The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-12-09


The discovery has been made by COL
Edwards of the insular division OF the
war department that iobbcry found its
way into the Philippine legislation OF
the last Congress; ana as 10 affects C,r-
tain eastern manufacturing interests
adversely imperiJlist organs like the
Boston Transcript are making am ado
about it,.
Briefly this law Of 1902 provides for
the exclusion of all foreigu-buiIt and
registered vessels from the trade with
i'm the Philippine archipelago and be-
tween the islands ana the United States
after July next, In the following neg
alive manner:
That until July 1, 1904 the provisions
of law restricting to vessels of the
United States the transportation of
passengers and merchandise directly or
Indirectly from one part Of the United
states to another part OF the United
States shall not be applicable to foreign
vessels engaging in trade between the
philippine archipelago and the United
states, or between ports in the phiiip-
pine archipelago.
The claim is that this provision was
Struggled into the bill i'm the Senate
after it had passed the House. and by
influences having the interests OF
James j. Hills transcontinentaI rail-
roads and transpacific steamships par
tcularly i'm mind; and color is suppos-
ed TO be given to the charge bv the
manner of wording. so well calculated
to conceal, the purpose of the provision
and by the fact that the date of taking
effect is close to the time when the
ships now being built by the trans
continental railroads will be finished
These ships of United States registry
Will be able, it is said to handle ali
trathc between the Philippines and the
united states across the Pacific. but
there remains an inter-island trade in
the archipelago which is now carried
py toreign-built vessels, and for which
no substitute United States vessels viii
be available by July /. Accordingly
much concern is felt by the business
interests of the islands and Col. Ed
wards is hearing from them in appeal
Ior the repeal or postponement of this
extension of the United States coast
wise laws to the Philippines.
But there are other concerns affected
nearer home. The chief import from
the Philippines into the United States
is hemp, of which some S12 900. 900 worth
annually comes over. This is now
brought here largely by foreign vessels
coming by way of the Atlantic and In
dian oceans, and entering at the ports
Of Boston and New York There are
no vessels of United States registry
winch viii be available on the eastern
coast of the United States by July l
next to take up the transportation
which those now engaged i'm it will be
to drop; and accordingly the
hemp FOR eastern manufacturers will |
then have to come over tho p,ci6c !
ocean and then by rail on a long and /
costly haul across the continent. This
Of course suits the transcontinental |
exactly, and that theirs was
the Influence which worked the above |
provision into the bill admits Of no
question. But it will not suit the east |
ern manufacturers of hemp products
whose business must, under such cir |
cumstances, drift toward the Pacific
coast.
NO one, however should be surprised
to find this further evidence of the
spirit of greed entering into our Phil
ippine legislation and policy. 1t has
been there all the time, no matter how
heavily masked in the solemn features
of benevolence and pious zeal. and If
Will continue to dominate this legisla-
ton until We conclude to let the Philip-
pine people possess their own country.
We hold the Philippines as not a part
of the United States by keeping them
outside of our tariff wall, and we hold
them as part of the United States by
bringing them within our coastwise
shipping wall; and we do both these
contrary things not for the Philippines,
but at the demand Of selfish home in
terests,-Springfield Republican.