Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05
Senate Soon to Hold
Philippine Hearings
BY HARDEN COLFAx.

Descendants Of the followers Of Agui-
naldo are marching forward in the cause
Of independence of the Philippines,
urged on by the same spirit as their
forefatherS, but now armed with Silvery
oratory instead Of rifle and bolo.
AS the result Of demands by repre-
sentativeS Of American agricultural or
CARNATIONS for tariff protection against
the products of the archipelago, the
issue of independence Of the islands has
come to the front sharply in recent
months.
Hearings on the subject will start
before the Senate committee on ter
ritories and inSular possessions before
January ends, probably within two
weeks, and promises to be the most COM
prehenSive Of any held since those in
1916. which led to the passage OF the
Jones act, with It's preamble declaring
that 1T has always been the purpose OF
the people Of the United States to with
draw their sovereignty over the Philip
pine Islands and to recognize their In
dependence as soon as stable govern
nSent can be established therein" The
King resolution to recognize this indie
pendence now will be the basis OF the
hearings and the Filipinos have special
commission en- route to represent them.
x
Involved in the issue are not only
grave questions Of national policy from
the standpoints of domestic policies
and international relations, but others
which Importantly affect economics,
that material welfare OF the people OF
the Philippines and Of many in the
United States is more closely interviewer
than is recognized generally.
Trade between the dependency and
laae if1N TNiAIU
and much American capital Is invested
in the islands. The United States now
takes about three-fourthS of the exports
of the Philippines, whereas less than
twenty years ago 1t was taking approx
mately third In the exchange Of
trade the islands have profited more
than this country, for they bought in
1928, and again In 1929, less than IS
per cent of their total imports from the
United States and as far back as
twenty years ago they were buying 81
per cent of their goods here.
y +
The advance In commercial relations
has been steady. Shipments to the Phil
ippines have increased ass per cent in
values, contraSted with the average of
1904, while imports from the islands
have increased 500 per cent. In the first
10 months Of 1929, total imports from
the islands were valued at $112, PAL 900
in contrast to 500, 142 900 in the corre-
spending period of 1928 and with $l15,-
600 900 in the entire twelve months of
that year, while the total exports to the
Philippines in the first ten months Of
last year were valued at $72 ,S47, 900,
compared with $64,S03, 900 in the same
months Of 1928 and $79, SOC, 900 In the
full year. For the first time, normal
commerce between the two exceeded
| 5000, 900, 900 generously in 1929.
1t is this very increase in trade with
the islands, however, important as it
is to exporting manufacturers and to
importers, that has aroused the farm
| organizations Of this country to urgent
demands for protection against prod
| ucts Of Philippine soil. Attention was
called by this writer Just year ago to the
impending situatiok brought about by