The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-03-04
The President Urges Passage Of
The House Tariff Bill.
SENDS A SPECIAL MESsAGE
To the Senate Quoting Governor
Taft and Vice Governor Wright
IN Predicting Famine and Disaster in
the islands Unless there is "a Sub
stantIaI Reduction in the Tariff
on Tobacco and Sugar.

Washington, February 2T.-The
President late this afternoon sent the
following message to the Senate:
ST have Just received 8 cable from
Governor Taft, which runs as follows:
6 Necessity for passage House tariH
bill most urgent. The conditions OF
productive industry and business con-
siderably worse than IN November,
bhe date of last report, and growing
worse each month. Some revival in
sugar, tobacco prices due so ezpecta-
tion of tariff law. The interests Of
Filipinos in sugar aud tobacco and
failure of bill will be blew in face of
those Interests. Number of tobacco
aetories will have to close, and many
ugar haciendas Will be put up for
sale at sacrifice if the bill will not
PASS. Customs receipts have fallen OFF
this month one-third, showing de-
crease of purchasing power OF lslands.
Genera business stagnant. All polltlc-
al parties, including labor unions. most
strenuous in petition for tariff bill.
Eject Of its failure very discouraglng.
g Vice Governor Luke Wright en-
dorse in the strongest manner all that
Governor Taft has said, and states
that he had the graVesG apprehension
as to the damage that may cone to the
Islands if there is not a substantial re-
duction in tariff levied against Philip
nine goods coming into the United
States. very earnestly ask that this
matter receive the Immediate attention
OF Congress, and that the relief pray
ed for be granted.
$ AS Congress knows a series OF
calalnities have befallen the Philippine
people. Just as they were emerging
from nearly six years Of devastating
warfare, with the accompanying de-
strus,tion Of property and breaking up
of tie bonds of social order and the
habits of peaceful industry, there
ocurred an epidemic of rinderpest,
which destroyed 80 per cent of the
carabaos, the Filipino cattle, leaving
the people without draft animals to
till the lands or to aid in the ordinary
work of farm and village life. The
extent of the, disaster cansbe seen from
the fact that the surviving carabaos
have increased over ten-fold IN value.
At the same time a peculiar Oriental
horse disease became epidemic, fur
Jher Gripping transportation. The
rice crop, already reduced by various
causes to but a fourth or its ordinary
size, has been damaged by locusts, so
that the price of rice has nearly doubl-
ed.
g Under these circumstances there is
imminent danger of famine IN the ISL
ands. Congress is in course OF gen
erously appropriating three million
dollars to meet the immediate needs,
but the indispensable and pre-emigent
need is the resurrection of productive
Industry from the prostration into
which it has been thrown by the causes
above enumerated. I ask action in
the tariff matter not merely from the
standpoint of wise governmental po-
licy, but as measure Of humanity IN
response to an appeal to which this
great people should not close its ears.
We have assumed responsibilities
towards the Philippine Islands which
we are in honor bound to fulfil. We
have the specific duty Of taking every
measure in our power to see to their
nrosDeritv. & : 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 per-
lnanent Basis of future prosperity as
sured if the economic relations of the
island with the United States are put
upon satisfactory basis.
Theodore Roosevelt.
.sWhite House, February q, 1903. "