The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-01-10
TARIFF FOR PHILIPPINES.
Probability Of q Protracted strsg-
sac over shc Measure When IL
Comes Before the House.

In jamming through the Philippine
tariff bill just before adjourning over
the holidays. the leaders Of the ma
iority gave distinct notice, not only
that the senate would not be permitted
10 change in any particular the rates
OF duty imposed on Philippine products
entering the United States, but thai
in no way can the sacred Dingiey tariii
be meddIed with in favor Of any prod
uct of any country. Mr.. DalzeA, VINO
closed the debate on behalf OF the
ma iority. declared that there woula
De no legisla tion, so long as the repuo-
,icans controlled the house, by which
the existing tariff law would be amend
ed directly. nor would they permit any
change TO be made in Gus toms duties
by unfair re ci procity treaties or any
other way, says the Cleveland fiaih
Dealer.
But the senate has some rights In
the case, and there are reports that
ii may impress that fact upon inc
house. The Philippine commission
report. mace public in Washington on
the same day that Mr.. Dalzell issued
the ukase of the majority of the house.
recommended a reduction OF 80 per
cent. from Dingley tariff duties on
sugar, tobacco and hemp from the Phi
ippines. Perhaps this recommen
was unknown 10 the committee on
wavs and means when the Philippine
tariff bill was prepared and reported
or TO Mr.. Dalzel OF that committee
when he delivered the decree OF the
majority, but the senate cannot avoid
taking cognizance Of il.
There is a report from republican
sources in Washington that some OF
the majority senator's think the house
acted hastily and unwisely in Jam
Y ming through" the tariff bill without
ascertaining what the Taft commits
sion advised. At all events, they hold
that the senate has full authority TO
correct the mistakes of the house and
should do so. The secretary OF war
having shown in his report that COM
merce between the United States ana
the Philippines has not followed the
flag as expected under the Dingley
tariff. but that exports 10 the unlted
States from the Philippines have ma
teria,ly decreased, while imports into
the Philippines from other countries
have increase much faster than i'm
ports from the United States, and the
Taft commission having promised that
commerce between the United States
and the islands would increase by
leaps and bounds" if the suggested re-
auctions in the Dingley tariff rates be
made, these republican senator's fee
inclined to try the experiment of re.
duction. III majority of the senators
should be of that way Of thinking
which is not improbable. what will Mr.
Dalzelrs truculent notification amount
to?
The constitutional power of the sen
ate TO amend a house bill for raising
revenue is undisputed The senate has
before now asserted and sustained IL
right to "amend- by cutting out every
thing but the enacting clause and sub
stituting what is practically an entire
ly new bill. The house may reject al
amended" Philippine tariff bill. and tn
fight may be protrac'ed one. Mean
time the recent supreme court decision
will be the only law in the case, ant
all Philippine products will enter tn
E United States as free from tariff ta'
as the products of those other insula
"appuTtenances." Hawaii and Port
Rico. And why not?
) novNrEn nAD ADuC