The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1903-03-06

PRESIDENT SENDS A SPECIAL
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.
THE PHILIPPINE TARIFF BILL
Action is Asked in Behalf of Humanity
as Well as From the Standpoint of
Wise Government-Presid Points
Out What Is Needed.

WASHINGTON.-The president on
Friday sent the following message to
the senate:
Il have just received a cable from
Governor Taft, which runs as follows
Necessity for the passage of the
house bill is most urgent. The condi-
tions of productive industry and busi-
ness are considerably worse than in
November, the date of my last report,
and are growing worse each month.
Some revival in sugar and tobacco
prices have been experienced, due to
the expectation of a tariff law. The
interests of Filipinos in sugar and to-
bacco are excessive and the failure Of
| the bill will be a blow in the face of
those interests A number of tobacco
factories will have to close and many
sugar haciendas will be put up for sale
at sacrifice if the bill should not
pass.
Customs receipts have fallen off
this month one-third, showing the de-
crease of the purchasing power Of the
| islands. General business is stagnant.
All parties, including labor unions,
most strenuously petition for the tariff
bill
'Vice Governor Luke Wright en-
dorses in the strongest manner all
that Governor Taft has said and says
he has the gravest apprehensions as
to the damage that may come TO the
islands if there is not a substantial
reduction in the tariff levied against
Philippine goods coming into the
United States. | most earnestly ask
that this matter receive the immedi-
ate attention OF congress and that the
relief prayed for be granted.
LAS congress knows, series Of
calamities have befallen the Philip
pine people. Just as they were emerg-
ing from nearly six years of devastat-
ing warfare, with the accompanying
destruction of property and the break
ing up of the bonds of social order and
the habits of peaceful industry, there
occurred an epidemic of rinderpest
which destroyed 80 per cent of the
caribous, the Philippine cattle, leaving
the people without draught animals to
till the land or to aid in the ordinary
work of farm and village life. The
extent of the disaster can be seen from
the fact that the surviving caribOus
have increased over ten fold in value.
At the same time peculiar oriental
horse disease became epidemic, further
Gripping transportation. The rice crop
already reduced by various causes to
but fourth of it's ordinary size. has
been Gamaged by locusts so that the
price of rice has nearly doubled.
Under these circumstances there is |
imminent danger OF famine in the !
islands Congress is in course of gen |
erously appropriating $3O00,OO0 to |
Il. eet the immediate needs, but the in |
dispensble and pre-eminent need is |
the resurrection Of productive indus |
try from the prostration into which it |
has been thrown by the causes above |
enumerated.
Il ask action in the tariff matter not |
merely from the standpoint of wise
governmental policy. but as measure |
of humanity in response to an appeal
to which this great people should not |
close it's ears. We have assumed re-
sponsibility toward the Philippines
which we are in honor bound TO full
fill. We have the specific duty of TAX
ing every measure in our power to
see to their prosperity. The first and
moss important step in this direction
has been accomplished by the joint
action of the military and civil au-
thorities in securing peace and civil
government The wisdom Of congress
at the present session has provided
for them a stable currency, and its
spirit of humane liberality and Justice
will be shown in the appropriation
now substantially agreed upon, but
there remains a vital need that one
thing further shall be done. The
calamities which have befallen them
as above enumerated could have been
averted by no human wisdom. They
cannot be completely repaired. but the
suffering can be greatly alleviated and
a permanent basis of future prosper
ity assured if the economic relations
of the islands with the United States
are put upon satisfactory basis.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"