The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-11-26
WI osrALlEr
Congress TO Enact Legislation Aiding
Finpinos.

Chicago, H., Nov % Tho wash
inetoa eorrespc ndent Of the Tribune
Gays Although this viii be ire short
session. and coneress at such times Is
averse to general legislation it is
more than Gsely several measures OF
vast importance to the people Of the
Philippine islands will be passed with
in short time
Last wear the house did It's duty.
and passed several emergenty oilla
which urgently we're needed TO perfect
tho government IN the islands The
senate unfortunately. was tangled up
over the statehood bills. and confined
rs work to shipping measures and one
or two srnilar laws, which have prov
ed more o; an embarrassment than a
helm to the insular government.
Fortunately for the Filipiacs. the
legislation is likely 60 receive favor
able and early action. The house will
he occupied from the opening day un-
tn the holiday recess with appropria-
tlon bills, whereas The senate practi-
cally is free hardel II will tot get
down TO actual worl on big money
measures until Janucry. so lhore ought
70 be plenty Of time In which TO took
after the Phiirpines
An these ms'dar measures have
been passed hy the house and are
thus ready for immediate c0rsidera
tlon in the senate. By far the mos.
Important piece of legislation now
pending 90 far as the islands are cor.
cefned is emboGied in what is known
as the Lodge bill which proposes to
reduce the lbty Dn sugar AMI tobacco
importe into the mainland Of the
United states from the Philippine ISL
ands
Congress already has provired that
after J,ly 1 laaG. all commerce he
tween the United States and the Isl
ands must 20 conducted exclusively
IN American ships. This makes coast
wise trade ont Of the commerce Of the
Philippine islan Is both going and
couhug. The result viii be, Of course
20 stimulate 10 en- extraordinary de-
gree the construction OF American
ships IN tho Pacific, because rhey will
be given absolute monopoly Of the
carrying trade between these shores
and cur Pacific islands
II IS probable. also that II viii slim
ulate shin wdldiag on The Atlantic
coast as well. as there is a certain
class of heavy freight originating on
that seaooard which can reach the isl
ands nrontably only through the suez
canal.
This law, Nhlo It may be entirely
a wise one from the standpoint Of the
American shpnastcr would prove dis.
astruus To the Philippines unless sue
cecded by ether legislation AZ the
last session the house passed a bin
removing tariff on articles imported
from the Philippines. rhe senate
amended this in such way as TO pro-
vide that tobacco and sugar should
pay a duty Of 80 per cent Of the Ding
ley tarin rates The government of
the rnnopaes docs not believe it is
iusl 20 the people there 70 treas them
FIRST one WAY and then in another
By the extension of the coastwise
shipping laws to the Philippines the
islands are treated as II they we're in'
tegral parts of he uuitea States nut
by the tariff laws now enforced they
are treated as foreign country.
The Philippine commission. Secre-
tnry Taft. treasury oficials generally
anc the president himself believe NO
possible harm, would be done if all
tarin barriers were removed lut as a
coucossicn TO the sugar and tobacco
mterests and TO prevent any ALARM
among people engaged i'm those ip ms
tries it is believed a concession can
be made. az least for Jew years OF
onefourth the nincley rates with TAG
existing provisions that the receipts
shall DO relurnei 20 the ISLAND treas
ary
Aside from adjustment of the tarin
rates the secretary of war aud Gov
NVieht are MOST anxious TO seCre the
inaueura.iCn of liberal policy which
VIII provide for public Improvement
nf the islands Dlriug the genera
tions Of Spanish rule the aroldpelag'
was made ere!y reveade producini
colony
AS a matter of course spain mad
no attempt TO do anything more thar
40 exploit the islands ln q fasmol