Day, then United States
peace commissioner in Paris, to Senior Don
b. Montero Reos, Spanish peace commits
sioner, Nov. %, 1898, In which he declared
. that 1T was the intention Of the United
States to maintain an open door in the
Philippines. .>.3s-9 T.. ...-:ss -.
1t adds that "the imperial government
rests Is claim on the principle of equal
treatment for all nations, which. the
United States has always invoked in east
ern Asia and elsewhere. - And requests
that the privileges now enjoyed by the
United States be extended to Germany.
The matter was brought to the attention
OF the Marquis of Lansdowne by the AS
ISOLATION OF Chambers of CONNIE cree of the
united Kingdom. and was followed by "a
note from the British ambassador to the
state department., in which mention was
RI 4 tor.c ofor1 r,fe- -
on Nov. %, 1899, declaring that this gov
eminent would maintain the open door
IN the philippines to the worlds COM
3merce. gts..sS.-t.t.. 49, - 80. s
The British note then adds significantly.
with Which such preferential treatn1en
OF Manila fiber exported to the United
states appears to be inconsistent
Secretary Hay turned the correspond
ence over to Secretary Root, who replied
stating that the matter was one for con-
gressional action. congress having in Its
Philippine tariff bill passed at the last
session liked and sanctioned the tariff
enacted by the Philippine commission,
which imposed the export duty on hemp.
The effect of the present export duty is
to divert the bulk of shipment of Ma
Mia hemp from England and Germany.
which We're large purchasers before the
Spanish-American war. to the United
States, where the tax is RENTED and the
hemp imported free Of duty.
4 English and German rope manufactur-
ers have suffered greatly by reason Of this
condition This situation now confronts
the Philippine committee to which the
I protests have been referred. The export
duty in the Philippines is necessary to
maintain the revenues Of the islands. q
corresponding import duty cannot well
be added without destroying the rope in
dusty In this country, which now enjoys
great advantage over its European
competitors. At the same time it is evid-
ent that the United States is not adter-
ing to. the policy of an open door In IL
Philippines, and England and GERMANY
may hnd means of retaliation. 81. Il