Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-15
WILL BE HEARD AGAIN
SECRETARY TAFT TO APPEAR BE-
FORE COMMITTEE TOMORROW.
Approves Bill Confirming Recent Abro'
cation of the Bates Treaty With
the Sultan of Sulu.

| While the House insular affairs commit
| tee was considering the bill to improve the
| civil government of the Philippines yester-
| day Mr. Crumpacker drafted substitute
| for the Patterson bill abrogating the Bates
| treaty with the Sultan of Sulu, providing
| that the action of the President and Secre-
! tary of War taken on March 2. 1874, I'M
| qualifedly abrogating the Bates treaty be
, confirmed and approved. Secretary Tart
| approved this but the committee decided
| to defer its action on the matter, desiring
| to hear Secretary Taft on the railroad prob
| lem in the islands. Before leaving the sub
| ject, however. the Secretary stated that In
| his opinion there were not more than 4OO.-
! COO Moros in the islands. although 1T had
| been supposed there We're a million and
| half
| The Cooper bill, containing the railroad
proposition authorizing the Philippine gov
eminent to guarantee per cent interest on
| $40,OC0000 to be invested in railroads, and
also several propositions for bonds for mu-
nicipal improvements in this connection,
| was then taken up.
Secretary Taft reviewed what had been
done and the fiscal condition in the islands,
| in the course of which he expressed the
| opinion that he should be agreeably sur
| prised If the island got out without actual
| loss the friar land proposition.
The city of Manila has authorized the is
suance of 81 100000 for new water works
and sewage system, and these bonds the
| bill eXempts from taxation in the United
States. and amendment was agreed to
| at the suggestion of Mr.. Crumpacker ex-
empting them from taxation in the Philip
pines.
| Secretary Taft had not concluded when
| the committee adjourned. He will again be
heard tomorrow morning.
Abrogation of Treaty.
The following is the order issued by Sec
rotary Taft abrogating the Bates treaty,
and referred to in yesterdays hearing:
ITO Wright, Manila:
by order of the President you are d.
rected to notify Sultan of Sulu and the
dattos who signed the so-called Bates
treaty of August 20, 1899, which was a
modus vivendi and mere executive agree
ment, that, in view of the failure on the
part of the sultan and the signing dattos
to discharge the duties and fulfill the con-
ditions imposed upon them by said agree
ment, they have forfeited all right to the
annuities therein stipulated to be paid
them and to all other considerations moving
to them under the agreement; that the
treaty is abrogated and held for naught,
and that as residents of the Moro province
in the Philippine archipelago they are sub
ject to the laws enacted therein under the
sovereignty of the United States. Com
municate this through Leonard Wood, gov
ernor of the Province of Moro, and advise
me of the acknowledgment of receipt and
notification to the parties.
Referring to telegram from this office
of the Both of Jauary, if action has been
taken under the same, it is approved and
should be Immediately communicated to the
Sultan of Sulu and the other parties as
indicated above. The disturbances in the
Island of Jolo make necessary speedier
action than was contemplated in the above
dispatch.
(Signed) TAFT"
| The dispatch referred to is signed by
Root and is as follows:
Recommendation Philippine commission
that Bates agreement with Moro be de-
clared longer in force, upon grounds re-
ferred to in report of the civil governor. is
approved in principle A statement de-
claring and containing the legslat ton nee
essary in consequence Of this abrogation,
! and having recitals carefully drawn, should
be prepared and passed to third reading
by commission end then forwarded to the
| Secretary of War for his approval in ad-
vance of it's enactment"