New-York tribune., 1908-07-05
A PHILIPPINE PETITION
Ask american Congress for Better
Trade Advantages.

day on the Luneta, the public park ana oIi"e"aS
of this city, at which petition requesting tas
American Congress TO enact legislation that would
give the Philippine Islands equal trade advantages
with Porto Rico was adopted.
A heavy downpour of rain swept over the city
just the people assembling and forced
postponement of the gathering. but later a large
crowd reassembled and listened 10 a NUMBER Oh
speeches In the gathering several deiega-
tions from workmen's organizations carrying
transpareDcies with the words. I'VE want Justice
I'VE want equal treatment with Porto Rico and
other devices.
President Gibson OF the Merchants Association
presided He made stirring speech in Enshsh
Spanish and Tagalog indorsng the petition AT
the close of the demonstration battery or art
lery fred salute The petition is as follows
To the American People
On this auspicious day. which commenorates
ago We the people of the Philippine Islands
send you greetings and felietase yeg yeca%es Ep9
your beundless grosperity .so ro,,-,b ~ July
should be the day chosen to make formal repre-
sentatons of our conditions and 9SF as s affairs
economic and Political 0f the Fe10 Zip ps9Pre na Of
ssn ss neg neg fa9sI @ ol the
during the ten years this relation on has %
and uplifting of this race and the develop I'VE R
system, of the fiscal system nor n OF Ine NAT
have been inaugurated by and with 6nea 6ne
Yet While iH the United states has done much
for us so much that will make for the security
one one thing that could have been done which If #
Done Would nave preteHteu iIo hoI, 7s oT,r
disaster that has overtake1 large DoS ,b a T re
agricultural populatfon We TeIeT i2d 70 U States
from the Philippine Islands products. While sec,
o1S & Of the u45e 14as under
fair measure of prosperity me &C.. Soum15g oG,cars @
of mann Re arces notaby S5 have
under conditions that precqded nan and baT
prevailed for hemp and copra together with "a 4
industry and precipitated an acute economic
crisis 80 ..- o..o,.,o, 20 these
facts: That while It Is true that labor. In our
fields Is - poorly paid there ere Is geod law at applies
to and controls other Industries applies also to
trade ianguishes the, wages Of your mill opera,
advanced. and It would be just as reasonable. to
tell hemp. sugar and tobacco planters that
turn to wheat growing or the raising of cotton
as II would be to tel yoar Cotton tb % cotton b1s
ness is depressed they should turn making
r0R We DO S1es nos charge the of
9ni1ed States Is responsive IGg 16 e bt we Do
MAINTAIN that as territory belonging to. con-
9n Is BY a@g tha aT not be Gs
garded to assist in every possible way the mate
We have been made to witness the splendid de
ss a1d ana has e6aTe s adyaDtaes Of free
trade with the United States and we naturally u, b
case Of Porto RteG then full justice has not yet
the United States to influence the United States
Philfppine Islands equal trade advantages with
| we are afiicted may be removed and these ISL
| ands once more brought 10 condition Of pros
| perfty and happiness.
The observance of the Fourth Of July through
out the Philippine Islands devoted largely TO
ratiffcations of the petition sent by the people
| of the Philippines to the American people asking
/ that the products of the islands be admitted 70
|
reports received by the committee OF the central
| meeting the signatures already affixed 10 the
! petition exceed one hundred thousand 1t IS in
tended to continue the circulation Of the petition
! until the American Congress meets again. when
| it will be presented to Congress and the Presi-
! dent 1t is hoped that by that time II will have
million names
| There was an old fashioned Fourth of July
! celebration at Camp Mckinley. under the direc-
| ton Of Brtgadier General John j. Pershtng and a
! committee of officers and men and citizens of
| Manila, At daylight four bands were massed on
/ the parade ground. and the first American flag
| with the new star for Oklahoma. saluted
] Later there were exercises the parade ground
| in the presence of a crowd of ten thousand per-
| sons Americans and FiIpinos- The invocation
| was pronounced by the Most Rev J. J. Harty.
| Archbishop of Manila and Newton w Gilbert.
| the new member of the Philippine Commission
| read the Declaration of Independence. General
| lanes F Smith Governor General of the islands
| then delivered address patriotism and the
| duty of the soldier. He told what the day meant
! to the American soldier and what the United
| States was offering TO the peoples of Cuba. the
| Philippines and Porto Rico He said it
tremeIy difficult TO perform the nations duty in
| Cuba and the Philippines when irresponsible agi
| tators misrepresented the truth and thrust aside
| the helping hand but. nevertheless, the American
| people would continue to perform their duty and
/ redeem the pledges made by President Mckinley
| Later in the day there athletics and
| sports closing with a reproduction OF the Custer
| massacre