The Washington times., 1904-11-30
LEGISLATION FOR
THE PHILIPPINES
Most Important Work After
Usual Supply Bills.
FIXING RAILROAD RATES
Interstate Commerce Commission Plan
Endorsed by Three New Thought"
Western Governors.

Legislation on Philippine affairs will
be one of the main subjects urged at
the coming session OF Congress, along
with the usual supply bills and the Pan
anna Canal leglsi.i- on. which was put
over last spring in favor of the omni-
bus bill, giving to the President power
over isthmian affairs until Congress
should act Many plans have been urged
10 stimulate conditions in the archipel-
ago. buy affairs there are in reality, in
better condition than reports Indicate.
This is explained by Secretary Taft.
who attributes present depression TO the
change TO the gold standard which nat
urally caused some temporary confu-
sion.
one OF the most important bills re-
lRting 10 the Philippines Is the Cooper
dill. which passed the house last ses-
sion. This bin meets the approval %
Secretary Taft, and he has indicated
his hope that il will meet with favor
bic action ia the Senate. The strong
feature OF the bill is that il embOdies
nearly all the recommendation OF
the Philippine Commission, thereby be-
coming almost as much an Admins
tratiOn measure rs If the former gov
ernOr general himself had framed IT,
However, the Secretary has suggested
some changes and these VIII doubt
less be promptly Incorporated in the
bill in some form.
Scope of Proposed Bill.
What Secretary Taft would like TO
see enacted is "A bill allowing the ad-
mission. dut1 f-ee, OF all products of
the Philippine Stands, manufactured or
otherWis, except tobacco and sugar,
and imposing upon all impoTtations OF
sugar and tobacco a duty equal 70 -
per cent of the rates now Imposed I'M
de- the Dinsley law upon the importa-
tluus from foreign countries.
Z his. II is believed, would prove ad-
vuIJageOus on both sides The present
law selOws q TsducJiOn OF % per cent OF
the IHngley rates upon all impOrtatiOns
from the Philippine Islands. but that
reduction has not proved beneficial 10
the trade Of the Islands. Secretary Taft
has not noted any objection 10 the free
entry of all products of the islands ex-
cepJ sugar and tobacco; al least none
has been made public. He does not share
the fear held By some persons that the
reduction 10 % per cent o. the Dlugley
rates Of the duties impOsed upcn To-
bacco and sugar will seriously inter
ferc with tobacco and sugar interests
here.
Form Natural Tariff.
The great distance and the necessary
high rate of freight upon goods import
ed into the United States from the Phil
ipplne Islands Of themselves constitute
a high tariff. The market for both to-
bacco and sugar is so great IN the
United States and the impOrta .i0Is from
fOreian cOustLrAas needed 10 supply that
market WithF both sugar and tobacco.
even under the heavy existing duties
are 20 heavy. IL is declared that the
comparatively small production of the
Philippine Islands, both In sugat and
tobacco. viii not materially afIec- the
price OF either commodity, and vet the
access to the market will greatly bene-
NJ the tobacco and sugar planes OF
the Philippines.
IL IT, predicted that the political ef-
feet OF letting the Philippine produces
into the American market on such "a
basis as tina propose will be of the NJ
most benefit In the islands. More than
this, II will furnish the justification fIr
that clause in the Philippine shipping
bill. passed last year, by which iu
Two years. the cOastWise laws are mad.
70 apply 10 the trade between the Omitted
States and the Philippines SO as "a re-
quire that an the trade shall be carried
on lnt American bottoms.
Want Railroad Legislation.
The recent mention Of the name o.
Senator fHpFEreIf fRr p1ara fhl