The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-02

The testimony submitted before the
Ways and Means Committee in the mat
ter OF tariff rates on Philippine products
consists chiefly OF assertions by certain
american sugar and tobacco interests
that free admission OF sugar and tobacco
from the islands would ruin their in
dustry, and Of proof by Secretary TAFT
and the Insular Bureau that il would do
no such thing With proof confronting
assertion, there should be no question
about the verdict Unfortunately, there
Is not only question, but doubt about
the verdict.
The normal export trade in Philippine
tobacco has been about 100000 pounds
annually This included 100000 pounds
which the Government monopoly in
Spain was, by law, obliged to purchase
from the islands. This trade the islands
have lost rs n result Of their transfer.
During the fiscal year 1e03-oi the export
was 100000 pounds Of leaf of which
I'll pounds. valued at s35, came TO the
United States, The total output of the
Philippines ia about rs per cent. Of the
AllltllNdl output anu " 10 cA4ONh
yond reasonable doubt that the greatest
possible production of exportable leaf
in the Philippines would not equal
per cent, of the American output.
Outside of Luzon, no tobacco ia or can
be grown whose quality would give Il
any place in the markets Of the world.
In Luzon there are only two provinces,
Cagayan and Isabella, capable Of pro-
ducing tobacco fr for export. En-
couraged to its maximum, and deduct
ing shipments which would be made to
the countries now using the leai, il ia
doubtful ii these areas could place ST.
100000 worth OF tobacco n year in the
United States. 1t is even doubtful if they
would place one-half of that amount.
In a land which produces $55000,00O
worth of tobacco annually, the Philip
pine crop would have about the same
effect that summer shower has on tho
Hudson River. If all the Philippine
tobacco that any American would smoke
were made into cigars and shipped here
free OF duty, the eject on the annual
American manufacture OF nearly 7,0O0,-
100000 cigars would be almost imper-
ceptible.
Sugar stands in a similar case. Tho
sugar areas of the islands are compare
lively limited; efficient labor is limited;
the vast capital necessary for any wide
extension Of the industry is not and is
not likely to be available; and any
g igb -, -.
from the islands would have no effect
on prices of American beet sugar, and
would not displace single pound of
the American product The supply OF
either sugar or tobacco which would
or could come from the islands would
result in no injury whatever to American
interests, yet the value OF that which
might come would count largely in the
insular economy. Hemp is and will long
continue to be the major product Of the
islands. The production Of oil from
cocoanuts offers larger inducements 10
capital than either sugar or tobacco
The sum of the matter is that certain
American interests have conjured up
scarecrows with which they are fright
ening themselves and with which they
are trying to brighten the public. Secre-
tary TAFT has made his case for free
trade from the Philippines, and for the
credit Of the country it IS to be hoped
that the Ways and Means Committee
and Congress will back him up in his
declaration that a tariff between Ohio |
and Pennsylvania would be as Just q /
measure as tariff on Philippine products
in the custom houses Of the United States. |
He might also have said il would be- as
wise measure.