APRIL 15, 1909.-Read; referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT. PRINTING OFFICE 1909 PROPOSED TARIFF REVISION LAW OF 1909 FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit herewith a communication from the Secretary of War, inclosing one from the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, in which is transmitted a proposed tariff revision law for the Philippine Islands. This measure revises the present Philippine tariff, simplifies it, and makes it conform as nearly as possible to the regulations of the customs laws of the United States, especially with respect to packing and packages. The present Philippine regulations have been cumbersome and difficult for American merchants and exporters to comply with. Its purpose is to meet the new conditions that will arise under the section of the pending United States tariff bill which provides, with certain limitations, for free trade between the United States and the islands. It is drawn with a view to preserving to the islands as much customs revenue as possible, and to protect, in a reasonable measure those industries which now exist in the islands. The bill now transmitted has been drawn by a board of tariff experts, of which the insular collector of customs, Col. George R. Colton, was the president. The board held a great many open meetings in Manila, and conferred fully with representatives of all business interests in the Philippine Islands. It is of great importance to the welfare of the islands that the bill should be passed at the same time with the pending Payne bill, with special reference to the provisions of which it was prepared. I respectfully recommend that this bill be enacted at the present session of Congress as one incidental to and required by the passage of the Payne bill. THE WHITE HOUSE, April 14, 1909. WM. H. TAFT. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 3, 1909. MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I inclose herewith a proposed tariffrevision act for the Philippine Islands and request that the same be transmitted to Congress in such manner as may be deemed advisable with a view to its passage at the present session. I also inclose herewith a letter to me from General Edwards, the Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, which explains the matter in detail. 3 I have not had time to examine the bill in detail and have not sufficient acquaintance with the subject to say whether or not it is what it should be; but General Edwards, who is familiar with the matter, recommends it, and I have no doubt that with your own familiarity with the subject you will be able to dispose of it. Sincerely, yours, The PRESIDENT. J. M. DICKINSON. WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a proposed tariff revision act for the Philippine Islands, and request that the same be transmitted to Congress in such manner as may be deemed advisable, with a view to its passage at the present session. This measure is a complete revision of the present Philippine tariff, drafted with a view to simplifying the law and making it conform as nearly as possible to the customs laws of the United States, especially with respect to packing and packages, in which particular the present Philippine regulations are cumbersome and difficult to comply with. The purpose of the bill is also to meet the conditions which will arise under the free-trade provisions of the Payne bill, to save as much customs revenue as possible to the islands under those conditions, and at the same time to protect in reasonable measure the paying industries now operating in the islands. It will be understood that the result of the free admission of American goods into the Philippine Islands must revolutionize business in the Philippines, and unless the adoption of that policy is accompanied by a revision of the present Philippine tariff it will be disastrous to some important industries in the islands and also result in such serious loss to the customs revenue as to embarrass the Philippine government. The bill now presented has been in course of preparation, by special direction of the Secretary of War, since March 1, 1908, and was finally drawn by a board of tariff experts of which the insular collector of customs, Col. George R. Colton, was the president, after numerous open meetings in Manila and full conference with representatives of all interests in the Philippine Islands to be affected thereby. It has had publicity in the United States, and it is believed that contending interests have been reconciled, and as far as schedules are concerned it should meet with no opposition. For instance, the schedules relating to the introduction of tobacco, Sumatra leaf, and sugar are made identical with the pending Payne bill, and therefore have removed the apprehension that these goods can be imported into the Philippine Islands at a less tariff rate and thence into the United States free as the growth and product of the Philippine Islands. The proposed revision has the approval of the governor-general and the government he represents in the Philippine Islands. It is therefore respectfully suggested that this bill be presented as soon as practicable and the importance of its passage at this session of Congress, for the reasons stated, be impressed upon that body. Very respectfully, C. R. EDWARDS, Brigadier-General, U. S. Army, Chief of Bureau. The SECRETARY OF WAR. PROPOSED TARIFF REVISION LAW OF 1909, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. AN ACT To revise and amend the tariff laws of the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the provisions of the act of Congress of the United States of America of March 3, 1905, entitled "An act to revise and amend the tariff laws of the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes," relating to customs duties on imports into and exports from the said Philippine Islands, and tonnage dues and wharf charges within the jurisdiction of the same, together with all acts, orders, proclamations, or decrees, or parts of acts, orders, proclamations, or decrees, amendatory thereof, or treating of any of the subjects therein treated of, or which are or may be mentioned, set out, or treated of in this act, either made, passed, issued, or promulgated prior to the date this act becomes effective, be, and hereby are, amended to read as follows, subject, however, to the provisions of section 5 of the act of Congress approved 1909, known as the Payne bill: SEC. 2. That duties shall be collected on all articles, goods, wares, or merchandise imported into the Philippine Islands at the rates hereinafter provided, except when same are expressly exempted from duty by this act. Any articles, goods, wares, or merchandise from abroad, except as hereinafter provided, entering the jurisdiction of the Philippine Islands, in any manner whatsoever, either with intent to unlade therein, or which, after such entering, become incorporated into the general mass of property within said islands, or are consumed therein, shall be deemed to have been imported within the meaning of this act. SEC. 3. That articles, goods, wares, or merchandise in transit to the Philippine Islands at the time this act goes into effect, and arriving therein not later than sixty days from such effective date, shall be entered under the provisions of law existing at the time of shipment from the place of original consignment to the Philippine Islands. SEC. 4. That duties shall be collected on such articles, goods, wares, or merchandise exported from the Philippine Islands and at such rates as are hereinafter specifically prescribed in this act, but that exportation from the said islands of all other articles, goods, wares, or merchandise shall be free. SEC. 5. That the following rules shall be observed in the construction and enforcement of the various provisions of this act: |