Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-20
PHIL IP Inc TARIFF
Report of Chairman Payne
on the Bill.
LAST YEARS MEASURE
QUOTED AND MADE A PART OF
THIS REPORT.
Sugar, if Admitted Free, Not Believed
a Menace to the Domestic
Article.
LAST YEARS MEASURE.

Chairman Payne this afternoon submitted
to the House the report of the committees
on ways and means on the Philippine tarifr
bill. The bill VIII be called up soon after
the holidays and put through the House
under an ironclad rule from the COMMITTEES
on rules, which viii cut Off all amendments.
The report says in part
"A bill was reported by this committees
on the 27th day of February last admitting
all products of the Philippine Islands free
OF duty except sugar and tobacco and the
manufactures thereof and reducing he
duty on sugar and tobacco to % per cent
of the rate of duty under what is known
as the Dingley act. In reporting that bill
to the House the committee also recom-
mended that all articles should be admitted
free Of duty after April II, 1909. ten years
after the exchange of the Publications of
the treaty OF Paris. The report of the
committee on that bin rs made a part
OF this report as follows:
Philippine Sugar.
After quoting the previous report. today's
report continues:
conditions have not been materially
changed since the date of tiie foregoing re-
port The additional facts laid before the
committee on the recent hearings not only
confirm the facts stated in the report last
February, but tend to show greater cost
In the production OF Philippine sugar. The
weight OF evidence fixed the cost at not less
than IL cents per pound delivered at the
sugar ports of the island. This cost Is wit h
out counting anything for interest on the
plant or the depreciation of the property.
Freight to New York, insurance, waste, un.
loading and loading are more. than three
tenths of / cent per pound. On account Of
the low grade OF Philippine sugar the sales
in this market for the past year have been
at the price OF cent per pound less than
the price of 96 degrees cane sugar. The
difference in price in the United States be-
tween 30 degrees raw sugar and refined
Is cent per pound. making the cost OF
the Philippine sugar. refined, laid down in
New York three and eight-tenths OF ono
cent per pound, without adding anything
for the duty.
''The cost of Philippine sugar laid down
In New York is about cents per pound.
Last winter the representatives of the beet
sugar placed the cost of the refined sugar
at the Michigan factory at about 4 cents
per pound, and at the Colorado factory at
about 31 cents per pound. The representa-
tlves from Michigan this year place the cost
of Michigan sugar at the factories at 3 $40
cents per pound. and at the Colorado fac
tories at 40 cents per pound. The freight
on sugar from New York to the markets of
the country will certainly average as much
as the freight from Michigan or Colorado to
the markets. Thus it is seen that free
sugar from the Philippine Islands would s
only eQualize conditions
Not Menace to the Domestic Article.
Continuing, the report contends that Phil
ipplne sugar cannot become a menace TO
the domestic article when admitted free OF
duty into the United States. This is held
to be true on account of difficulties of pro-
duction and labor embarrassments in the
Philippines. The report says:
IF the statement made by the gentleman
representing Hawaii is correct and the
sugar planters there are making only 3la
per cent on the capital Invested, 1t would
seem that there would be no inducement on
account of free trade to attract outside
capital to the Philippines sugar industry.
The report continues that If all OF the
claims of the beet-sugar men as to i'm
provements as to that industry in this coun-
try are true, 1t follows that cane sugar.
wherever produced will not be menace to
the product Of the sugar beet.
As to Tobacco.
absolute free trade both ways 'ft would
seem that American tobacco is more likely
to go to the Philippine Islands than that
their product should come here. They are
unable to produce a light-coIored wrapper.
so essential to our trade and which their
own export trade is demanding"
The report closes with an earnest appeal :
for liberal treatment of the Philippines.
These islands are a part of the territory
of the United States. The people are the
wards Of the nation. Their relations differ
in no sense from those of the people of s
Porto Rico. To teal oh them the lesson of in
dustry we must furnish opportunity The
free Interchange of commodities among all
the people under the American flag is one
Of the fundamental principles of our gov
eminent" ~