Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-04-09
PLAN WAR ON BILL
FIFTY REPUBLICANS ORGANIZE
OPPOSITION TO TARIFF
MEASURE.
FILIPINO RAPs SCHEDULES
Few Members OF Lower Branch In
Their Places When Benito Lasar
da Hammers Payne Document
Summary of His Remarks.

summary OF His Remarks.
Washington, Apr. 5.-A meeting Of
30 Republican representatives was
held late Saturday to organize oppo
sition to the Payne bill. 1t was at
tended by those standing out for an
opportunity to vote on the hide, lum
Der. coal, iron ore, barley and other
schedules.
Mr.. Legarda raked the Payne tariff
bill fore and aft and in concise terms
told just what it would do to the
islands He implored congress to
show its impartiality toward the Phil
1ppines by making marked changes
in the provisions.
rev Attend Session.
Eleven members were in their seats
Saturday when the house of represen.
tatives met to further consider the
Payne tariff bill 1t was the smallest
attendance of the special session and
demonstrated the fact that interest
in the debate had practically disap-
peared.
Mr.. Sparkman (Dem., Fh.) opened
the discussion by making an earnest
plea for a restoration of the Dingley
rate on lumber and the imposition of
duty of five cents pound on all
cotton imported into the United
States.
While declaring that he would vote for
the BILL Mr. Kinkaid (Rep., Neb.) en-
tered strenuous objection to the tax
Ing of those necessaries of life which
are not produced in this country.
Tax Especially Obnoxious.
The proposed tax on tea and the
countervailing duty on coffee, he said,
were especially obnoxious to him and
he urged their removal Mr.. Kinkaid
also opposed the placing of hides on
the free list.
The Philippine islands were again
heard from when Benito Legarda, resi-
dent commissioner, spoke in opposi
ton to the proposed free trade be-
tween that possession and the United
States. His views were practically
along the lines of those expressed
yesterday by his colleague, Pablo
Ocampo de Leon.
Another Filipino objects.
Basing his objection to the Philip
pine sections of the Payne tariff bill
on the provision which admits Ameri.
can goods in unlimited quantity into
the islands without duty, Benito LIE.
garda, resident commissioner from
the Philippines, addressed the house
0F
He pointed out that the admission
Of 100000 tons of Philippine sugar
free into the United States would not
improve conditions in the islands
Immediately because the industry had
declined one-half during American &C.
eupation and because China was the
/ natural market for that sugar.
No Benefit to Tobacco
Immediate benefit might not accrue
to the tobacco industry either, he
said.
"Had the proposition for reciprocal
free trade been made before the Phil
ippine assembly was constituted" said
Mr.. Legarda. very little if any oppo.
sition would have been made to this
measure. But to-day that assembly
wishes us to respectfully present their
wishes before this house in order that
you who come so directly from the
American people may pass judgment
on the claims of those over whom
you exercise sovereignty
Tells What Islands Want.
IF, instead of the free admission
without limitation as to quantity, OF
American products into the Philip
pine islands, this bill provided only
the free entry there ofagricultural ma
chinery and other commodities of
| prime necessity (suchas cotton CLOTH
| and which are needed for the agricul-
tural and industrial development OF
those islands, or if this bill provided
only for such reciprocal exchange Of
commodities custom duty free as
would balance the limited quantity Of
sugar and tobacco sent from there
with an equally limited quantity Of
here-if such were the provisions Of
this bill it would be our pleasant duty
as representatives Of the Philippine
| people to make manifest to this house
their gratitude.
Filipinos Not ungrateful.
THE Filipino people are not I'm
grateful for what the American gov
eminent has accomplished and is &C
complishing for them in those islands
In several respects the laws which
govern the Filipino people are su
perior even to the laws in some of thu
most advanced states of this union.
"The congress of the United State!
has always been inspired in its acts
by principles of justice and wise
equity. Especially has it demonstrat
ed it's generosity and liberality whe1
the interests of the poor and thu
weak were at stake. The Filipino
people believe that coming before thi!
congress with just cause it will re
ceive the same measure of equity al
that which the American people
through their representatives in Thu
congress, have always in the pas
conceded under similar circumstan
ces."