The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-28
CUT TARIFF DOWN
Is RoOsEvEkT'S PLEA TO SENATE
FOR THE. PHILIPPINES.
SENT A SPECIAL MESSAGE
ASKING FOR THE PASSAGE of THE
HOUSE TARIFF BILL.

President Set Forth the Urgent De-
mand For the Reduction Upon
Philippine Products Imported In
to the United States-RevivaI of
Industries Can Only Be Brought
AbOut by such "A COncessiOn-Mis-
fortunes That Have BefalIen the
Islands of Late.
Washington, Feb. 27.-Late this aft
Enoon the President sent the following
message to the Senate:
81 have just received cablegram
from Gov. Taft, which runs as fol-
lows:
Necessity for passage House tariff
bifll most urgent. The conditions of
productive industry and business con-
siderably worse than in November the
date of last report, and growing worse
each month. Some revival in sugar,
tobacco prices due to expectation of
tariff law. The interests of Filipinos
in sugar and tobacco extensive, and
failure of bill will be blow in face
of those interests. Number of tobacco
factories will have to close and many
sugar haciendas will be put up for
sale at a sacrifice if the bill will not
pass. ...
Customs receipts have fallen off
this month one-third. showing de-
crease of purchasing power of islands.
General business stagnant. All politi-
cal parties, including labor unions,
most strenuous in petition for tariff
bill. Effect of it's failure very discour-
aging
"Vice Gov. Luke E. Wright indorses
in the strongest manner all that Gov.
Taft has said, and states that he has
the grayest apprehension as to the
damage that may come to the islands
if there is not a substantial reduction
in tariff levied against Philippine goods
coming into the United States l very
earnestly ask that this matter receive
the immediate attention of Congress,
and that the relief prayed for be grant
ed.
las Congress knows, series of ca
lamities has befallen the Philippine
people. Just as they were emerging
from nearly six years of devastating
warfare, with the accompanying de-
structjon of property and breaking up
of the bonds of social order and the
habits of peaceful industry, there oc-
CURED an epidemic of rinderpest,
which destroyed go 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 ex-
tent of the disaster can be 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
Their crippling transportation. The rice
crop, already reduced by various
causes to but fourth of it's ordinary
size, has been damaged by locusts, so
that the price of rice has nearly dou-
bled
Under these circumstances, there is
imminent danger OF famine in the ISL
ands. Congress is in course of gener-
ously appropriating $3,000,000 to meet
the immediate needs; but the indispen-
sable and pre-eminent need is the res
direction of productive industry from
the prostration into which it has been
thrown by the causes above enumer-
ated. l ask action in the tariff mat
ter not merely from the standpoint of
wise government policy, 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 fulfill. We have the
specific duty of taking every measure
in our power to see to their prosperity.
The calaminities which have
befallen them, as above enumerated,
could have been averted by no human
wisdom. They cannot be completely
repaired; but the sufferings can be
greatly alleviated and a permanent
basis of future prosperity assured if
the economic relations of the islands
with the United States are put upon a
satisfactory basis.
Theodore Roosevelt"
White House, Feb. 81 1903"