Middletown transcript., 1905-12-09
WASHINGTON LETTER

the bttterlng oil conuitiohs III tn
Philippines, has just been issued by Col
Clarence Edwards, the Chief of the Bur
can Of Insular Affairs. Since the govern
ment has taken into its keeping eithel
Temporarily or otherwise 10000, 900 more
wards, most of them dusky, it is the OBJ
ject of the Bureau having the most direct
dealing with them to give them every
chance to improve their condition. Col.
Edwards strongly recommends the pas
sage of the Courts Bill which passed the
House the last session but was buried in
the Senate. This pro, ides for the aboi-
ton of duties between tile United States
and the Philippines on ever, thing except
sugar ard tobacco and the reduction OF
duties on these staples to 25 per cent, of
the Dingley rates. At the close OF the
ten year period during which Spain was
to have equal treatment with the United
States in the islands, these remaining
duties are also to be abalished. The re-
port states that this mitigation OF custom
barriers is absolutely necessary TO furnish
the island with good and stable market.
The ut 1t thing needed is a hank that will
relieve the farmers from the hlood=suck.
ing nsnary they now suffer. Nearly all
of them have from season to season to
harruw nancy OH their crops. For this
they have to pay from 2 to 10 per cent. a
month. The bank, ii established would
be under the control OF the Philippine
Commission and thus limited in the
amount OF interest it would b9 limited
also to securities approved by the COM
missi9n: These h9weyer, would include
growing crops, and they are the chief
source Of the farmers borrowing strength.
The dividends Of the bank would be
guaranteed by the Philippine government
for tenn of IS years, but there Ia little
doubt that the institution would be more
then self supporting from the start.
There is great need of additional trans
portation facilities in the islands and al
though the government has authorized
the CONSTRUCTION af a thousand miles of
new RAILWAYS, it is said that the amount
could be increased to advantage, The
ocean CARRYING trade is discussed in the re-
port. Its said that from GO to 70 per cent.
OF the imports and exports are now carried
under the British flag. America has
only 10 per cent. of the carrying trade,
but even this is an improvement over the
previous year. France stands next to
England in the list of carriers and Ger.
many shows a deeided falling off.
~
II was announced at the State Depart.
ment to-day that Col. Colton, the general
receiver Of the customs service in Santo
Dolnlnga had returned to Washington on
business OF personal nature that will
not keep him long. But he reports con-
ditions in the island much improved
since the United States took hold Of the
custom houses. There is a general feel
ing in South American republics that
revolution cannot flourish without the
aid of he custom houses, and this is a
we'll founded belief. Since the United
States has had the revenues in charge,
there has been no chance for an uprising
and the country is enjoying an unusual
era Of peace and prosperity.
~
News received at the State Department
to-day indicated considerable hope that
Turkey will yield to the demands of the
United Powers regarding the reforms in
Macedonia and it was adpiitsed at the
Turkish legation that nothing to the con-
trarY indeea nothing at all, had been
heard from the home government. There
was q story in circulation that one reason
why Turkey was pr. senting such an OBJ
stinate front to the rest of the world was
that she was receiving the covert support
of japan in her recalcitrant attitude.
This rumor was reported to the Japanese
Minister, Mr.. Takahira, but he denied it
Indignantly and said that it had been set
afoat by enemies of Japan in the hopes
of hurting her standing with the rest of
the world
~
There is naturally more gossip about
the Craftsmanship of the Appropriation
Committee in the house than about al
most any other piece of minorpolitics just
now, and it is said that Speaker Cannon
has practically decided on Representative
James A. 4awney Of Minnesota for the
place. Speaker Cannon was personally
we'll disposed toward representative Me-
Cleary, also OF Minnesota for the place.
He is an acknowledged tariff expert and
is ON the ways and means committee. So
also is Mr.. Tawney and it is probable that
Speaker Cannon will shift Mr.. 1awney to
the appropriations Craftsmanship as he is
considered personally strong and indie.
pendent enough to stem the rush that
will assuredly be made at the Treasury
by appropriation seekers in spite OF the
fact that this has been heralded far in
advance as retrenchment congress.
~
The President, the secretaries of War
and Navy aud very large and distin-
guished crowd of officials will start to-day
for Princeton to see the football game be-
tween the Army and Navy. Both of the |
teams are said to be in fine condition and |
there is every prospect of lively game
before an unusually distinguished audv
fence. The only thing that has happened
to give line on the respective |
merits is that the Navy defeated the |
Virginia Polytechnic which had prev
iously defeated West Point. But both |
games were very close and there is ap-
little to chose between the two |
branches OF the service.
The Hairpin
Anthropologists have never done justice |
to the l,airpin, Billiards will tell you
that women aren't so inventive as men,
do,,st tokn u,,t on MANY v,ofnrfs rrI,a,,