REPORTS OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION THE CIVIL GOVERNOR AND THE HEADS OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 Excerpt: ...former tariff, or greater, and such may be the result ultimately. But the hoped for reduction in retail prices has not resulted. The fluctuations in currency have been made excuses for constant increases in prices by retail dealers, so that a very large proportion of imported commodities are now sold throughout the islands at a higher price than one year ago, computed in United States currency values. If a stable currency shall be established it may be anticipated that competition will correct the evil of high prices after a time, although the reduction of duties in Cuba and Porto Rico seemed for a long time to produce little effect upon ordinary retail prices. The reduction of duties by the Philippine tariff revision law of 1901 was not less than 25 per cent, and the accruing revenues have been probably 25 per cent less than they would have been under the former tariff. One result of the reduction of the tariff upon certain commodities has apparently been to increase the importation thereof, although other causes have operated to influence the increased importation. The reduction of duty upon wheat was from 47 cents per 100 kilos to 25 cents per 100 kilos, but practically no wheat was imported under either schedule. The reduction on wheat flour was from $1.63 per 100 kilos to 40 cents per 100 kilos. The importation of flour has shown an increase during the past year from 114,000 to 151,000 barrels. The former duty upon forage, hay, and bran was 14 cents per 100 kilos, and the present duty is 5 cents per 100 kilos, and the importations have increased from 700 to 3,000 tons. The former duty on canned fruits was 15 cents per kilo, and the present duty is from 2 cents to 4 conts per kilo, and the importations have increased from 42,000 to 700,000 pounds. Forme...