The Washington times., 1905-10-25
PHILIPPINE FREE
TRADE ARGUMENT
Congress May Be Converted
to Taft's Ideas.
ISLANDS NEED THIS HELP
United States Will Also Be Benefited
by Closer Relations With the
Dependencies.
ISLANDS NEED THIS HELP

To what extent were the Congressional
members Of Secretary Taft's Philippine
party converted to the secretary's opin-
ion that freer trade relations should be
established with the archipelago?
II It IS true as commonly reported
that nearly all the Congressman who
were members of the party were con-
verted to favor free trade or at least
freer trade with the islands. to what
extent will their opinions influence their
colleagues in Congress when Philippine
legislation comes up next winter.
These Were Converted.
These questions have received a great
deal of consideration recently. Chair
man Payne, of the House Ways and
Means Committee. was reported during
his stay in the islands as having declar-
ed himself entirely converted to the
free trade view; and Representative
Grosvenor has been quoted as making
an almost equally strong declaration
since his return to this country Similar
views have been attributed to others
who ACCOMPANIED the Secretary.
II seems TO be very commonly beIiev-
ed that the chief opposition to closer
commercial relations may be attributed
to three factors. Two of them are the
Tobacco and Sugar trusts. The third Is
the general sentimental antagonism of
the stand-patters to any relaxation of
tne- present tariff condition. The stand
patters assume that any step toward re-
laxing the rigor Of our tariff laws would
endanger the entire system. and they are
opposed to any step in this direction.
Secretary Taft's View.
Secretary Taft's view has been that II
is a moral duty to give the Philippines
the benefit of their relationship to the
United States He has preached this
gospel in season and out, on all occas-
ions That he is still firm in the faith
and still insistent that Congress ought
to recognize this situation, is declared or
the highest authority since tho Secre-
tary's return from the islands.
The chief effect of granting free trade
with the islands. 1t is said by tariff ex-
perts, would fail upon the western Goa ST
of this country. and there it would be
felt chiefly in a reduction of the very
large profits reaped by the sugar trus
! investment in Western sugar mills
| But il is pointed out on the other hand
that while the Western sugar industr,
| might feel the effect other Western in
terests would be so fostered and pro
NOTED by the encoura cement to trad.
| with the islands that in the aggregat,
even the Pacific coast would be tn,
! gamer. Particularly. IT is pointed ou
that the Philippine islands are likely [,
urge great enhancement OF prosperlt,
in the not distant future by reason o
/ railroad and general commercial devel
| opment and that IL the United State
wishes to reap it's full share of beneff
II must not be slow In beginning to cul
tivate the goodwill of the Philippin
| people, and establishing closer trade de
lations.
Increased Cotton Sales.
Considerable stress is laid on the fac
that American sales OF cotton to tn
islands would be certain to grow yer
fast. and to the great benefit of the cot
ton industry. whenever n vigorous re
turn of prosperity should be felt in tn
islands. provided free trade We're pro
NOTED.
1t is pointed out by friends of tn
Administration that the sugar interes
which presented the most vigorous op
position TO freer trade relations wit
Cuba, is taking the lead in carrying OF
i
pines 1t was urged then that Cuban
sugar would destroy the prospective de
veIopment of beet sugar industry i
the United States. and also would worl
great damage to the refining busines
In this country, but as a matter of fact
advocates of free trade with the Philip
pines insist that none Of these expectn
tions were realized. and that on in
other hand, both Cuba and the Unite
/ States have distinctly profited by tn
Improvement i'll their relations
4 The argument that il was our mora
and manifest duty to the Cubans [
grant them some special commercis
privilege was potent in securing tn
, ratification or the Cuban reciprocit
treaty by the Senate. Secretary TAT
President Roosevelt. and other prom
nen. believers in closer relations Wit
the Philippines are expected to ure
this same moral consideration as 10 IN
Eastern dependencies. The moral cor
sideration view should be strongly re
| enforced by the commercial one.
;! The United States is running it's cred
ito the construction of railroad systei