Evening star., 1935-05-06

the people, he began to gather followt
Then, about year and half
which, while granting the Philippines
did, curtail radically the flow of trad
United States. Heretofore there had
been unrestricted trade between the
United States and the Philippines, as
q result of which America became
practically the only market for our
products and the Philippines became
the seventh best consumer of United
States goods.
The limitation imposed upon the
amount of Philippine products which
may now be exported into the United
States free Of duty is so drastic that
those of us who knew conditions in
the islands predicted it would ad-
versely affect the finances of the
Philippine government and the eco
nomic conditions of the country.
Warned Of Results.
We protested then against those
drastic restrictions upon our COM
merce and frankly stated that. if put
into effect, they would throw many
men and women out OF work, lower
the standards of living and cause gen.
eral discomfort among the people.
Since the offer of independence
made by Congress to the Filipino peo-
pie involved acceptance of these trade
limitations, we had no alternative but
to take them along with the of1er OF
independence, or to renounce forever
our political freedom-a thing which
our people we're not disposed to do.
The restrictions upon our trade as
imposed by the independence act were
bad enough, but even these did not
satisfy certain private business inter-
ests in the United States. and these
interests Influenced Congress tc pass
further legislation whereby an excise
tax was imposed upon cocouut oil,
which had the effect, practically, OF
excluding from the American market
the entire coconut oil industry IN the
Philippines, which constituted the
livelihood of some four or five mil
lion people.
Jobs, Markets, Farms Lost.
As soon as this excise tax was put
into effect, the provinces in the Philip
pine Islands growing coconuts began
to feel its effects. Farmers we're un-
able to sell their copra, farm laborers
lost their jobs, and farm lands that
were mortgaged suffered foreclosure
because of the inability of the owners
to pay interest on their MORTGAGES.
Benigno Ramos redoubled his cam
paign and told the people their suffer-
ings were directly due to the legisla-
ton which deliberately deprived them
of their livelihood. When he saw that
the situation had reached q point
where violence might occur, having
collected considerable money from his
followers, he left the island and went
abroad, where he still remains.
On the night of May 2 the SAX
dalistas finally attacked the govern
ment forces. am informed about
60 Of the Sakdalistas have been killed
and many arrested. The uprising Is
ended. It is earnestly to be hoped
that this heart-breaking incident will
serve to bring home to the Congress
Of the United States the responsibility
still resting upon the American peo-
pie IN regard TO the PhlnpplneS.
Time Needed.
Thirty-five years ago the United
States undertook to govern the islands
and to build up q nation of free and
prosperous people. To facilitate the
economic development Of the Philip
pines Congress voluntarily established
- n
the United States and, as . conse-
quence. Philippine commerce has
been practically limited to the United