Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-01-08
seth CONGRESS.
Continued from Page One.)

measure. and explained away much OF
tbs. misapprehension as to the enor-
nous products that might be expected
from the island Their territory, he
said. was small and their fertile lands
still further limited.
Mondell. of Wyoming. who has led
the fight against the bill in the inter-
est in the beet sugar industry of this
country. spoke vigorously against the
policy of helping the Filipino people
by granting them open markets in the
United States. He said the passage
Of this bill would be the death knell
of the beet sugar industry in the
United States.
The abolition of the tariff on hides
was pleaded for by Lawrence of Mas
sachusetts who presented the position
taken by the Republicans of that
state.
Information regarding immigration
from Austro-Hungary contained in re-
ports by Marcus Bragun. was asked for
from the secretary of commerce and
labor by the House on convening.
An illustrated speech on the tobacco
feature of the Philippine tariff bill was
begun by Hill of Connecticut. A map
showing the quality of the land in the
Philippines, was brought into the
House and Hill also had several
samples of the tobacco raised there.
The country, he said followed in a re-
markable degree the physical features
of Japan, where the tillable area was
something more than II per cent.
The census reports give 91a per cent. of
~ ha nj lt,,yo
lands of the Philippines, he said. In
describing the population, he said that
slavery existed among the Moros. 1t
was mild form Of slavery but slavery
nevertheless.
Hill visited the islands with Secre-
tary Taft and his party last summer
and his Information was based on per-
sonal observation. He predicted that
in 80 years the population would be
80, 900. 900 instead - 800 900. as at pres
ent. The whole ambition Of the popu-
lation was To- simply subsist. If ma
tive were paid - cents 4 day he would
work long enough and no longer than
to make enough to last during the week.
If the wage was doubled the time of
work would be halved.
Substantially all of the export tobac-
co Of the islands comes. he said. from
single valley in the island OF Luzon
two miles wide and about 50 miles long
No human being can comprehend, he
said. the primitive methods which pre-
vail in the making of all crops in the
| islands, unless through personal obscr-
vation. 1t was the widest imGgina-
tion to suppose that at any time would
! Philippine industry ever be disastrous
| to American industries. Rcvcrting to
HIS statement about slavery. Clay
| ton. of Alabama, asked:
| rs il true; did | understand the gen.
| tlcman to say that slavery still exists
among the Moros: the traffic i'll human
| beings. where men and women are sold
for 500 to S100.'
II did not see any Of this traffic" re-
! Piled Hill. but | believe slavery exists.
| Those people are savage and there is
| 10 civilization"
How long have we had these is
lands"
Five years"
give years the great Republican
party has been in power and these con-
ditions still eAist?"
| 1T is true"
| 81 would like the gentleman to tell us
| why this great Republican assimilation
| has not Cradicatcd this condition" con-
tinued Clayton.
| ''Oh. yes" replied Hill, land we would
have slavery iii this country today if
ii had not been for that great Republi-
can party"
Prolonged applause followed this re-
| fIaCli,,ip,r 10
controversy. continued with his arsu-
| ment.
Smith of Kentucky asked if there was
now Il concensus of opinion among Re
puDlitans as to the future policy re-
gardinE the islands.
| In answer Hill quoted a Democratic
| who was I'm the Taft PARTY as saying
that the Philippines were now Ameri-
can territory and would always remain
50 either under Republican or Demo-
| cratic rule.
Hill said a visit to Hong Kong al
most convinced him that the Philip
| Pines may even he a profitable finan-
cisll investment for the United States.
| In 50 years. he said. England had de-
| veiopcd the island of Hong Kong from
rocky waste into n fiourishing COM
| lnefclai CITY. And this development,
Hill said, was in the face Of violent op-
position in the British Parliament.
With q great commercial city in Ma
mia TO start with. he said, the Ameri-
can opportunities in the Philippines
| were far greater than the British op-
| portnnitics in Hong Kong
| Hin reviewed tho tobacco industry in
| the Philippines and said single factories
| in the United States make more than the
entire output of manufactured tobacco IN
| the Philippines.
Speaking Of the argument th"t chcap
| labor Of the Orient would be brought Il,
! direct competition with American to-
bacCo workers by 4 reduction Of tho
! duty on Philippine tobacco, Hill called
| attention to the fact that American *
| clusion laws keep Chinese out of the is.
lands and contract labor cannot be en-
ployed. lie said practically all tho cigar
and cigarette makers nre F'ilin:nos. few
Chinese being now employed.
In conclusion. Hill said Philinpine in
terests were essentially domestic inter
| ests.
Monden Of Wyoming was the hex.
| speaker.