The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-07-23

o;ded victory in the Philippines free
trade proposition. The subcommlt.ee
that has been considering this section
has decided to permit the free admis-
sion of $50 100000 cigars annually, as
by the president, instead VI
20 600 900, as would be admitted unuei
q senate amendment adopted at tne
instance of Mr.. La Toilette.
# is expected that the Philippine
section, as approved by the suDconi-
mittee. will be adopted by the con-
forces on Monday. 1t provided for the
froo admission of 100000 pounds OF
ura nner tobacco and 100000 pounds
Of filler tobacco and 100000 tons OF
sugar.
With the exception of rice and the
limitation placed upon tobacco ana
sugar. all articles, "the growth, pro-
dnct or manufacture of the Philippine
islands." will be admitted free. AS
originally adopted by the house, and
later introduced in the senate, the
section contained a pro-
vision requiring that manufactured ar
ticles. in order to obtain free admls-
sion into the United States, should not
contain ingredients other than pro-
ducts of the islands.
The tariff copferees today settled
the question of giving the secretary
of the treasury authority to issue fifty
wear 8 per cent bonds to cover the en-
tire cost of the Panama canal.
The effect of the bond provision is
to repeal the limit of the bond authori-
cation of the Spooner act, although
not interfering with 2 per cent bonds
issued under that authority to the
amount of $S4,631 $50. The estimated
cost of the canal is 1915, POI 900, which
will be the figure named in the new
and bonds may be is
sued as they are needed at the rate
of 3 per cent to the extent of 1920, $685.
O2O.
Corporation Tax Sure.
There is no doubt that 1 per cent
tax on the net earnings of corpora
tons will be accepted.
Practically the only subject consid-
cred during the forenoon session of
the conference was the woollen SEIZED
ule. Reductions were made on wO-
mems and children's dress goods, tops
and yarns.
The metal schedule, with the excep-
ton of iron ore and a few of it's prod
ucts, practically had been agreed
upon.
The very fact that President Taft's
statement was issued at all, and in
particular the emphatic conclusion of
the remarks of the president thus re-
iterated, made it clear to all who
studied the announcement that the
president intended it virtually as an
Many read into the statement
barely concealed threat on the part of
the president that if the bill reached
him in form which he regarded as
unfaithful to the promises of his party
and disobedient to the sentiment of
the mass of the people he would veto
it. Some went so far as to say that
the presidents stand meant nothing
less than the defeat of the bill. One
man said:
"Now the stand-patters will become
the insurgents; the lines will all have
to be reformed and nobody can fore
cast the outcome"
EnviabIe independence.
1t is conceded even by the most bit
ter of the opposition that by his atti-
tude thus far of hands off, Mr.. Taft
has attained a position of enviable in
and that he has chosen
an advantageous moment when each
house of congress has fully discussed
the question and placed itself unmis-
takably on record, and their joint pro-
duct is in the hands of conference
committee, to present his views not
only generally to the people but spe-
officially to those who are in position
to act decisively On the subject mat
ter.
The fact that the president has TAX
en- so positive a stand as he has, has
had the effect of shifting the contro-
versy of the two branches of congress
between themselves to the president
and congress as a whole. From this
time forward it looks as if the ques-
ton was not what the house will con-
cede to the senate, or the senate to
the house, but how much the president
will demand and how much the con-
ferees can concede and still make sure
of the acceptance of the conference re-
port by the two houses of congress.
1t is a good-natured fight, but it is a
fight.
The great difficulty of meeting the
pres ident's demands. will be encoun-
tered in q the senate, where the raw
material states have better proper
tionate representation and where
there is no cloture rule. In the house
as whole, the tendency is toward
the presidents position, but several of
the house conferees lean toward the
senatorial view.