Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-06-06

tween Porto Rico and the United
States" said Mr.. Taft, " and all Gus
tom duties collected IN the United
States ON Porto Rican products sub
seQuent to the date of Spanish evacu-
alton. amounting TO nearly $4,000, 900.
have been refunded to the island
Treasury. The loss to the revenues
of the United States from the free adj
mission OF Porto Rican products is
SIS 100000 annually.
Without our fostering benevolence.
this island would be as unhappy aud
PROSTATE as are some of the neigh
boring British, French. Dutch and
Danish islands, During the last two
years of Spanish domination the trade
balance against the island was over
S12, 800 900, While the present balance
of trade in favor of the island under
American control is s2,500 600. The
total of exports and imports has I'M
creased from about $25,000,00 undc~
Spain. to s44,000.000 under our sover
eighty. At the date of the America
occupation, the estimated value of all
agricultural land was about $30.000,-
600. Now the appraised value of the
real property in the island reaches
$100, 900, 0o0.'
OF the American occupation of the
Philippines MIR. Taft told of the same
manifestation of altruism. He tola
of the 100000 given by congress ON
account of the famine in 1929: of
the Establishment OF schools of the
building OF public utilities. of the new
government and the establishment of
sound monetary system; ard of the
hundreds of other acts of mselfish.
mess.
1T may be objected" said Mr.. Taft,
that the $170,000,00o or more OK
pended by the United States in sup.
pressing the insurrection in the, Phi,'p-
pines was not for the benefit OF the
Filipino people, resulting as it did in
the death of many. This is a mar
row view. No money or blood was
ever spent more directly for the bene-
I fit OF people than this The chaos
which would have reigned and the
bloody civil dissensions that would
have followed, had we withdrawn from
the islands and left them to their
fate, under Aguinaldo and his generals
would have continued undated for a
decade, and the consequent PROSTATE
condition of agriculture could hardlY
be overstated. The war was deplor
able but no other possible alternative
was open to us in the discharge OF oue
duty as nation"
Mr.. Taft showed that in the fiscal
year 1895. the last normal year Of
Spanish occupation, the imports into
the United States from Cuba were $5a,-
600, 000 from Porto Rico, $4,000. 900:
and from the Philippine islands, $5,-
600 600. In the fiscal year 1906, the
imports into the United States from
Cuba were $s5.0OO000; from Porto
Rico. $4,000, 900; and from the Philip
pines $4,000, 900 The exports from
the United States to Cuba in the As
cal year 1895. were $12.500.000: Ia
Porto Rico. $3,000,0v3 and to the
Philippine islands, 100000. For the
fiscal year 1906. the exports from the
United States into Cuba were about
$4s.000,000; and into Porto Rico, $,9.
100000; and into the Philippine is
lands, $5,5e0.000. This shows very
considerable increase in the Cuban
trade, a proportionate increase In the
Porto Rican trade. but a smaller IN
/ crease, though considerable one. n
the Philippine trade. In other words,
the total trade with Cuba has in
creased from SOS. 100000 to $3.50, 900.
i 900: with Porto Rico from $4,000 900
to $3S,0000O0: and with the Philip
pines islands from $5,oOo,0o0 to $751;
DOC. 900. or total increase in business
done with these three islands Of $40.
O00, 900.
In conclusion the secretary declared
that u the American people have not
had material recompense there hls
been continuing gratitude OF tie
peoples aided, together with the salts
faction OF having brought to helpless
peoples the benefit Of better govern
ment. There have been times. he
said, when abuses have crep into
the administration OF the islands on
the part OF some Of the civil and n.ili-
tary servants OF the United States, hut
the record Of the nine years since Il q
beginning Of the Spanish war, looked
AZ from an impartial standpoint is,
on the Whole, an umblemishcd record
OF generous, earnest effort to uplift
these peple, to help them on the way
to seifgovcrnment and TO teach them
a higher and better civilization. X
Is a record confidently submit will al
ways rebound in the coming century
to the high credit OF the people ~ The
United States as generous q slizing
nation charged by the accident OF war
with the responsibilities OF guardian
ship OF less fortunate people and
discharglng that God-given RESPONSE
biiity In accordance with the highest