Special Message

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 he 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.

WILLIAM H. TAFT