to enforce his orders during the hearing as usually pertain to courts of general jurisdiction. In addition thereto such Commissioner shall have the power and right to enter and inspect, either by himself or with others of special knowledge he may appoint for that purpose, any place or building the entry or inspection of which appears to him requisite for the purposes of such investigation. He shall have power to administer oaths; to require any person examined to sign, when reduced to writing, the testimony given by him; and such other powers incidental to the duties that he is to perform as may be by law incidental thereto.

SEC. 8. That every person attending as a witness before said court shall be allowed such fees and mileage for attendance upon such investigation as are fixed for attendance upon the district court of the district wherein such investigation is held; and all expenses of such investigation are to be paid by such Commissioner after being allowed and approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

SEC. 9. That it is further made the duty of the Interstate Commerce Commission to keep and provide record books wherein shall be recorded, under adequate indices, all the reports received by it from all such Commissioners, and furthermore the same shall be classified, digested. and indexed by it in books kept for that purpose, according to the nature and cause of the accident.

SEC. 10. That the sum of $250,000 shall be, and is hereby, appropriated out of any funds in the Treasury of the United States not other wise expended for the fiscal year in order to provide for and pay the expenses incident to the operation and enforcement of this act, such payments to be made, to persons entitled thereto, upon the warrant or requisition of said The Interstate Commerce Commission.

The SPEAKER. The question is on suspending the rules and passing the bill.

The question was taken, and a majority having voted in favor thereof, the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.

WASHINGTON AND WESTERN MARYLAND RAILROAD.

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass Senate bill 2295.

The SPEAKER. The gentleman moves to suspend the rules and pass the bill which the Clerk will report.

The Clerk read as follows:

A bill (S. 2295) to extend the time within which the Washington and Western Maryland Railroad Company shall be required to complete the road of said company under the provisions of an act of Congress approved March 2, 1889, as amended by an act of Congress approved June 28, 1906.

Be it enacted, etc., That the time within which the Washington and Western Maryland Railroad Company is required to complete and put in operation its railroad in the District of Columbia under the provisions of an act of Congress approved March 2, 1889, as amended by an act of Congress approved June 28, 1906, be, and the same is hereby, extended for the term of eighteen months from the 28th day of December, 1907, and all of the franchises, rights, and powers conferred by said acts, or either of them, upon said railroad company, may be enjoyed and exercised as fully and completely as if said railroad had been completed and put in operation prior to the 28th day of December, A. D. 1907: Provided, That within one month after the approval of this act the said Washington and Western Maryland Railroad Company shall deposit with the collector of taxes of the District of Columbia the sum of $2,000 to guarantee the construction of said railroad within the time herein extended. If this sum is not so deposited this act shall be void; if this sum is deposited and the said railroad company shall fail to construct and have in operation the said railroad, within the time herein prescribed, the said sum shall be forfeited to the District of Columbia and this act shall be void. The SPEAKER. Is a second demanded? Mr. WILLIAMS. I demand a second.

The SPEAKER. Under the rules, a second is ordered. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. MOORE] is entitled to twenty minutes and the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. WILLIAMS] is entitled to twenty minutes.

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this bill comes from the Committee on the District of Columbia with the approval of the Commissioners of the District, and it proposes to extend the time for the construction of the Washington and Western Maryland Railroad for eighteen months from the 28th of December last. An act was passed by this House June 28, 1906, which granted an extension of eighteen months. For certain reasons the work was not completed within the time limit. There were difficulties in securing the right of way, and certain other legal problems that had to be met. Those questions have all been disposed of, and at least $130,000 has been spent by the railroad company in securing rights of way and in preliminary work of construction.

The road is to extend 4 miles along the northern bank of the Potomac River, from the Aqueduct Bridge at Georgetown in a westerly direction between the Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to the Maryland line, where it connects with the spur extending through the State of Maryland to Kensington, the regular line of the Baltimore and Ohio road. The citizens of Georgetown have sent petitions to the Committee favoring the enactment of the bill for this extension. They expect through the completion of this road to have easier access for freight in Georgetown and to relieve the present difficulties requiring the passage of freight from Eckington through the streets of the city of Washington. The question has been raised as to the earnest of the company in the matter of construction. The second vice-president advised the committee that the company has proceeded in perfect good faith up to

XLII- -444

this time to secure the necessary right of way, and has actually completed some of the work which has been affected by ice floes in the Potomac.

The committee desired to be sure that there be no question about the good intent of the company, and required from them some assurance before the passage of this bill. In consequence of that demand a letter was received from the second vicepresident and general counsel of the company, which letter contains the pledge to complete the road within the time limit specified. I send that letter to the Clerk's desk to be read and inserted in the RECORD.

Mr. WILLIAMS. I would like to ask the gentleman a question. I notice here an act of Congress approved March 2, 1889, is referred to, and then an act of Congress approved June 28, 1906, is referred to as amendatory of that act. What was the act approved March 2, 1889?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. That was the act granting the company the privilege of constructing the road.

Mr. WILLIAMS. Well, then, what was the act approved June 28, 1906? I presumed that was the act authorizing the construction.

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. time, as I understand.

