The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-21
PHILIPPTNE TARIFFS.
Argument AGAINST Any Concession to
the Island Tobacco Growers.

To THE EDITOR or The SUN-Sir: Ad p
mttedy selfish interests should not stand
in the way Of our national welfare" in the
Philippines or elsewhere but what has the
happiness Of the Secretary Of War or OF
any other individual TO do with Governmental
policies in those islands or on the "ontincntp
Now, says MIR Taft. If we onn only get
the tarir matter fixed all right &c. we
il very vague. Who besides Mr.. Taft is
similarly Interested
Clearly not the general American public.
which but five months ago was divided almost
equally for and against our Philippine policy.
even after learning from Official sources that II
had not cost us $500 600 900. but only 5000. 600
600 and 1000 American lives also and con-
clusively. not the Filipinos. because not until
some six years after the war. and not until
tho advent OF Mr.. Taft, was the question
OF tarf concessions aRRressively agitated.
Permit me to apply the brilliant prospcctus
for projected Philippine railways TO some
OF Secretary Taft's sta tements OF the Philip
pine production of tobacco. The maximum
annual export OF tobacco from the islands
has been given as 10. OOO. 900 pounds. and to-
bacco cultivation is declared TO be possible
only in cerain provinces OF certain Islands
| believe similar statements were made abou'
sugar Assuming Mr.. 'laft's statements TO be
accurate, does IL not strike one that to build
railways VIII ich would certainly be unpront-
ton OF 100000 pounds OF product Nalhrd
at Ave cents pound IL foolish venture =
Why with the present American standard
OF railway operating costs 50 cents nun
dredweight brings tobacco from Wisconsin
to New York 900 miles), and 80 cents a
hundredweight from ohio 70 New YORK 200
niles Now let Mir Taft5 roads charge
even 81 a hundredwelRht for a long or a
short haul. and the possible income or, the
annual maximum export tobacco would Do
The real facts in the matter are. that the
Philippine tobacco fields can readily be e&.
tended to meet any possible demand. ana mat
tobacco IL a plant easily grown especially N
the fertile tropics only recently sm0Il
experimental crop was successfully grow !,
in ireland Witness America suoceSslui
cultivation OF the plant In States as ar mort
as Vermont and Wisconsin and as Tar south
as Georgia and Florida $500
We're the possibilities Of Philippine tobacco
and sugar cultivation really as limited ~ MT
Taft states would he have made his recent
very significant statement that IN the event
OF failure 10 obtain free trade for the Philip
pine Islands now. sufficiently reduced
tarin i2S per cent? on tobacco ana us pTou-
ucts and on sugar would be satisfactory
Having made this statement does II not
seem that certain interests demand q reduced
duty on tobacco and sugar Under az HlrOu VI,
stances and that the projectors Of Pmlippiue
railways and existing and prospective steam
ship lines also would be prominent among anon :
Interested II Filpinos are their specific
interests to be advanced at the expense ana
TO the detrinent OF corresponding AnrrlcaII
interests? II so. charity begins ABROAD ana
not at home II Americans, shall specific
home concessions be made TO ofcr profitable
Investment for American capital in foreign
territory by Introducing here products com
peting With home productions 80. then
for the sake Of American capital lei lhrlhet
and all poRsihle concessions be WRd" for SINH
lar vent Tres ia Abyssinia or anywhere else
on the globe
few words In opposition to your assert on
that American tobacco and sugar interest
would not suffer were similar Philippine
products marketed here The American
public would not consume more tobacco and
sugar than IL does OF present we're these
Philippine products sold here bur the con
sumption OF the home product would decrease
! in proportion as consumption OF the Philip-
pine products increased The laws OF dis
placement are universal
ADoLPH OPPENHklMER-
NEW YORK Feb ~.