The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-12-07

from the series OF disasters winch since
American occupation have greatly re-
duced the amount OF agricultural prod
ucts below what was produced in Span
ish times.
The agricultural conditions Of the Is
lands enforce more strongly than ever
b 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
b products OF the Philippine Islands
Be entirely removed. except the tariff
on sugar and tobacco. and that that
tariff be reduced to Is 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.
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. II 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 70 per cent of the internal
revenue and customs receipts from Ha-
wall as a special fund to be expended
IN the islands.
l earnestly advocate the adoption Of
legislation which Will explicitly confer
American citizenship on all citizens Of
Porto Rico.
1 wish also to call the attention OF
the congress to one question which af-
fects our insular possessions generally
namely, the need of an increased lib
crafty in the treatment Of the whole
franchise question in these islands.
1 earnestly ask that Alaska be given
In elective delegate.
Admission to Statehood.
1 recommend that Indian Territory
and Oklahoma be admitted as one state
and that New Mexico and Arizona be
admitted as one state.
The Panama Canal.
Active work in canal construction,
mainly preparatory, has been in prog
ress for less than a year and a half.
During that period two points about
the canal have ceased TO be open to
debate. Eirst. the question of route;
second. the question Of feasibility. The
point which remains unsettled is wheth-
er the canal shall be one of several
locks above sea level or at sea level
with q single tide lock. On this point
l hope TO lay before the congress at On
early day the findings of the advisory
board OF American and European en-
gineers.
In addition to s~anitating the isthmus,
satisfactory quarters are being provid-
ed for employees and an adequate sys-
TEN Of supplying them with wholesome
food at reasonable prices has been Gre
ated. Hospitals have been established
and equipped that are without superb
ors Of their kind anywhere. During
the past year a large portion of the
plant with which the work is TO be
done has been ordered 1t Is confident
ly believed that by the middle of the
approaching year a sufficient proper
ton Of this plant Will have been IN
stalled to enable US to resume the work
Of excavation on q large scale.
What is needed now and without de-
lay is an appropriation by the congress
10 meet the current and accruing ex-
penses OF the commission. The first
appropriation OF s1O.OO0.OOO oct Of the
S135, 200. 900 authorized by the Spooner
act was made three years ago. 1t is
nearly exhausted. Unless the congress
shall appropriate before that time all
work must cease.
lin conclusion the president recon-
mends an increase In the diplomatic
and consular service and more ad-
equate compensation Of its members.l