That was an act extending the

Mr. WILLIAMS. Now, the act approved June 28, 1906, was an act giving an extension of time?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. That is correct.

Mr. WILLIAMS. Which extension comes down to the 28th of December, 1907?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. That is correct.

Mr. WILLIAMS. Now, you want to give them a further extension?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. A further extension of eighteen months from December 28.

Mr. WILLIAMS. You give them a further extension of eighteen months upon the condition that they deposit the sum of $2,000 as a guaranty that they will construct the road? Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. That is correct.

Mr. WILLIAMS. Well, now, who owns this line?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. This road is controlled now by the Baltimore and Ohio.

Mr. WILLIAMS. The Baltimore and Ohio. Do you think the sum of $2,000 will be any real guaranty that they will construct that railroad?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. If you will permit the letter which I have just sent to the Clerk's desk to be read, I think you will find a guaranty much stronger than the $2,000 this act requires.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Is it not true that they have purchased the entire right of way with the exception of one lot? Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. They have purchased the entire right of way without any exception. If you will listen to the letter which I have sent to the Clerk's desk, I think it will thoroughly cover the situation. I désire to have it printed in the RECORD as a pledge to bind the company hereafter.

Mr. GOULDEN. What is the length of the road?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. Four miles, so far as the part covered by this bill is concerned.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The letter will be read in the time of the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

The Clerk read as follows:

THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD COMPANY, LAW DEPARTMENT, Baltimore, Md., May 19, 1908. DEAR SIR: I understand some question is raised as to the intention of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company to complete the line of the Washington and Western Maryland Railroad. As to this, I beg to state that in case S. 2295, as reported by your committee, is passed, this company intends to begin work promptly and to complete the line without delay, and that the line will be completed without fail within the term of the extension provided in S. 2295, unless such completion be prevented by circumstances beyond this company's control, such as injunction by a court or flood in the Potomac." The officers of the company recognize that no further extension by Congress could be expected, unless the failure to complete within the time granted by the pending bill were due to some cause beyond the company's control. Very respectfully, HUGH L. BOND, Jr., Second Vice-President and General Counsel. Chairman Committee on District of Columbia, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, unless some one desires to speak, I reserve the remainder of my time.

Hon. SAMUEL W. SMITH,

Mr. WILLIAMS. What reason was given when the first ex

tension was granted? Was that on account of something beyond the control of the company, so that they could not construct it within the ime?

Mr. MOORE of Pennsylvania. The reason given for the first extension was the difficulty in securing the right of way.

The Clerk announced the following additional pairs:
Until 8 p. m.:

Mr. HASKINS with Mr. HUGHES of New Jersey.

For the balance of the day:

Mr. GILHAMS with Mr. HEFLIN.

Until further notice:

Mr. WOODYARD with Mr. WEBB.

Mr. THOMAS of Ohio with Mr. Sulzer.

Mr. SHERMAN with Mr. SLAYDEN.

Mr. KNAPP with Mr. RuCKER.

Mr. HOWELL of New Jersey with Mr. ROBINSON.

Mr. GRAFF with Mr. RAUCH.

Mr. FASSETT with Mr. PUJO.
Mr. EscH with Mr. McHENRY.
Mr. DARRAGH with Mr. HARDY.
Mr. CAPRON with Mr. HACKETT.

Mr. BUTLER with Mr. DE ARMOND.
Mr. ACHESON with Mr. BURGESS.

Mr. GRAHAM with Mr. SMITH of Missouri.

Mr. CAULFIELD with Mr. CLAYTON.

Mr. HALE with Mr. HULL of Tennessee.

Mr. CARY with Mr. RUSSELL of Texas.

Mr. HINSHAW with Mr. LENAHAN.

Mr. BARCLAY with Mr. STEPHENS of Texas.

Mr. DUREY with Mr. CLARK of Florida.

The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The doors were opened.

RESURVEY OF CERTAIN TOWNSHIPS IN THE STATE OF WYOMING. Mr. MONDELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and call up the conference report on the bill S. 6190 and agree to the same.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. OLMSTED). The gentle man from Wyoming moves to suspend the rules and agree to the conference report on the bill which the Clerk will report. The Clerk read as follows:

CONFERENCE REPORT.

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the amendment of the House to the bill (S. 6190) authorizing a resurvey of certain townships in the State of Wyoming, having met, after full and free conference have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows:

That the Senate recede from its amendment to the amendment of the House numbered two.

That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate to the amendment of the House numbered one; and agree to the same.

F. W. MONDELL,
A. J. VOLSTEAD,
Jos. T. ROBINSON,

Managers on the part of the House.

KNUTE NELSON, C. D. CLARK, A. J. MCLAURIN, Managers on the part of the Senate.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is a second demanded? Mr. FINLEY. Mr. Speaker, I demand a second.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from South Carolina demands a second. Under the rule a second is ordered. The gentleman from Montana is entitled to twenty minutes and the gentleman from South Carolina to twenty minutes.

Mr. FINLEY. I would like to ask the gentleman to explain the conference report.

