Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1909-04-02
PROTEST AGAINST
FREE TRADE
Filipino Delegate
Addresses House
for First Time
WILL PASS BILL SOON
Republican Leaders Set the
Date for Next Wed.
nesday.


lican leaders after a careful canvass
expressed confidence in their ability
to pass the tariff bill whenever they
decided to put it on its passage The
decision now is to put the bill on its
passage on Wednesday, April Z.
Filipino Protests Against Free Trade.
Washington, D. c., April 2.-The
voice of Filipino was for the first
time heard in the legislative halls of
Congress in protest against the sys-
TEN of free trade which the Payne
bill seeks to establish with the Phil
ippines. Pablo Ocampo de Leon, resi-
dent commissioner of the Philippines,
criticised free trade because he said
l. would act in such way as to pre-
ciude independence.
Asks For independence.
Washington April 2.-The system
Of free trade which the Payne tariff
bill seeks to establish between the
United States and the Philippines
would bring about grave conse-
quences to the Filipino government,
according to Pablo Ocampo de Leon,
resident commissioner, in a speech on
the tariff bill in the House today.
"As soon as the measure becomes
operative he said, "it would immed.
lately cause in the first year a de.
crease in the revenues of about six
million pesos from which revenue the
Philippine government obtains the
greater portion of its income for the
support of the administration. This
increase would augment every year as
foreign importations gradually fell off
owing to the advantageous position
which American products would have
in the market, a position which inev-
itably would annul foreign competi-
tion.
Living under the protection of this
country the Filipinos would willingly
grant the greatest preference for
American products were they not con.
vinced that such preferences means
ruin for their country Once foreign
goods are driven from the Philippine
markets, the importer of American
products would control the situation.
"The decrease of the customs rev.
enues would inevitably compel the
Philippine government to go into
bankruptcy because there are no
other sources from which to obtain
revenues and meet it's financial obli-
cations.
viewing the question in the polit
ical aspect, is not there danger that
future independence of the Filipinos
would be hindered by the ties conse-
quent upon the establishment of free
trade?
"The trusts and other corporations
that would establish themselves in
the Philippines, encouraged by free
trade, would place formidable bar.
rier against Filipino freedom.
"The only reciprocity we ask is
that our sugar and tobacco be ad.
mitted free of duty and in exchange
allow all agricultural machinery and
implements Of manufacture free ad.
mission into all parts of the Philip
pines"
The commissioner said he voiced
the sentiment of 100000 Filipnos in
asking Congress to grant them indie.
pendence
A Protest From the South.
Washington, D. c., April 2.---In the
discussion of the tariff this morning,
Spight of Mississippi declared it must
be humiliating to the bill trainers to
hear a cry coming up from the South
for protection on sugar and hides be-
cause produced in that section. "If
the bill would put shoes on the free
list" he said, its trainers would not
be SO glaringly inconsistent Rams
dell Of Louisiana pleaded for 51-2
cents pound duty on cotton importa-
tions, deprecated the free entry of
Philippine sugar and commended the
conservation course of Pinchot.
Re-Assessment Of Sugar Duties.
New York, N. Y, April 2-Re-as-
sessments of duties amounting to
81 ,239000 on sugar imported by the
American Sugar Fefining Company at
the refinery OF Havermeyer and FL
der between December, 1901, and No
yember, 1907, have been ordered by
Collector Loeb of the port of New
York.
More Special Agents Appointed.
Washington, D. c., April Especial
agents in the field service force of
the General Land Office for investi-
cation of alleged land frauds in the