Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
MAY LOWER TARIFF
Probable Result Of Taft Party's
Visit to Manila.
FREE TRADE AFTER 1909
PROPOSED CHANGES IN PHILIP
PINE ADMINISTRATION.
Intention to Make Circuit Judges More
Observation-Disclosures Needed in
the Constabulary.
Written for The Star.

IDe great pTODdDillty lHcbt IiiC 49,
party's visit to the Philippines will result
in the reduction of the American tariff on
Philippine sugar and tobacco and the plac-
ing of all other Philippine products on the
free list has been discussed in an earlier
article of this series The administration
program, in the House of Representatives
at least, will be seen in bill, perhaps the
Payne bill, for the chairman of the ways
and means committee will be its mover,
providing as above, and also providing that
after the expiration of the special favors
| granted by the treaty of Paris to Spanish
ships and goods--that u.s. after April H.
| 19O9-there shall be full free trade between
the United States and the Philippines. 1t
seems probable that the only serious oppo-
sition that this program will encounter will
be displayed In the Senate, especially, per-
haps in the Senate committees; but it is
unquestionable that the visit of the Taft
party this summer tended to remove the
objections to freer entry of Philippine
sugar and tobacco which some of the SEN
ators Of the party were supposed to enter
tain. Senator Foster has alarm for
Louisiana's sugar, as has been said, if no
active policy of land exploitation is to be
permitted in the Philippines. The attitude
of Senator Patterson still remains in doubt
This is the first and chief of the things
which the men charged with administra-
tiOu Oh ttHdIS III the fIilipplIlcS HOpe "
get, and are now quite confident of getting,
from Congress this coming session. But
there are other things which will be
brought to the front during the session,
not alone by the desire of the adTninistra-
ton to secure legislation felt to be neces
sary with reference to the Philippines. but
also because no doubt some of the senators
and representatives will have pet proposals
with reference to the islands to bring for
ward, and no doubt half of those who made
the summers trip will engage in consider
able discussion of Philippine affairs. One
effect of the trip, it is to be hoped, will be
somewhat to lessen the amount of woeful
ignorance that has been displayed in the
past in the debates the Philippines in
Congress.
Circuit Court Judges.
In behalf of Philippine administration,
and as a result of Secretary Taft's own pri-
vate Investigations into the situation In the
islands during his few weeks stay, Con-
gress will be asked at an early date to
modify certain details of the Philippine
government act of 1902. Most important
of these is the proposed amendment making
the judges of the Philippine courts of first
instance, or circuit courts, appointIve d.
rectly by the President, as the justices of
the Philippine supreme court are now, with
the further proviso that they shall be APP
pointed to specific districts and in future
assignments Of special judges to special
cases or transfers from one circuit to an
other to relieve docket Accommodations or for
other reasons shall be made, not by the
Philippine executive, but by the Philippine
supreme court
By these changes it is designed to give
the circuit Judges to understand, more
thoroughly than some few of them have
seemed Of late to understand, that they are
meant to be and are, in fact, independent;
and it is meant further to take away the
suspicion even of executive interference
with the judiciary.
Congress Will also he asked n amend
Philippine government act In such a way
as will give the President power in ap-
pointing men as secretaries of the Phil
ippine executive departments, to rearrange
If desired, the assignments of executive bu-
reaus under these departments. A more
logical division than that now existing
would, for instance, put finance and COM
merce together, and justice and police to-
gether, or would put police directly under
the governor general, along with municipal
and provincial government supervision, or
would make separate new department of
police and interior government, and at the
same time place the control of the Depart
ment of Justice directly under the gov
ernor general. There are several combina-
lions of the executive departments of gov
eminent that would be more logical and
promise better efficiency than the present
arrangement, which was dictated in the
beginning of 1901 by the fact that the
branches of executive control assigned to
each or the new secretaries of government
We're those which he as a member of the
Taft commission of 1900 had been investi-
eating and making recommendations for
legislation upon during the preceding year.
Gov. Wright Will Return.
The query will at once arise, Are changes
to be made in the superior personnel of
government in the Philippines? Such a
measure, Of course. points toward that
eventuality. 1t may be said further that
coming changes in government personnel
are and for some time have been, freely
discussed in the Philippines. No word comes
from Washington on the subject, and In
deed when 1t was reported that Governor
General Wright was to retire 1t was denied
by the Secretary of War. So far as can
now be stated, therefore. Governor Wright
will go back to his post after the expira-
ton of his six months leave, to enjoy
which in the United States he Is now en-
route from Manila to San Francisco Dur
ing his absence Vice Governor Ide will be
In charge as acting governor general. The
rumors that both these men are to retire
do not down, however. and the common
talk in Manila puts forward some of the
younger men in the administration of gov
ernment there as their successors, on the
supposition that men entirely new to Phil
ippine affairs viii not again be appointed
70 high office there, as was done when