The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-03
Fortified Against the Filipino.

The Philippine tariff bill is a moderate
measure of economic justice to a subject
and alien people for whose welfare the
United States has become responsible. It
is our moral and our economic duty
TO help these people in every way posi-
bic, and one Of the possible ways is by
giving their products free entry to our
markets. Yet the whole power of the
protected interests is directed to prevent
ing the adoption of this simple measure OF
justice. The cards have been stacked
against it. 1t is not to be given fair
show in either Senate or House. In
neither body will the Philippine tariff bill
be reported favorably.
The Washington correspondent Of the
American Economist tells in the current
number of that stand-pat organ how the
committees of both Houses of Congress
have been made up with due regard for
the protective principle and the necessity
for maintaining the present system
through this and the coming Congress"
IN other words. they have been filled up
with tried and true protectiOnists More
than that, they have been packed with
men who are directly interested in do
nestle industries that have been threat
ened by Tevislonists and by the advocates
of the Philippine tariff policy" Two Of
the vacancies on the Ways and Means
Committee have been filled by representa-
tives from beet-sugar States. One Of these
men is so rampant a pr0tectionist that he
has been going about attributing the late
financial panic 10 political agitation for
tariff reform" It is plain enough that
such man win never be got to consent
TO any sort of tariff revision that will not
bolster up the interests"
But the most melancholy aspect of this
packing Of committees may be found in
the makeup of the minority Of the Senate
Committee on the Philippines. Here Senator
McCreary, an active supporter of the Phil
ippine tariff bill, was replaced by Senator
Teller, a bitter opponent of the bill, and
the other minority members. with one pos
sible exception, are against the bill Thus.
says the correspondent of the Economist,
"the Democratic minority of FIVE on the
Philippine Committee has been changed
from a probable majority of three in favor
of the tariff bill for the islands 10 pros
pect of furnishing but one vote for the
measure, and none in the event Of Sena-
tor Johnston, of Alabama. another new
member Of the minority. joining with the
Democratic leaders, Culberson and Stone,
in opposition to the bill" Our authority
sees no reason for suspecting that tariff
bill will be reported from this committee.
nor do we. II has been made up for the
express purpose Of preventing any such
eventuality, and the Democratic leader ap-
pears TO have been as active in the bus
mess as Senator Aldrich himself.
1t remains to be seen whether Secretary
Taft and the administration viii attempt
10 storm the REINFORCED ramparts Of pro
lection in the present Congress. We
judge nothing of the sort viii be tried.
Mr.. Taft has already displayed the white
flag Of compromise, and with that the
Philippines must perforce be content. Per
haps we shall let In little of their sugar
and tobacco. But whatever is done, the
sacred principle Of protection must be
maintained. What is a Filipino by COM
parison with a sugar beet. or a meas
IRE Of economic justice by the side of
campaign contributions from fairfield
industries?