Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-05-19
HISTORY REPEATED
PHILIPPINE TARIFF DUPLICATE
OF KING GEORGES PLAN.
The Scheme of the Philippine Tariff Bill, to
Use the Money Collected for the Govern.
ment Of the Islands, is Not New, But is
Framed After the British Plan Of Dealing
With the American Colonies.

WIN tVG american NOIOnIeS.
The fourth section of the Philippine
tariff bill now before the senate provides
that all of the duties and taxes imposed
by the proposed act shall be paid back
to the Philippine treasury. The section
is as follows:
Sec. 4. That the duties AMI taxes
collected in the Philippine archipelago
in pursuance Of that act, and all duties
and taxes collected in the United States
upon articles coming from the Philip
pine archipelago and upon foreign vessels
coming therefrom. shall not be covered
into the general fund of the treasury OF
the United States, but shall be held as a
separate fund and paid into the treasury
of the Philippine islands, to be used and
expended for the government and bene-
fit of said islands.
In recent speech in the senate, SEN
ator Spooner dwelt at some length. upon
the generous provision which proposed
to return the money to the Filipinos, and
cited it as reason why the Filipinos
should believe in the good will and
justice OF the United States.
Curious'y enough, the text of the
Philippine tariff bill and Senator Spoon
er's speechhad their counterpart in bit
of history which concerned Great Britain
and the American colonies considerably
more than hundred years ago.
At that time-in the year 1867 to be
exact-there We're signs of discomfort
upon the American side of the Atlantic.
The people over here had strange notions
concerning state Ct existence which
they called independence. They had
objected to being regarded as chattel, to
being tax without representation, and to
being made to bear the burden of sup
porting an alien army which had no
business to be among them except for
the purpose of compelling their allegi-
ance to Great Britain. 1t was strange
and inexcusable notion, Of course, and
was all the more reprehensible because
the Americans had not been bought with
the country from another nation but,
were actually descendants of and closely
related to the English people.
But inexplicable or otherwise, there
was condition of affairs in the Ameri-
can colonies which demanded attention.
How were these people, who were on
the point of actually going to war with
Great Britain, to be made to realize the
beauties of benevolently assimilating
with the English?
The first hint OF the answer is to be
found in brief paragraph printed in
the London Chronicle OF April IS, 1867,
as follows
We are informed that right honor
able gentleman has proposed some very
beneficial designs of great public utility
which are to be shortly adopted. And
we hear that after the holidays he will
produce the plan or scheme that will not
only gain the public esteem and con-
fidence and appreciation OF parliament,
but will also fully preserve the Ameri-
cans obedience to the mother country
In other words, here was promised a
plan that would pacify the provinces.
Similar pleasant predictions have been
heard since then regarding the Filipnos.
As the days went by, the plan unfold
ed. 1t proved to be a proposition to
collect duties, but to pay back the money
to the Americans. "Ah," said the
Charles Townshends of that day, like
the Spooners OF the present. "we have
solved the problem. What cause for
hostility to us can exist after we pay
back to the Americans the money col
lected from them?" There was a small
minority which failed to be so hopeful.
One voice in particular, was heard ex-
pressing doubt as to whether the Am
orleans would, after all, consider that
the return of the money satisfied
all their desires. Edmund Burke Who
Americans now name with reverence
suggested that all of liberty and justice
was not included IN the proposed scheme.
What might have been called the
American tariff bill was presented in the
house OF commons on June 2, 1857. 1t
proposed certain taxes upon glass of all
kinds, paper. red and white lead and
painters colors. The sting of taxation
was proposed to be removed by this
clause OF the bill.
Resolved, That the said duties to be
raised in the said colonies and planta-
tions be applied, in the first place, in max
ing more certain and adequate provision