Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-23
MR.. CAMER0N'S APPEAL
he URGES ACTION ON PHILIP
PINE CURRENCY BILL.
Says That the Islands Are Now in o
Most Distressing Condition
Financially.

written letter To The Evening star IN
which he says:
With the exception OF one commercial
body. every interest in the isiands-political
social. financial and commerciaEunited In
q common prayer to congress IN December.
1901. for these two things. namely: FIRST, a
gold standard. with a Philippine silver peso
(of approximately the same size. weight
and ineness as the Mexican silver dollar),
to be maintained by the insular government
at value OF 50 cents gold; and second, q
reduction of the import charges on all Phil
lppine products coming into the United
States to Is per cent OF the Dingley tariff
rates.
This earnest prayer was ably presented
who ID the Idol and hope of the Filipino
people.
What did Congress do at that session?
It ignored the prayer Of the governor and
his people for stable currency. And what
has been the result? The inevitable result,
which Governor Taft predicted has been
widespread ruin. Every interest In the Is
lands has been paralyzed and the insular
government has been brought to the verge
OF bankruptcy.
The appeal for substantial tariff reduc-
ton was denied. 1t is true that Congress
Old provide, among other things. that sugar
ana tobacco, two of the chief Philippine
products, might come into the United States
at 10 per cent OF the Dingley tariff rates
This reduction was 30 absurdly small as to
bring no relief to the Philippine industries.
just as Governor Taft also predicted.
Disaster in the Islands.
Tho failure Of Congress In 1902 to act
upon the recommendations of Governor
Taft completely enveloped the islands in
disaster. The distress became so great by
December. 1902. that every commercial body
In the archipelago united with the Phfltp-
fodn no Wv ho
great Filipino organizadon), in a second
appeal to Congress, praying for the enact
ment Of the Philippine commissions cur
rency bill and a IS per cent reduction OF the
Dingley tariff rates.
And what response has the present Con-
gress made to this second prayerf
instead OF at once giving the Philippines
the currency measure which every interest
in the islands has now united in asking for.
namely, Philippine silver peso worth, say,
IL cents more than the Mexican dollar now
In use. which would not disturb wages
seriously, the House Of Representatives
adopted the American coinage system for
the Philippine Islands. thereby substituting
the American silver dollar, which is worth,
say. 65 cents more than the Mexican dol
lar now In use. 1t is the opinion of the
commercial bodies of the Islands that II this
House measure should become a law, the
Philippine planters would thereafter be
compelled to pay the same wages in Amer
lean silver that they have heretofore paid
In Mexican silver, or. In other words, 1t
would almost treble the present wage rate;
ana as the present wage in the islands IL
already approximately double the rate paid
Dy other oriental countries. IT is obvious
that the extension Of the American none
tary system to the Philippines will make 1t
forever impossible for any Of the products
OF the archipelago to be sold in Asiatio
countries, in competition with the products
Of the cheap labor countries Of the far
east.
The people Of the Philippines of all ma
tionalities Will be entirely content to have
the American monetary system extended
to the Philippines, provided Congress will
give all Philippine products free access to
the American markets. The people of the
Philippines are not asking for free trade,
but they will demand a free market here If
Congress, by enacting laws over the protest
OF the governor and people Of the Philip
pines, shall so greatly increase the cost of
labor as to exclude Philippine products
from their present market in Asia
Losses Run Into Millions.
The losses resulting from the Philippine
war, from the ravages of the Iocusts, from
the scourge OF the cholera and from the
plague Of the rinderpest. have together
amounted to millions of doilars--the loss Of
carabao by rtnderpest on a single plantation
amounting to more than $75o, OOO-but all of
these misfortunes combined did not pro-
duce such great and general distress as has
resulted from the failure Of Congress in De-
cember, 1901, to pass the bill providing for
q distinctive Philippine currency known as
the Conant bilD and the act admitting the
Philippine products into the states at %
per cent Of the Dingley tariff rates. If the
pathetic appeal Of Governor Taft had not
then fallen upon deaf ears gaunt famine
would not now be stalking through the
Philippines.
It is truly pathetic to contemplate the sit
uation Of Gov Taft. In addition to being
the ruler, he is the counsellor, friend and
guide Of the Filipino people. They may
convince him that It Is important to their
happiness, to their welfare. aye, to their
very existence. that certain things should
be done. They appeal to him to recommend
a measure to Congress, the currency, for in
stance. He does So Congress ignores his
appeal. The inference drawn by the Fill
pinos Is inevitable. either that his recon-
mendations are not sufficiently earnest or
sincere or that he has no influence with
the home government. Either conclusion is
fatal to his great usefulness.
Before any question vital to the welfare
of the people OF the Philippines is acted
upon by the commission all nationalities are
invited to a public discussion, so that the
recommendations Of the commission for
Philippine legislation are based upon the
experience and intelligence Of the best men
In the archipelago. It Is no disparagement
to the iilustrtous men in our national Con-
gress to say that the commission Is in a
better position than Congress to wisely de-
termine what IL best for the Philippines be-
fully study the local conditions and needs.
The fact that the Congress of the United
States, controlled by men IN sympathy with
his political views, is not willing to act
upon the recommendations OF a man like
william H. Taft-partfcularly when those
are cordially approved by
q War Secretary and q President who have
the full confidence of the American people
will cause many thoughtful men VINO have
heretofore believed In holding fast to the
Philippines to pause and consider whether,
after all, we are capable OF giving wise
and Just government 10 people ten thou
sand miles away.
Our gallant army has finished a great
work in the Philippines, under almost In
conceivable difficulties. with credit to itself
and glory to our country; the Philippine
commission has rendered service that will
endure, q service that will stand out con-
spicuously among the work of nations, to
their lasting credit and to our country's
honor; but the great work Of the national
administration In the Philippines will in
etitably be discredited II Congress Is deaf
to the Joint appeal Of the Philippine COM
the Filipino people Gas expressed by
the federal party and the allied commercial
bodies of the entire Archipelago.
Senator Dietrich's Plan.
The plan OF Senator Dietrich wide Con-
gressional Record OF February I'D to give
enduring prosperity to the Philippines by