Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-14
.F|L|P|NOS OBJECT
To JAP CONTROL
ISLANDERS AGITATED OVER
PURCHASE RUMORS
Judge Smith Explains Conditions.
Thinks Tariff on Tobacco Should
Be Decentralization
Independent
BY Associated Press.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 13.-Judge
James Il. Smith, member of the Phil
ippine commission and prospective gov
ernor general of the islands, arrived
today on the steamer Mongolia He Is
here on a vacation.
Judge Smith reported the islands to
be In peaceful condition, with the
exception of minor local disturbances
due to the activities of two fugitive La
drone chiefs who are stirring up dis
content. Until these men are cap
tured, he said, the islands will not have
perfect quiet.
The judge talked interestingly on
the tariff question. He said:
Il cannot see the reason if the ISL
ands are part of the United States,
why Filipino tobacco should not be ad-
mitted here free of duty. The removal
Of the tax on tobacco would be an ex-
cellent move for both the mother coun-
try and the islands. This would give
the Philippines the Connecticut Leaf
for wrappers, instead of forcing the
Filipino cigar makers to buy Sumatra
leaf from the Germans. The people
of the United States need not fear
competition that will arise from the
repeal of the tobacco tax The sections
where high grades of the weed can be
cultivated in the islands are very few.
Wherever the salt sea air or fogs pen
citrate the fields the tobacco leaf be-
comes spotted and of inferior quality.
In the islands, the valleys that are
absolutely sheltered from these cli-
matte influences are very few, hence
the production of superior grades of
the plant is confinedto a small amount"
Purchase for Japan
The reports of the probable pur-
chase of the islands by Japan were
belittled by Judge Smith. "It is my
personal opinion" he said that there
Is a question whether congress would
have authority to so dispose of the ISL
andS without the sanction of the people
at large. These reports have disturbed
the Filipinos to some extent, and they
became disgrunted over the rumored
prospect of becoming subjects of the
Japanese emperor.
1.-The attitude of the American gov
ernment towards the people of the
Philippines is to create the impression
that when they are ready for self
government they will be given their
independence, but America must be
first assured that they are ready to
maintain their autonomy. In local and
municipal governmental affairs they
are now perfectly independent. electing
their own judges, justices and officials
of their own free will, under the in
structive methods of American officials
II do not believe that there Is one
intelligent Filipino in the islands who
is fully conversant with the situation
throughout these possessions. who
would now admit that the people there
are now capable of maintaining an in
dependent government.
1.-THE recent troubles In Samar were
really due to a feud between tribes of
the hills and valleys and seacoasts.
The low land people are the much
sharper traders, and are always reach
ing out for the mountain crops. In the
trade deals the valley and sea coast
people always get the upper hand, and
enmities have arisen which have led
the mountaineers to make reprisals."
Smith Declares Policy
"When I assume the office of gov
ernor of the islands, continued Judge
Smith, II intend to continue the present
policy of the Philippines for the Fill
ipinos. We are endeavoring to fit the
natives for self-government by edu-
catonal methods, but no time has been
fixed for their independence, because
some untoward circumstance might
arise which would make it unwise at
that time for the United States to
then grant independence. and our gov
ernment would then be open to the ac-
cusation of dishonesty in failing to
keep it's promise.
Thus far we have kept all of our
promises, except in the matter of the
tax on sugar and tobacco, and this
causes the native to feel distrustful. He
cannot understand how we can claim
him as countryman and then tax
his products. While we are allayng
some of his misgivings by giving him
schools, electric roads and railways,
yet he is inclined to be watchful. One
of our main troubles in winning him
over arises from our position as to
his sugar industry. The Filipino
statistician will show you that the ISL
ands produce only 100000 tons of sugar
annually, while the United States i'm
ports yearly 1,40O,00O tons. He says
that America could take all of his sugar
duty free and still be obliged to import
from abroad over a million tons of
sugar every year. He cannot under
stand why we continue to tax his sugar
in these circumstances, and it makes
it difficult for us to convince him of
our good intentions"
----S-S-o-