The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-15
TOBACCO AND
SUGAR FROM
PHILIPPINES
Stormy Day in Sas Over
Tariff on Articles sfo., -.
Islands cic,.
PRESIDENT TAFT SAID
To FAVOR SENATE PLAN

Sugar Schedule and the Production
and Manufacture of the Product in
the Philippines We're Basis of Sew.
eral Amendments.
Washington, June 15.-That the
senate committee on finance has been
engaged in playing "a game of petty
politics" was today defiantly charged
in the senate by Senator Burkett Of
Nebraska. The accusation was made
in connection with the report by the
committee reducing from 150,000,000
to 100000 the number of cigars
which may be imported free of duty
annually from the Philippines. This
charge had been arrived at by the
committee at meeting held early to-
day and was the result of the repre-
Bentations by Senator Bulkeley Of
Connecticut with an important pro-
duct of whose state the Philippine
tobacco importation would conflict.
Senator LaFollette had previously
presented an amendment reducing the
number to 75,000,000 and the Nebraska
senator found in the action Of the
committee discrimination in favor
of Bulkeley against LaFollette. This
was the reason for Senator Bulkeley's
outburst and he spoke with apparent
ly strong feelings. AS soon as the
committee had brought in it's amend
ment Senator LaFollette took the
floor, expressing qualification that the
finance committee had reduced the
number Of free cigars to the extent
Of 35.000,OO0 less than was called for
by his amendment. LaFollette said
he was encouraged to change his
amendment SO as to provide for ad-
mission of only 60,000.000 and he did
30. 1t was then that Burkett took the
Hoor. Roundly denouncing the finance
committee, he declared that it's action
In making the changes in the Philip
pine amendment was sufficient to
cause senators to lose confidence in it.
The original amendment, he said, had
been brought into the senate as pro-
vided by the president, but in the face
Of that fact the committee had brought
In it's recommendation for the reduc-
lion to 100000. He pointed out that
the number was 100000 below the
reduction called for by the LaFollette
amendment and in this circumstance
he found cause for complaint. This"
he said, lis matter too important to
juggle with and it looks to me like a
game of petty politics"
Sugar was the stirring sub
lect before the senate yesterday
It was brought to the front in
connection with the consideration Of
the finance committees substitute for
the house provision of the tariff bill
regulating the admission of Philippine
articles into the United States and it
continued to receive practically the
undivided attention of the senate
throughout the day.
During the first hour that the
amendment was before the senate
there was some discussion of the eff
feet of the provision on the tobacco
interests of Connecticut, but an
amendment looking to the introduc-
ton Of Connecticut tobacco into tho
Philippines for wrappers had the Of
feet Of relieving the situation in that
quarter.
Immediate attention was then di-
rected to the clauses providing duty
on sugar admitted into the Philippines
equal to tina, on sugar brought into
the United States and exempting 300,-
600 tons Of Philippine sugar from
duty when brought into the United
States. Senator Bristow criticized
both provisions and his criticisms
opened the way for general debate
which was participated in on the one
side by Senators Bristow and Clapp,
and on the other by Senator Aldrich
and Lodge.
1t was contended on the one hand
that the two provisions combined
were intended to promote the inter-
ests of the American sugar trust and
not to benefit the Philippine pro-
ducers, while it was argued by the
supporters of the provision that to ad-
NIT sugar into the islands free Of
duty would be to open the way for
its free admission into this country.
II was also argued that tho sugar
producers Of the Philippines would
be directly benefited by the admission
of their sugar into the United States
without requiring the payment of a
duty on it.
The only vote taken during the day
session was on an amendment by Mr..
Bristow admitting sugar into the
Philippines free of duty. 1t was lost.
II to 40.
Philippine Independence.
Senator Stone of Missouri gave no.
tice that he would soon offer an
amendment declaring for the indie
pendence Of the Philippine islands
within fifteen years, an agreement
having been meanwhile arrived a:
with the world powers for the 1ajn-
tenance of the independence Of the
islands.
1t was freely stated around fhs
senate chamber that the Philippines
paragraph had the endorsement of
President Taft in his own handwut-
ing and late in the day Senator Aid
rich stated that 1t had been endorsed
BY the president Senator C,apl' ex-
pressed incredulity on that point.
Mr.. Lodge, replying to Mr.. Bristow