Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-01
TARIFF CHANGES NECESSARY.
Col. Edwards Recommends Re-
turn 10 a Less Pure Coin
Than That in Use.
Says Authority should be Given for
Legislation as 10 Naturaliza-
ton 81 Citizens,

Chicago, Dec. IA dispatch to tho
Tribune from Washington, b. c., says:
After the house had disposed Of the
railroad rate bill there win be great
deal Of attention paid to affairs in thu
Philippines
At the last short session Il was found
impossible to do proper justice to the
islands, and much legislation which
Congress should have attended to was
neglected entirely. There Is plenty OF
time now for careful work. and there
Will be no excuse Tor either branch OF
Congress If all necessary legislation is
not given proper consideration.
The tarin on articles from the Phil
ippine Islands will have TO he modified,
as was attempted without success last
year. There will also have to be some
changes made IN the currency system
on account OF the decreased value OF
silver, and If Congress Is i'm a mood
there will be additional legislation, pos
sibly Of a paternal character, looking
toward the providing Of means By
which the impecunious Filipino farmer
may raise money enough 10 cultivate
land and make fair start in the
world
The belief IS expressed that the AM
tatiou OF the size Of homestead should
be increased 20 at least 1850 acres for a
single homestead entry and materially
increased for corporations In the less
populated Islands, especially in the is
lands of Mindoro, PalaWau and Minda-
mao where only adequate Inducements
TO capital win ever reclaim valuable
lands from the jungle and sayagery.'
Il is recommended that the limit IN
regard TO the number Of mining claims
to be owned by one person be removed,
followiug the practise in the United
Statca.
Regarding The currency of the Island
! Col Edwards says.
1T may be found wise To- meet the
rise in the price OF silver by authorlz-
ing a return to a coin containing less
| pure silver than that now IN use. This
result could be attained by the redlc-
| ton Of the weight or fineness. or both.
of the coins 10 be hereafter Issued Tor
the Philippine Islands, with authority
to recon, in the discretion of the COM
mission. the existing pieces.
Appropriate authority should he Civ
on the Philippine government, 10 " sug-
gested. to legislate for naturalization
as to citizenship IN the islands
The aggregate OF revenues from the
date of American occupation 10 June
40 last was Ss2. 1888 los and the eSpendl-
lures for that period were S'ptlo, t5e'
Speaking OF the ocean carrying uaic
Col Edwards says
.',rbe United Kingdom continues 10
dominate the foreign carrying trade ~
the Islands. nearly 80 per cent OF me
value of imports arriving ana over 90
per cent Of the exports departing under
the British flag. Spanish vessels take
the second rank for the year In I'M
ports. and, though figuring 20 q small
er degree in exports, their participation
in the carrying trade has been very
constant I'm both imports ana exports
during recent years. The German nag.
on the other hand, while generally a
Close competitor of the Spanish, did a
less uniform business. and suffered u
heavy loss i'm 1905, with "a decline Of
almost half in the value OF both I'M
ports and export clrgoes.
American vessels show gains I'M 1907
carrying 10 per cent OF both the Imports
and exports of he Islands
II is stated for the first time during
American occupation there Us "a con-
siderable prepoudarancr of exports over
imports approximately 10 "a million and
half dollars. Hemp exports Cor the
year show 70 small decline In quantity
with "a slightly increased value. exports
OF sugar exceed hy O few thousand
pounds that off 1903 The participation
OF the United States n The import trade
.lOWs uet increase of over 81 QQ0 900
for the year