The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-02-14
AFT WANTS ISLAND
STEAMSHIP LINE
5 Direct Communiea-
ion Desirable.
INCREASE EXPORTS
Declares Passage Payne Tariff Bill VIII
Do Much to Establish Com
meroial Comfy.

In the hearings before the senate ION
mittee on Philippines today on the taFif
bill. Secretary Taft said he 3erS 9Tall5
favored direct commercial steamship
line between San Francisco and The
islands Such a line, he believed. would
increase the Philippine exo1-t trade "i
this country. in that it would encoursg
The Filipino merchant to come here toT
much of the merchandise ne now rur-
chases in other markets.
Filipino Merchants Spend Money.
Senator Hale. in his interrogations OF
the Secretary. revealed tine fact that Our
export trade with the islands was Tess
than S., 0oo00o in 1904. while during the
same period the Philippines bought
from other countries Approximately Sc
ee0.e00 worth of merchandise. Senator
Hale wanted to know why this condition
existed. and why the island trade vt;u
us was not more. He said one eo;n'v in
Maine received that much money from
its export of potatoes
Secretary Taft eXpiained that the
trade was on the increase. but thai the
F1hpinos, like every other people.
bought their goods where they couIG ut.
most conveniently obtained. Jle saiJ
tbar II we would encourage them 10
some TO our markets rs WOIi resent
II the Payne tariff bin became a laa
We would most likely obtain more
profitable trade with them.
1000 Teachers for Natives.
Prior to going into this subject Mr..
Jdale questioned the witness on The ed
Oeational improvements in the island
that have been made since our occu-
paney. lie elected from Mr Taft that
the United States had sent approximat e-
y LOCO teachers to the Islands and that
these teachers had done much good In
raising the standard OF education lie
said that the Spaniards had built many
ecnoofhouses throughout the islands be-
lore We came into possession OF them,
but that the enforcement OF their school
laws was defective.
He then gave an exposition of the ad-
min1Stratton of affairs on the islands
Approximately, he said. this Government
sent 10 the archipelago 2.t1o civilian EN-
ployes, and a number of army officers
are engaged in insular work The in
sulaT government he stated paid TIE
salaries Of these people. with the ex-
ception of the army pay TO such Off
der.
Taft Didn't Know.
At this juncture Senator Hale inquired
of the Secretary if he knew whether any
portion of the $1,000. 600 relief fund ap-
propriated by Congress had been ex-
pended in maintenance Of the school
system. The Secretary admitted that he
did not know whether il had or not.
but thought il might have been.
On the currency question the Score
tary said that the new Philippine cur
lency mad now completely displaced the
Old Mexican currency, and that the
Changs was brought about much quicker
Jhsm anticipated. Under the old none
tary system he said. the fiuctuation
in the standard OF silver worked a
hardship to Government employees and
caused a gambling element 10 arise in
business Under the present system the
Islands wee fast esta blishing a sta pie
trade
He reiterated many of the statements
J." lad made heretofore that the people
e.. the islands were anxious to become
eloSc's Identified with us aud that ne
do not see where the passage of the
Payn. tariff bill would work any great
HARDSHIP upon home industry.
Tomorrow a delegation of beet sugar
growers will appear before the commit
tee. Friday Secretary Taft viii conclude
his tesi nouY. The bill, If il is reported
out al Ell. viii probably come out next
week Present Indications point to us
being amended on an extensive scale.