Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-12-05

the government to furnish teachers and
schoo lhouses.
Wants Philippine Tariff Revised. 81
The agricultural conditions OF the is
lands enforce more strongly than ever
the argument in favor OF reducing the
tariff on the products OF the Philippine
Islands entering the United States. I
earnestly recommend that the tariff
now imposed by the Dingley bill upon
the products OF the Philippine Islands
be entirely removed, except the tariff
on sugar and tobacco, and that that
tariff be reduced to 25 per cent OF the
present rates under the Dingley act:
that after July 1, 1909, the tariff upon
tobacco and sugar produced in the
Philippine Islands be entirely removed
and that free trade between the islands
and the United States in the products
Of each country then be provided for
by law. 5.s , &,$
A statute in force, enacted April Is,
1904, suspends the operation Of the
coastwise laws of the United States
upon the trade between the Philippine
Islands and the United States until
July 1, 1905. earnestly recommend
that this suspension be postponed until
July 1, 1909. I think 1t Of doubtful
utility to apply the coastwise laws to
the trade between the United States
and the Philippines under any circum-
stances, because am convinced that
1t will do no good whatever to Ameri-
can bottoms and will only Interfere
and be an obstacle to the trade be-
tween the Philippines and the United
States; but II the coastwise law must
be thus applied, certainly It ought not
to have effect until free trade Is en-
joyed between the people Of the United
States and the people OF the Philippine
Islands IN their respective products.
No Peril to Home Industries.
I do not anticipate that free trade
between the islands and the United
States will produce revolution In the
sugar and tobacco production OF the
Philippine Islands So primitive are
the methods Of agriculture In the Phil
ippine Islands, SO slow Is capital in go
ing to the islands, SO many difficulties
surround large agricultural enter
prise in the islands, that it will be
many, many years before the products
Of those islands will have any effect
whatever upon the markets of the
United States. The problem of labor
is also formidable one with the sugar
and tobacco producers In the islands.
The best friends Of the Filipino people
and the people themselves are utterly
opposed to the admission of Chinese
cody labor; hence the only solution is
the training Of Filipino labor, and this
will take a long time. The enactment
Of law by the congress of the United
States making provision for free trade
between the islands and the United
States, however, will be of great impor-
lance from a political and sentimental
standpoint, and, while it's actual bene-
fit has doubtless been exaggerated by
the people of the islands, they will ac-
cept this measure of justice as an indi-
cation that the people of the United
States are anxious to aid the people Of
the Philippine Islands in every way
and especially in the agricultural de-
velopment Of their archipelago. It will
aid the Filipinos without injuring in
terests in America.
=. Hawaii.
In my judgment, immediate steps
should be taken for the fertilization Of
Hawaii. This is the most important
point in the Pacific to fortify in order
to conserve the interests of this coun-
try. 1t would be hard to overstate the
Importance Of this need. Hawaii is too
heavily taxed. Laws should be enact
ed setting aside for a period of, say,
twenty years Is per cent of the internal
revenue and customs receipts from Ha-
waii as special fund to be expended
In the islands for educational and pub
Lie buildings and for harbor improve
ments and military and naval defenses.
1T cannot be too often repeated that
our aim must be to develop the terri
tory of Hawaii on traditional American
lines. That territory has serious COM
mercial and Industrial problems to
reckon with, but no measure of relief
can be considered which looks to leg
islation admitting Chinese and restrict
ing them by statute to field labor and
domestic service. The status Of ser
Witty can never again be tolerated on
American soil. We cannot concede that
the proper solution of its problems is
special legislation admitting to Hawaii
class Of laborers denied admission to
the other states and territories. There
are obstacles. and great obstacles, in
the way Of building up a representa-
tive American community In the Ha-
waiian Islands, but it is not in the
American character to give up in the
face Of difficulty. Many an American
commonwealth has been built up
against odds equal to those that now
confront Hawaii.
No merely half hearted effort to meet
it's problems as other American COM
munities have met theirs can be &C.
cepted as final. Hawaii shall never be-