Show LIGHT TURNED ON PHILIPPINE MATTERS t WASHINGTON Feb 7 The The Senate this afternoon passed the pension pension pension pen- pen sion appropriation bill and resumed consideration of the Philippine tariff bill Mr Turner Turner of Washington took the floor and spoke against the bill billand 9 and the general policy of the Republican party in connection with the islands i WASHINGTON Feb 7 The The Senate Committee on Philippines today continued continued continued con con- its consideration of the question question question ques ques- tion of the revenues of or the Philippine islands Got Gov Taft still being on the stand He began his statement with an explanation of that portion of his testimony testimony tes tea of yesterday to the effect that sentiment was the main reason for askIng asking ask ask- ing lag a substantial reduction of the rates of the DIngley law so far as they apply to the Philippines saying he feared that the statement might be misunderstood The Idea he had meant to coO e convey by that statement was that the Philippine commission welcomes every evidence of ofa ofa ofa a desire on the part of the American people to o aid the P Philippine people and he believed that any such evidence of discrimination would aid the Philippine administration and its work That in time such a concession as was proposed would be e of vast benefit to the farmers of the Islands Islands and and practically all the inhabitants are farmers farmers he he did not doubt He lie was aura sura the political effect would be good but that there would be any immediate immediate im immediate im- im mediate substantial effect he did not think was true regardless of the statement state state- merit ment rn made de in ir his 9 official ff cl al report th that t such a reduction would cause an advance advance advance ad ad- vance in trade by leaps and bounds He did not mean to withdraw the recommendation rec ree- rec- rec on on the contrary he lie would be glad to have a reduction of 50 per cent Gov Coy Taft also explained that he had not Intended to convey the idea that the acres of or land in the Philippines not controlled by private ownership is arable arabIc Much of ot the area Is Is he said covered by mountain rang ranges s sand and is not therefore capable of cultivation tion In r response to a suggestion from Senator Senator Senator Sen Sen- ator Culberson Taft said ho he did not think the bill a tariff be between between between be- be tween the United Statts Stats and the PhIlIppines Philippines Philippines Philip PhIlIp- pines should be temporary as is the case with Ith reference to the Porto Rican bill Speaking of the new revenue bill passed by the Philippine commission he said that so far the effect is conjectural but that It was hoped the amount under under under un un- un- un der the impetus it would give to the trade would soon equal the returns Secured se secured secured se- se cured under the old laws which was or There had so far been a great increase In the Importation of food products especially canned goods which principally came from the United States Gov Taft next explained the con con- Con p on PA Pago PaSQ s. s Light Turned On Op Continued from Page 1 tracts which have ben been let for harbor Improvements Improvement Improvement Involving an In expenditure expenditure ex ex- of of- and in response to by Mr Hale he said that contracts also had been let for the construction of twenty launches or o small smal sea-going sea boats for forthe forthe forthe the transportation of mail man and of provincial provincial pro pro- officers The cost of these boats bots would be He had asked for bids from San Francsco Francisco he said but they were so BO high the commission was obliged to contract contract for them with Shanghai firms Gov Taft asked for power to pass general corporation laws Most of the enterprises th there re now he explained are controlled by English capitalists Mr Dubois wanted to know if it I would not be advantageous for the the- Government to build and control railroads railroads rail rail- ralI ral- I roads telephones etc That is a e. a question queto of general generl economic economic eco ceo consideration answered Gov Taft which the commission wishes to avoid Reverting to the subject of corporations corporations corpora corpora- tons Gov Taft thought it would be bevise bevise vise wise for Congress to give to the commission commission com corn mission some discretionary power Inthe Inthe in inthe the matter mater of the building of railroads At the conclusion of routine business Mr Patterson of Colorado made a personal explanation of what he had said concerning Gov Tafts Taft's attitude toward the treason treon and sedition laws I enacted by the Philippine commission I Gov Coy Taft he lie said had made a statement statement state stat I I ment before the tIme Philippine commission I in which he said that Mr Mn Ir Patterson Paterson inadvertently no po doubt had conveyed a wrong Impression to the Senate ate and to the country as to his attitude to toward toward toward to- to ward those laws Mr Pattersons Patterson's statement statement state state- ment met Gov Taft said had put him Inthe in inthe inthe the attitude of criticising his colleagues colleagues col col- col- col leagues on the commission The particular particular par par- statute was ws enacted while he hew was w ill m but by anything he may have said he did not intend to convey the impression that he was opposed to laws enacted The responsibility for fo their enactment was wa as much his as of his colleagues |