Evening star., 1902-01-07

on this side of the water on fmportations
| from the Philippines would no longer go
| into the national but the insular treasury
An additional source of revenue for the de-
velopment of the islands would be thus pro-
vided. The duties collected in the United
States would fall in the same category as
the export duties now collected in the Phil
ippines on products shipped from insular
ports. If the aggregate of revenues from
duties on imports into the Philippines and
on exports from the Philippines and on
importations into the United States from
the Philippines exceeds the requirements of
the archipelago and the United States does
not wish for any good reason to reduce at
this time the duties on Philippine importa-
tions ITO the United States the necessary
reduction be effected either by a de-
crease of the export duties or of the duties
on imports into the Philippines. 1t Is pure
ly question of the wisest and least op
pressive adjustment of the burden of rails
ing the necessary insular revenue.
The Supreme Court decision did not de-
clare a right on the part of the Philippines
to free trade with the United States and
there is not the slightest basis for Filipino
reproaches if free trade is partly or wholly
denied The Supreme Court decided that
the Dingley tariff was not necessarily and
arbitrarily applied to the Philippines as an
integral part of the United States; that
fiexibilty and non-uniformity in this re-
spect were permitted: and 1T was assumed
that this option of fiexibility in legislation
would be so utilized by Congress as to pro-
mote the welfare of both the Filipinos and
the people of the United States.
This common welfare is the test Of the
wisdom of the tariff legislation. What will
best promote the interests of the republic
and of it's appurtenant territory?
There is no revival of the principle Of the
old fight over Porto Rico. The Star favored
free trade with Porto Rico as something in
effect promised the Porto Ricans at the
time of annexation, deserved by them for
their hearty acceptance of American con-
troll and highly beneficial to their material
interests without detriment to the welfare
of the United States. In respect to Porto
Rico the wise exercise of the right to dis
criminate in respect to it in the matter Of
the tariff involved waiver of this right.
But in respect to the Philippines the con-
dtions are entirely different. Free trade
between Porto Rico and the United States
is. the whole, beneficial to both parties.
Free trade between the Philippines and
the United States. with the Dingley tariff
applied as necessary result upon importa-
tions into the Philippines. would be disas-
trous to the Filipinos and injurious to homo
interests.
In some respects the Porto Ricans have
found that the Dingley tariff is not pre-
cisely framed to promote in the highest de-
gree their local interests and having Sc
cured the boon of uniformity in duties with
the states they ere now seeking to secure
relief from so much of that boon as admits
free into their ports Brazilian coffee. They
wish to be Disseminated against to the ex-
tent of a duty on this article. Where there
is one item in which the Dingley tariff is
misfit in it's application to Porto Rcan con-
ditions, there are a hundred items in which
it is totally inapplicable to conditions in the
Philippines. In fact, it would be hard to
conceive of a system of duties on imports
more oppressive in operation, less produc-
tive of revenue and more disastrous in It's
effects. The plea of the Philippines is not
for uniformity of tariff treatment with the
states. but for the most considerate dis
elimination in framing a system which
shall be adjusted to local conditions and
needs.
Of the four essentials of wise Philippine
tariff legislation above specified the House
bill provides three. The existing and salts
into the Philippines and upon exports from
the islands is confirmed. The entire revenue
from duties, whether imposed in the Philip
pines or here, goes into the insular treas
ury. There has been all reasonable expe-
dition in fastening this temporary measure
to final enactment. The House thinks,
however, that the full Dingley rates should
be collected on Philippine importations into
the United States. the amount of these du-
ties being turned over to the Philippine
treasury. The Senate may consider it
wisest in order to promote trade between
the Philippines and the United States to
make some reduction in the Dingley rates
The upper house may be convinced that
this development of trade outweighs consd-
erations of possible additional revenue for
the islands and of a possible slight detri-
ment to certain industries in the United
States.
But whatever decision is reached by Con-
gress upon this subject, no principle will
be violated, no American or constitutional
right will be denied the Filipinos On the
contrary the legislation, as a whole, will
be framed on the basis of the most thought
full consideration of the welfare of the peo-
pie of the archipelago, their vital interests
being safeguarded at every point