Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-21
hemp, which has heretofore proved SO per
cent of the total exports of the islands.
Money Spent to Good Purpose.


Money Spent to Good Purpose.
The money was spent to good purpose
and the people were duly grateful. but tho
persistence OF the unprosperous conditions
made them forgetful and the tendency to
charge the evils to the authorities in con-
| troll, soon returned. Hence we must not
be disappointed IL even among the intelli-
gent F1lipinos there is a disposition Sc
| verely to crittcise the present American
government, and movement among some
| of the younger educated men In favor OF
immediate Independence.
It is quite probable that those called
upon to act as legislators will not live to
! see the day when separation consistent with
| the welfare Of the Filipinos can be mace.
For practical purposes then, the Philip
! pines are part OF the United States. BY
| a most fortunate decision OF the Supreme
| Court. they are not made part OF the
| territory of the United States because con-
stitutional restrictions and inhibitions
| would have very seriously interfered with
| wise government, adapted to those islands,
| but in all others than a technical sense,
| they are American territory. and II We are
| sincere, II We are conscientious, II we de-
| sire to be regarded as really altruistic
| in our position toward the Philippines and
| deny them the benefit which commercial
association and freedom of trade as a part
| of our civilization will give them.
Legislation for the Philippines.
| The legislation proposed for the relief of
| the Philippines Is an act postponing the ap-
| plication Of the coastwise trading laws to
the trade between the Philippine Islands
| and the United States until 1909, the reduc-
ton Of the tariff on sugar and tobacco from
| rs per cent to 25 per cent OF the Dingley
| rates and on other products of the Philip
pines free trade until 1909. when there
shall be complete free trade in the products
| of either.
The two interests in this country that are
arrayed in opposition to free trade with
| the Philippine Islands are the sugar inter-
est and the tobacco interest. Their posi-
ton, shortly stated. is this: Yes. We are
in favor OF the countrys doing suoh work
of charity as may be imposed upon 1t. We
are in favor of the country being as liberal
to the down-trodden and oppressed as 1t
can afford to be- But what we object to II
that all the benefit and all the good which
the country proposes to confer upon the
Philippines shall result solely in an injury
to our interests and at our expense aione
without any cost to the rest of the coun-
try.
Basis Of American Complaint
If it be true that In reducing the duty on
sugar and tobacco from rs per cent to %
per cent of the Dingley rate we are taking
the bread out of the mouths and money out
of the pockets of the sugar planters of
Louisiana, the beet sugar manufacturers of
Michigan, Wisconsin and the Rocky noun
tain states; II 1t were true that We were
driving cigar makers and tobacco raisers
out Of business by such reduction, the
questions presented might involve more DIFF
fculty In their answer than they now do.
1t will be found, when the facts are fully
are not Directing to this measure Of justice
to the Philippines because it Is going to
cause them immediate loss, but because
they suppose that In years to come, with the
kl,oS Ayr,ny - ~orI~o
will give to the production Of tobacco and
sugar in the Philippines, there may come
a time when the tobacco and sugar of the
Philippines viii enter into competition with
that which they produce In this country.
Fears Over the Sugar Industry.
The proposition of our sugar growers and
our beet sugar manufacturers Is that for
fear that the export from the Philippine
Islands Will increase from 100000 to 1S0O,-
600 tons. the Philippine sugar producer
ought not to be allowed to have the benefit
OF the market of the United States. / SUBJ
init to you, gentlemen, If am not right in
chsracterizing this opposition on the part
of the sugar growers and sugar makers of
this country to allow the small Philippine
production to come into this country az
the quintessence of selfishness. 1t Will not
affect them in the slightest degree and yet,
looking forward for years. they anticipate
l
pine Islands of 800 per cent in order that
they may justify their claim that their in
terests will be injured.
The price of sugar in Iloilo last year was
$50 picul OF 1874 pounds, or 2.54 cents a
pound laid down In New York. The freight
IL 0.24 cent and the insurance is COS cent
or a total of 2aS6 cents, to which the duty
OF 0.sS cent is to be added. making q total
of 374 cents. At this price but loco tons
were exported. Now, the proposition OF the
opponents Of tho bill 10 that II this cost of
laying down in New York was BIG cents or
about 10 per cent less than at present
which would be the effect OF reducing the
duty on sugar from Is to % per cent OF the
Dingley rates as now proposed. the inpor-
tation from the Philippines would Increase
from $1,000 tons to 1.s00 900 tons. or ,f00
par cent.
Sugar Mostly for Local Consumption.
Sugar Is raised at pront for export In
three or four provinces, Occidental Negroes,
Pampanga. Hoiio and Cebu. It Is raised in
all the provinces. as 1t Is everywhere In
the tropics. but merely for local consump-
tion and food. IN Occidental Negroes i
large part ~ To dpE<noo = nouufnincon