Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-21
PHILIPPINE COMMERCE.
SECRETARY TAFT BEFo1 E HOUSE
MERCHANT MARINE cJ MMITTEE.
Tells of Interisland Trafae nd Things
the Civil Governments Had
to Ignore.

Secretary Taft was heard by the House
committee on merchant marine and fisher
les today upon pending bills affecting COM
merce between the Philippine Islands and
the United States The Secretary said that
the committee has before it a bill putting
in force the United States coastwise trade
laws after July 1904: also bill passed by
the Senate fixing the date a year later. The
Secretary preferred the lattess. but was not
much inclined to either. He said. however,
that there was not much dependent upon
these measures as long as there was not
free trade between this country and the
Philippines. The hemp interest was taken
care of now and there would be little to-
bacco OF sugar imported under the present
tariff rates.
Had to Keep One Eye Closed.
Speaking in favor of allowing freedom of
interisland traffic in the philippines the
Secretary said: Had not the civil govern
ment of the Philippines winked at the as
similation of native and fofeign vessels
that is of foreign corporations transferring
their vessels to American or Filipino COM
panies the interisland trade OF the Philip
pines could not have been carried on.
The Secretary explained that the govern
ment had been compelled to close one eye
to such transfers in order that the COM
merce Of the islands would not come to
ruin. He was asked what the effect of such
transfers would be after the coastwise laws
are applied to the islands and said: 1.-The
situation is that of feeding starving man.
The interchange of commodities of the diff
ferent islands is a necessity. 1t is likely
that a system of small fines would prevail
and the same ships that are now engaged
in the traffic would continue to handle 1t in
violation of the coastwise laws. If the ves-
sells that have been permitted in this FASH
ion to carry freight were shut out l don't
know what would happen. The people could
not get along
Secretary Taft said he never had investi-
gated the situation in the islands to learn
whether the reports of scarcity of vessels
were cOlored, because he was satisfied in
regard to the situation. He had purposely
avoided becoming possessed of information
which might become enbarra ssing. He
gave as his opinion that the treaty of Paris
sells to trade between Spain and the Philip
pines and does not authorize them to en-
gage in the interiSland trade.
Enough Vessels Now.
There are enough vessels in the trade now
to take care of present demands. said the
Secretary, but not to take care of normal
increase in the commerce of the Islands
He thought the building Of ships might
keep pace with the increase of trade, but
regretted that Congress had rejected the
request OF the Philippine coTyH{ssion that
Cinnamon skilled in shipbui&ng he per-
mitted TO enter the islands I'd Ia period of
hve years. The executive orc trelating to
the special licensing of foreig xeSsels does
not permit the Filipinos es ueffeasg6s to
buy foreign bottoms and place them Under
the American flag, said SecreI-4y Taft, and
after the coastwise laws take EFFECT these
vessels Will be shut out altogether.