Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-19
LUZON NEEDS RAILROADS.
Perhaps Thousand miles, Taft's EST
mate.

Washington. March 1S.-Between 100 and
1000 miles of railroad was Secretary Taft $
estimate of the needs of Luzon, made be-
lore the House Committee on Insular Al
cent on the cost of this would be only
about S1oQD,OO and the islands could han
die 1t easily. he said. with the increased
of property to be taxed
DO you Think asked Representative
Cooper of Wisconsin, the chairman, that
the Governments guaranty of interest on
railroad bonds is preferable to land
grant,? 1T is much better" said the eN-
governor. The Government should know
the limit of what it is giving
will be retained by the people, observed
Mr.. Cooper. Asked regarding the length
of time that the various lines of railroad
would be likely to need the guaranty.
Secretary Taft said that they would differ
greatly. In unsettled portions they would
need it for long time An Oriental rail-
road, he said. depends much more than
ours upon its passenger traffic. A Fill
pino. he said, would take two chickens tn
market in Manila, spending the entire
price ON the trip back and forth. The re-
ports of Oriental roads showed, he said.
that they derived from sixty to sixty-siN
per cent. OF their revenue from paSSen-
gers and but thirty-four to forty per cent.
on freight. How far discretion should be
left with the Philippine Commission in
regard to concessions was the next point
ia ken up. We could let concessions on
very favorable terms" said the secretary.
to men vino say they have had expert
ence and can get the capital; but this
means that they expect to peddIe the con-
cessions about to get necessary capital.
We think they ought to go to responsible
Trims whose money is at hand.
When we came to grant the street rail-
way concession in Manila a gentleman
came to US who said he represented a
syndicate of capitalists. We asked him to
prepare n suitable form for Il concession
and he did so. We advertised it, held a
public meeting and discussed the form
for several weeks and finally had it i'm Il
shape reasonable for the public. The
applicant wanted us to close il az once
There was not enough eagerness ON the
part Of capital to justify us in hoping for
other bids but We pointed out TO the
original promoter that Congress could
take away his charter if it had reason to
suspect any unfairneSS in its award. ="
The Manila Street Railroad, he said. was
promised in operation by Thanksgiving
Day of this year
The secretary continued his discussion
of the Cooper hill amending the civil gov
eminent act. In addition to the proviS-
ions in this bill Secretary Taft suggested
an amendment to The coinage law so as to
authorize the Philippine treasury to issue
silver certificates in denominations up to
600 and 1900 pesos, instead of dencmina
tons only of from . to 10 pesos The sill
yer certificates were very popular in the
philippines, he said. The secretary add
vocated the repeal of the tonnage tax on
vessels arriving at Manila. to encourage
the landing of large steamers from San
Francisco. Hong Kong and Singapore
The present system imposes a tax on the
capacity of the steamer instead of the
amount of freight. and the expense acts
as discrimination against large steam
erS The tax is now six cents ton.
| In answer to a question as to whether
the Philippine Commission has the power
| to issue bonds, Secretary Taft yesterday
| told of the necessity of the municipal i'm
provements. There are 800 towns which
need water supplies and sanitation. The
contemplated bond issue would make II
possible to supply between three and four
| of these towns and gladly increase their
health conditions. IT was desirable. the
secretary said. to have the preliminary
approval OF the President and secretary
| of war to the bond issue in order that
the bonds might be more readily market
ed
Secretary Taft turned his attention next
| to the section of the bill providing that
the collections under the immigration
| laws should be covered into the Philip
pine treasury. Delegate Degetau of Por.
| to Rico questioned tps secretary as to the
effectiveness of thu enforcement of the
Chinese exclusion laws in the islands
| The census showed only 10000 Chinamel
| in Manila, whereas it was supposed there
We're double that number The induce
ment for a Chinaman to evade the law:
were great, but the secretary believed tn,
| law was vigorously enforced. as in tn,
| United States. Secretary Taft said thu
Court in the islands should be raised I,
$4,000. 1t was difficult he said to retain
| men on the bench there at the salar,
paid.