Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1905-01-07

should not be much surprised to 500
lew Republicans combining with all
me Democrats to defeat a ratification
OF the 'ompacts above named We
uoupt, at all events, whether any of
them VIII be confirmed during the
snort remnant of life left to the Fifty
elShth congress For our own part
we WISH that every one of the treaties
might be ratified before the next 4th
OF March; but wish is one thing. ex.
pectation is another
If there is one of the appropriation
bills in which the president NAV he
presumed to be profoundly interested
IL Is that which will make provision
for the navy during the coming wear
Inc estimate submitted by Secretary
Morton to the house of representa-
yves puts the amount needed for our
navy department in the next twelve
month at $113,000,000 The estimate
contemplates four new battleships and
six scout-cruisers, besides better
dock facilities, navy yard improve
ments, and the construction of new
buildings for the Naval Academy at
Annapolis. 1t turns out, however,
that several Republican members of
the house committee on naval affairs
are determined to pare down the esti-
mate, holding that only one new bat
tleship instead of four such vessels
should be authorized this year, and
that more scout-cruisers are not need
ed at this time. There is some force
in the assertion that, since economy
is to be the watchword of this
session, and since sums incontestably
required for rivers and harbors. and
for certain public buildings, are to be
refused, the appropriation for the
navy ought to be diminished rather
than increased Under all the circum-
stances the appropriation finally made
is not likely to fall short of Secretary
Morton's estimate by from five to ten
per cent. Here, manifestly, is an
other, of Mr., Roosevelt's policies that
congress will scarcely agree to carry
out in it's entirety.
We have, on the other hand, no
doubt that one of Mr., Roosevelt's pur-
poses will be fulfilled. We refer to
his plan for developing the natural
resources of the Philippines, a plan
formulated in the Philippine govern
ment bill, the essence of which is a
provision authorizing the insular adj |
ministration to guarantee four per
cent interest annually for thirty years
on the first mortgage bonds of cor
porations undertaking to construct |
railways in the archipelago. We take |
for granted that the house of repre- |
sentatives will concur in the prudent |
amendments made in the senate, and |
that the bill thus amended will be- |
come a law. The question arises, |
however, whether Mr.. Roosevelt's sue |
cess in securing the assent of con-
gress to this particular measure will |
not render impracticable another pro- |
ject upon which he is understood |
equally to have set his heart, that, |
namely, of admitting to our ports duty |
free all products of the Philippines, |
except sugar and tobacco, which would |
be subjected hereafter to rs per cent |
of the Dingley rates instead of the |
rs per cent which they now pay. 1t |
looks as if such fiscal change might |
deplete SO signally the public revenue |
of the Philippines as to put it out of |
their governments power to sustain |
the burden that will be imposed by |
the guarantee of interest on railway |
bonds. 1t will be remembered that |
at present all duties collected in our |
ports on products coming from the
Philippines are turned over to the in