St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-05-13
JUDGE IDE ON THE PHILIPPINES.
The Greatest Help Would be Relief
from the Dingiey Tariff ON Exports
to this Country-Thc Friars, Lands

from the Dingiey Tariff ON Exports
to this Couniry-The Friars' Lands.
Commissioner Henry c. Ide was in
Washington last week comforting with
Secretary Root on Philippine matters.
He was interviewed by Washington
correspondent of the New York Times
and said that the pacihcation of the
islands is complete, the only disturbances
that now occur arising from lawlessness
of the ladrones, whose victims are Fill
pinos almost exclusively. The work of
suppressing the ladrones is going on sat
isfactorIly, and is practically in the hands
of the Filipino scouts under American
officers.
With regard to legislation deemed
necessary for the islands, Mr.. Ide believes
the greatest help Congress could extend
would be to relieve the Philippines from
the heavy burdens imposed by the Dingley
tariff act on exports IRON the islands to
this country.
Under existing conditions" said Mr.
Ide, lit is impossible Tor the Philippine
manufacturer of cigars to send his goods
to the United States without paying rs
per cent of the Dingley rates, which are
$3.50 per pound and rs per cent. ad
valorem. That is, cigars brought from
Manila would have to pay a duty of
So 81 per pound and 10 per cent. ad
valorem, The result OF this heavy duty
is that we find no Manila cigars exposed
for sale in the United States. The impor-
tation into this country of sugar from
the Philippines is also practically pre-
vented because OF the high duty on that
product. 1t our cigars and sugar were
admitted here without the imposition oil
so heavy duty the result would be that
the industry would be stimulated and
our people would be encouraged, while at
the same time the production there for
many years would not be sufficient to
produce any perceptble effect upon the
cigar and tobacco industry OF this coun
try. Our Filipino people are poor. They
need that help, and we think they are
entitled to it.
The method OF productioniu the islands
is crude and the labor is unreliable. But
with the help that would come with the
reduced tariff we should not be able TO
produce enough to affect inuriously the
P'SNNNNi' VI sugar anu lODdCCO III the
United States. Such action on the part
OF the Congress would afford a stimulus
to American capital to enter the Phil
ippine Islands. and it would afford help
and encouragement to the people who
have suffered enormous hardships because
OF the devastation OF the war and the
ravaees OF the diseases that have caused
such losses to them in the taking off OF
their cattle and horses"
U the iriar question Mr.. Ide said:
The purpose OF the insular govern.
ment is to acquire the land belonging to
the iriars, and then to sell it o the pres
ent occupants on long terms OF payment
The iriars are in a sense nonresident
owners, very much as are the Landlord 5
OF Ireland, so that the difficulties are
quite like those exlstingin Ireland. They
are perhaps aggravated by the fact that
the lriars have exercised political power. >
what extent has the establishment
OF an independent Catholic Church il
the Philippines progressed" Mr.. Id,
was asked.
ut is impossible for an outsider tC
determine just how extensive that move
ment is. On the surface the schism woulC
seem to be quite important, but tn
Catholic Church is an institution tina
time counts very little with. The insula
government takes no part in these con
troversies and has no views except t,
maintain order. 1t is possible that hac
the Vatican been able TO meet Governo
Tatt's advances for the sale Of the friars
lands and for the withdra wa OF the friar
from the island the schism might hav
been avoided"