Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-07
TO RELIEVE DISTRESS
SECRETARY ROOT FAvoRs APP.
PRECIPITATION FOR FILIPINOS,
Island Revenues Are Short - Destruc-
Rice Crop Cause Suffering.

The President today transmitted to Con-
gress the third annual report of the Philip
pine commission, covering the year ended
October 1. 1902. and copies of all the acts
of the commission during that period. The
papers are accompanied by a letter adj
dressed to the President by Secretary Root,
which is in part as follows:
Il beg to ask special consideration Of the
recommendations of the commission, all of
which have my hearty approval.
1T seems to me tht the conditions result
ing from the destruction by rinderpest of 80
per cent Of the carabaos, the draft animals
Of the islands, and the consequent failure Of
the rice crop. followed by an epidemic of
cholera. are so serious and distressing as to
call for action by Congress beyond that for
which the commission specifically ask. The
removal under the laws of Congress of ex-
port duties on goods shipped from the Phil
ippines to the United States has materially
reduced the revenues of the island, while
the duties collected in the United States
upon importations from the Philippines,
which under the same laws were to be
turned over to the Philippine treasury and
were expected to make good the deficit,
have amounted to prctically nothing.
Eat the same time the decline In the price
of silver, the evils of a fiuctuating currency
and the impovershment Of the people have
reduced the government revenues when
they are most needed for relief Of the peo-
pie. l think the occasion for relief in the
Philippines Is now greater than it was in
Cuba. when Congress appropriated $3,ODAO0O
for the payment Of the Cuban so,Gfers out
of the treasury of the United States. or than
it was in Porto Rico when hundreds of
thousands Of dollars were contributed by
the people Of the United States. and more
than a million of dollars paid out of the ma
tional treasury for the relief of the suffer-
ers from the hurricane of August, 1899 An
appropriation Of not less than $3,O00,O0J for
the relief Of the distress In the Philippine
Islands from the causes which l have mem
toned would be in harmony with the co lrse
pursued by Congress toward the people of
the other Spanish islands, and practical evil
dence of the sincere interest that the peo-
pie of the United States take IN the welfare
of the Philippine people. and Of the kindly
and generous treatment which they are to
receive. Previous experience indicates that
such an appropriation could be made the
most useful by giving the Philippine govern
ment discretion to apply 1t in such proper
lions as they deem wise in the direct pur-
chase and distribution or sale Of supplies,
or through the employment. of labor in the
construction Of government wagon roads,
railroads or other public works."
The Presidents Message.
The Presidents letter Of transmittal said:
81 call your special attention to the
recommendations contained in this letter of
the Secretary Of War. I most earnestly
feel that the enactment Of the measures
already pending in your body for the bet
terment Of the Philippine Islands is impera-
lively demanded by the situation in those
islands and serious calamity may come from
failure to enact them. Furthermore, I with
equal earnestness ask you attention to the
recommendation of the Secretary Of War
in the accompanying letter and urge its
adoption so that the sum Of money therein
specified may be appropriated for the uses
and In the manner likewise specified in or
der that the present distress in the islands