Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-03-04
Senate Passes FOrtihcatiOns Bill and
Then Displaces the Statehood Bill
with Aldrlch Financial Measure
House Works Under Special Rules
Naval Bill Sent to Conference.

The message is as follows:
81 have just received cable from
Gov. Taft which runs as follows: Ne
cessity for passage house tariff most
urgent. The conditions of productive
industry and business considera bly,
worse than in November, the date of
last report, and growing worse each
month. Some revival in sugar and to-
oacco prices, due to expectation of tariff
law. The interests of Filipinos in
sugar and tobacco extensive, and fail
ure of bill will be blow in the 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 decrease of
purchasing power of the islands. Gen.
eral business stagnant. All political
parties, including labor unions, most
strenuous in petition for tariff bill. Eff
feet of its failure very discouraging.'
''Vice Gov. Luke Wright endorses in
the strongest manner all that Gov.
Taft has said, and states that he has
the gravest apprehension as to the
damage that may come to the. islands
if there is not a substantial reduction
in the tariff levied against Philippine
goods coming into the United States.
Urges Congress to Act.
81 very earnestly ask that this mat
ter receive the immediate attention of
congress, and that the relief prayed for
be granted. AS congress knows, a
series of calamities have befallen the
Philippine people. Just as they were
emerging from nearly six years of
devastating warfare, with the accom-
panying destruction of property and
the breaking up of the bonds of social
order and the habits of peaceful indus
try, there occurred an epidemic of
rinderpest which destroyed 80 per cent.
of the carabous, the Philippine 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 can be
seen from the fact that the surviving
caribous have increased over ten-fold
in value. At the same time peculiar
OllcHtdl Ilol Sc uiSCdSC UCCduuC
ic, further crippling ton.
The rice crop, already reduced by va
rious causes to but fourth of it's ordi-
nary size, has been damaged by locusts.
so that the price of rice has nearly
doubled.
! Urgent Needs in the Islands.
'sUnder these circumstances there
- ~ 60 ~ / 1o
islands. Congress is in course of gen.
erously appropriating 100000 to
meet The immediate. needs, but indis-
pensible and preeminentneed is the res
direction of productive industry from
the prostration into which it has been
thrown by the causes above enumer-
ated. I ask action in the tariff matter,
not merely from the standpoint of wise
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
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 first and
most important step in this direction
has been accomplished by the joint |
action of the military and civil authori-
tiles in securing peace and civil govern
ment. The wisdom of congress at the
present session has provided for them
a stable currency, and its spirit of hui
mane liberality and justice toward
them will be shown in the appropria-
:tion now substantially agreed upon of
$3,000,0O0, to meet the pressing imme- |
date necessities, but there remains a
vital need that one thing further shall
he done. 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 a permanent ba-
sis Of future prosperity assured if the
economic relations of the islands with |
the United States are put upon q salts |
factory basis. Fl. 80 :t1:>5
.THEoDoRE ROOSEVELT.
"White House, Feb. q, 1908. y .~
Fortiaeations Bill Passed
5 Washington, March. 2.The senate
Saturday passed the fortifcations ap-
propriat ton BILL Senator Aldrich
moved 70 take up the financial I'LL
Known as the Aldrich bill The mo-
.tionsf prevailed II to- n. The erect
1aof the vote beside putting the bill
before the senate 40 % displace the
statehood bin ~ the unfinished bust
ness. q S. -
1lSsse Wer1king UnAer sDeeIal ISLES.
Warrington. March 2. Under the
special rules adopted Friday The
1pealter 8 TIE house s. tuiday I'D