New-York tribune., 1903-02-09
PHILIPPINE SHIP LAWS.
HARD QUESTIONS R4ISED
Little Chance of fiction by the Con
gress Noe an Session.
q rreRarH ne -, rR1Rr,,lr

81
Washington, Fec. S.-One of the important
questions which the with Congress viii
doubtless pass along to its successor is that of
s,Ipplying navigation laws for the Philippine
Islands. The MANY perplezing phases of this
problem were revealed at the lass session. when
she Philippine Revenue act was provided The
question ~ that time sc aned TO be wholly neb-
ulous- and Congress simply SHE'D" 1t recog-
nized the fact that something must be done. but
took the easiest way out Of the problem at the
time and adroitlv declared that the navigation
laws OF the United States should not apply to
the Philippine Islands until July l. 1904. The
wording OF this postponement provision, to
geTher with the inpossibility Of having the
navigation laws Of this country made applicable
70 the Philippines without considerable modi-
fcation. leads - the conclusion that specific
legislation on this subject viii be necessary. II
congress should default in this needed legsla-
tion the only alternative would be TO pass the
question UP 70 the Attorney General for a con-
struction Of the exact meaning of the legislative
provision postponing the operation Of the laws
This construction OF the Attorney General would
save TO be made in the light Of the Supreme
court decisions regarding the status Of the
Philippine Islands. American citizens are re
q,Iired 10 own the vessels which DO the coast
7sise tlada Of the United States. and for the At
torney General 70 apply such regulations TO the
only on the native shipowners Of those islands
uho are not citizens Of the United States. but
pould put out Of service the craft necessary TO
80. the oastwise traffic of the islands.
law designed 20 meet all requirements would
..ar, 70 be most necessary. The matter of
drafting such a measure is declared 10 be sim
rle enough and could have been done just as
--e1 as not when the postponement OF the
question was taken. The serious side to the
zrl1n~ nd &c n
axactlv when 70 place the new regulations over
-. Iobf7inrine shipping. It should not be done
nn+i1 there Is sufficient tonnage owned by Fill
rinos and Americans 10 carry on the necessary
traffic II is exactly this point that Con-
gress has made a guess in its date OF July l.
1909 American tonnage in the trade OF the
Orient has been steadily on the increase since
he Philippine Islands came under the JuTlS-
75ctior ,f the United States. The Pacific Mall
steamship Company has just aoded Two ldi
ships &c its service. and the Boston Boston s a.ilt,
.~ornnarv has Just sent two big steamers around
+ he Horn 10 plv between Seattle and Hong Kong.
An OF these steamers viii touch at Mania ana
Hong Kong. and between these points com com
,1,7,3ica+ffr would suffer most should the navi-
cation laws Of this country be maze aPpllc6Di7
and cut off foreign vessels J.. c,,,.,
r. +l,e terms Of the Paris Treaty, TO Spanish
,essels are 10 be accorded equal rights WIN
those OF the United States Tor a period OF zen
--ee-S This will end 1908 but until that time
any regulation regarding the shipping OF the
Stands will have 10 be made with lhls provision
Of the treaty in mind The question, then; Is
7arded as 2 much more difficult one TO handle
+ran wes the case in extending the naNlgauoh
avs over Hawaii, Alaska and Porto Rlco lhere
-Tae no question regarding the citizenship or
The FIawaiiars or the Alaskans. and this feat
,Ire OF the Porto Rican situation was met py
-|r,rIT making the navigation laws Of the
T-njfed States apply TO the islands so far as
17rarfica hle" This phase Of the statute was
Construed not 10 debar Porto Rican ship owners
from doing business as formerly
Sbc,115 Congress fail 10 take the necessary &C
ton before July l. 1904-and to comply With
his the action must be taken at the next ses-
zion-a most interesting legal question VIII be
rsise6 as TO exactly what situation really does
exist in the matter