Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-28
President Roosevelt Sends
Special Message Urging the
Tariff Bill
ON THE ISLANDS
Governor Taft Urges the Necessity of
Quick Action on the Measure Design.
ed to Relieve the Present Situation
Roosevelt Tells of the Needs of the
Island.

Washington, Feb. 2s.-The president.
late yesterday afternoon sent the fol-
lowing message to the senate:
Il have just received cable from
Gov Taft, which runs as follows:
Necessity for the passage Of the
house tariff bill is most urgent. The
conditions of productive industry and
business are considerably worse than
in November, the date of last report
and growing worse each month. Some
revival in sugar and tobacco prices are
due to expectation of a tariff law
Thei interests of Filipinos in sugar and
tobacco are extensive and the failure
of the bill will be a blow in the face
of those interests. A number of to-
bacco 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 decreasefof
the purchasing power OF islands. Cen
eral business is stagnant. All politl-
cal parties, including the labor unions
are most strenuous in petition for the
tariff bill. Tie effect of its failure
will be very discouraging.
Vice Governor Luke Wright en-
dorses in the strongest manner all that
Governor Taft has said and states that
ne has the gravest apprehension as to
the damage that may come to the Is :
lands if there is not a substantial re-
gduction in the tariff levied against Phil
ippine goods coming into the United
States l very earnestly ask that th )
matter receive the immediate atten-
ton of congress, and that the relief
PRAYED for be granted.
AS congress knows, a series Of call
antilles have oefallen the Philippines.
Just as they were emerging from nearly
six years of devastating warfare, with
the accompanying destruction of prop
erty and the breaking up of the bonds
Of social order and the habits of peace
full industry, there occurred an epidem-
ic or rinderpest which destroyed 90 per
cert of the carabous, the Philippine
cattle, leaving the people without
draught animals to till the lands or
to aid in the ordinary work of farm
ing and village life. The extent of
the disaster can be seen from the fact
that the surviving caribous have in
creased over ten fold in value. AT the
same time u peculiar oriental horse
disease became epidemic. further Grip
plin~ transportation. The rice cror.
already reduced by various causes to
but a fourth of rice, has nearly doubled.
Under these circumstances there Is
imminent danger of a famine in the
islands. Congress is in course of gen
crously appropriating three million
dollars to meet the immediate needs.
But indispensable and pre- eminent need
is the resurrection of the productive
industry from the prostration into
which it has been thrown by the
causes above enumerated. ask ac-
ton on the tariff matter matter not
merely from the standpoint of wisa
governmental policy, but as a measure
of humanity in response to an appeal
to which this great people should not
close its ears. We have assumed re
sponsibilities toward the Philippine is
lands which we are in honor bound
to fulfill. We have the specific duty
of taking every measure in our power
" ScC w l!iCll PioSpCAilS. iiS AhS'
and most important step in this di
rection has been accomplished by the
joint action of the military and civil
in securing peace and civil
government. The wisdom of congress
at the present session has provided
for them stable currency, and its
spirit of humane liberality and justice
toward them will be shown in the APP
now substantially agreed
upon of three million dollars to meet
the pressing immediate necessities; bur
there remains a vital need that one
thing further shall be done. The cal
antilles which have befallen them, as
above enumerated, could have been
averted by no humane wisdom. They
can not be completely retired; but
the suffering can be greatly alleviated
and a permanent basis of future pros
perity assured If the economic relations
of the islands with the United States
are Dut upon n satisfactory basis