Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-16
WASHINGTON MATTERS
|ilippine Tariff Bill Seems to Be
a Dead Issue.
Rotary TAFT Observation-Disclosures 20
De Built In Philippines nt Cost Of
go, 600. OOO-(:ovcrnmcnt Guar.
antccS interest ON Bonds.

he bill for the reduction of the Ding
tariff rates on imports to this coun-
fron, the Philippine islands has gone
the board. 10Y the present session
lcast. 1t has been killed by the COM
nd efforts of tho powerful beet sugar
tobacco interests of the country.
OF these industries were
Eitly aided il, their wor., by the I'M
luna.c admission Of Secretary Taft
Saturday that it was the intention
| the government Ultimately to grant
+pcndoncc to the Philippines says a
|shnpton correspondents.
or hc past Two or three weeks the
H. aud means committee has been
Ing hearings on tn" proposition to de-
e free trade in all Philippine imports
H. tobacco and sugar. which were tn
assessed at the rate of - per cent.
the Dinghy tariff. The bill has been
|orously fought by che tobacco men
| tho beet sugar interests, the latter
wing ali the rcsourccfulncss and lnys-
fous power that We're displayed dur
tho discuss ion of tho cuban rcriproci-
treaty. No action has boon taken by
committee ~ vet hut in view of
rs that was received from the Senate
Hay 1t would not II" surprising if fur
| r con idoration Of the bill were drop
One of II, members of the ways;
d means committee Informed the Eagle
|respondcni to-day that the commit
was hcsitatng in deciding whether
l.,il
feihlo what the Senate would do with
senator Lodge. of Massachusetts af-
looking the field over in the Senate.
bounced to-day that there is no hope
l. Philippine tariff bill getting through
Senate in this session. There is So
Ih opposition to it that a long cam
| ,-n viii hc necessary to get it through.
baton Lodge further said that. even
Iihc House We're to pass the Philip
10 bill to-day. it could not b" pushed
louah the Senate before March /.
| cretarN Taft = admission tho other
| that Tho administration intended
Iimatcly t. gisnt tho Fiipnos com
Ic indopo ndoncr is responsible in {,
fht measure Tor tho defcHt Of the
Iif bill. That statement was mmcd-
| ly seized upon by the Representatives
the sugar and tobacco people and
III as AN argument against tho gov
(lncnt III the islands are to ho turned
|so." thov said, why should this co,ln-
enter into trade relations with tlcn,
- which will not only iniurc certain
he interests. but will serve to make
tnanent the ties that now bind them
us This reasoning was eagerly
Fcn up by many republicans who were
Ivcfing in their support Of the tariff
|. Considerable division of opinion en-
ri ON the republican side as to the
disability of adopting Secretary Taft's
gent recommendations and il was GER
b that even without compiled lions the
could not he put through rs party
assure.
N"cdhan OF California.
member Of III" ways and means COM
toe. explained to-day some of tho diff
,l'ios that stand in the way of the
ilippnc tariff bill.
he people of California. where Guilt
ion of tile sugar beet Is an important
|ustry. he said. are apprchcnsive OF
; result Of the enactment of the pro-
Sed law. There is much division Of
ltimont on the matter. however. Most
tho people out there believe that there