Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-05
70 HELP THE PHILIPPINES

TO HELP THE BHILiffINEo'
The bill reducing the tariff on Philip
pine sugar and tobacco to 20 per cent
OF the Dlngley rates and admitting free
all other products of the islands, was
taken M in the house of representatives
yesterday. Debate on the measure will
probably be extended, as it will en-
opposition. The ground Of this is that
the proposed reduction on sugar and
tobacco will. IL made, inevitably operate
to the injury OF the domestic sugar and
tobacco industries. 1t will be urged
that with the added competition of
Philippine sugar, produced with the
cheapest labor. it will not be possible for
the beet sugar industry TO grow and ii
would not very long survive. In regard
to tobacco it is declared by the repre-
sentatives of that interest that it would
certainly suffer from the importation on
n considerable scale OF the product Of
the islands.
On the other hand il is argued that
neither of the domestic interests has
anything to fear from a reduction of the
tariff on Philippine sugar and tobacco.
This is the position taken by Secretary
Taft and the president made an earnest
presentation Of ii in his annual message.
He recommended such legislation as is
proposed in the pending bill and said:
$50 primitive are the methods of agricul-
ture in the Philippine islands, SO slow is
capital in going to the islands, so many
difficulties surround large agricultural
enterprise in the islands, that it will be
many, many years before the products
of those islands will have any effect
whatever upon the markets of the
United States" He expressed the
opinion that the legislation recommended
will aid the Filipinos without injuring
interests in America. 1t is the under
standing that most of the congressman
who accompanied Secretary Taft to the
archipelago returned with the conviction
that the tariff on sugar and tobacco
should be lowered and other products
Of the islands admitted to the United
States free of duty.
This has had good deal of influence
upon public opinion here, which un-
doubtedly is at present less adverse to
legislation intended to aid the Filipinos
industrially and commercially than il
fxrn ru.
est work done by Secretary Taft for
tariff reduction has also had a great
influence. The sincere interest taken
in the matter by President Roosevelt
however, has been the most influential
! factor in shaping popular sentiment, il
| being recognized on all hands that he
would not recommend legislation which
there was reason to think might en-
danger an American interest The prob
ability is that the bill framed by the
ways and means committee will pass
the house without any important change
| in It's terms. Doubtless an effort viii
be made to have the tariff reduction
on sugar and tobacco placed at 30 in
stead of 25 per cent of the Dingley
rates, but it is not likely to be success
full. What the fate of the measure viii
he in the senate cannot be predicted
with any degree of certainty. Both thu
sugar and tobacco interests OF the United
States have strong friends in the senate
and it is very probable that they will
make a determined and persistent figh
against the proposed legislation.