Mr. MONDELL. Mr. Speaker, the two amendments of the Senate to the amendments of the House to this Senate bill which were in conference related, the first to a resurvey of some lands in Colorado, and to that amendment the House conferees agreed. The second amendment of the Senate related to the disposition of Fort Keogh and Fort Keogh Reservation, in Montana. To that amendment of the Senate the conferees disagreed.

Mr. FINLEY. What do these two amendments involve? Mr. MONDELL. The first amendment, to which the conferees agreed, is an amendment authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to resurvey certain lands in Colorado.

Mr. FINLEY. What is the necessity for that resurvey? Mr. MONDELL. The necessity for legislation arises from the fact that the Department has no authority to resurvey lands that have been surveyed and the survey of which has been accepted.

Mr. FINLEY. These lands have been surveyed once. What is the difficulty about that survey?

Mr. MONDELL. Some of these surveys were executed a great many years ago, at a time when surveys were not examined in the field, and probably some of them were not well executed. In some places corners have become obliterated, and of the resurveys asked for some are requested by the Department in connection with their coal-classification work, where they find corners missing.

Mr. FINLEY. Are these lands to be resurveyed public lands belonging to the Government or lands of private individuals? Mr. MONDELL. They belong partly to the Government and partly to individuals. There are some lands in private ownership, but the resurveys will be necessary in order to enable the izes the Secretary to have such resurveys made as he may deem Government to dispose of its public lands. This simply authornecessary, and the bill provides that no resurveys shall be orare lost or obliterated to such a certain extent that, in his dered until the Secretary shall have determined that corners opinion, a resurvey or retracement is necessary.

Mr. FINLEY. Now, do I understand the gentleman that on no lands that have been conveyed to private individuals these lost corners are obliterated or misplaced?

Mr. MONDELL. Well, the gentleman understands that all over the public domain there have been some lands taken up. I presume there are none of the townships, the resurvey of which is authorized, but what contain some lands that have been located.

Mr. FINLEY. Would this resurvey have the effect possibly of disarranging some grants that have been made to private parties?

Mr. MONDELL. No; this resurvey bill provides that the resurvey shall not be executed in a manner to disturb or impair the present holdings of individuals.

Mr. FINLEY. Now, what does the second amendment provide?

Mr. MONDELL. The second amendment was an amendment that provided for the disposition of the lands of the Fort Keogh Reservation in Montana, an abandoned military post, and to that amendment the conferees disagreed.

Mr. FINLEY. What is the area of that reservation?
Mr. MONDELL. It is a reservation of about 59,000 acres.
Mr. FINLEY. It is a military reservation?

Mr. MONDELL. Yes, sir; but that is eliminated from the

bill.

Mr. JONES of Washington. What portion of these lands that are resurveyed are public lands?

Mr. MONDELL. As the gentleman no doubt knows, there are some lands in private ownership scattered through these townships, but the resurvey can only be undertaken by the Secretary in cases where he determines that the corners are lost or obliterated to an extent to make necessary resurveys in order to dispose of the public lands.

Mr. JONES of Washington. But I understood that surveys would not be authorized when the greater part of the land had

already passed to private ownership, even though there was some public land.

Mr. MONDELL. This bill provides they can not be executed at all if half of the lands have passed into private ownership. Mr. FINLEY. There is nothing involved in the bill, if the gentleman will permit, except the resurvey of certain lands in Colorado.

Mr. MONDELL. That is all involved in the conference report.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for a vote.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. OLMSTED). The question is upon the motion of the gentleman from Wyoming to suspend the rules and agree to the conference report.

Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered.

Mr. MONDELL. Mr. Speaker, I suggest that there is no quorum present.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Wyoming suggests that there is no quorum present. The Chair will count. (After counting.) Seventy-eight Members are present, not a quorum. The point is well taken. The Doorkeeper will close the doors, the Sergeant-at-Arms will bring in absent Members; those who are in favor of agreeing to the conference report will, as their names are called, answer "yea," those opposed will answer "nay," those present and not voting will answer "present," and the Clerk will call the roll.

The question was taken, and there were yeas 171, nays 12, answered " present" 22, not voting 183, as follows:

The Clerk announced the following additional pairs:
Until further notice:

Mr. WOODYARD with Mr. THOMAS of North Carolina.
Mr. SMITH of Iowa with Mr. RANDELL of Texas.
Mr. MCMILLAN with Mr. MAYNARD.
Mr. LOWDEN with Mr. GARNER.

Mr. LOUDENSLAGER with Mr. CRAWFORD.

Mr. KENNEDY of Iowa with Mr. CRAIG.

Mr. GILLETT with Mr. CLARK of Missouri.

Mr. DAWSON with Mr. BRODHEAD.

Mr. COOPER of Pennsylvania with Mr. ASHBROOK. Mr. BOUTELL with Mr. BROUSSARD.

Mr. BEALE of Pennsylvania with Mr. AIKEN.

66

The SPEAKER pro tempore. On this vote the yeas are 171, nays 12, answering "present" 22-a quorum. The Doorkeeper will open the doors. A majority having voted in favor thereof, the rules are suspended and the conference report is agreed to.

PHILIPPINE TARIFF LAWS.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the following bill, with the committee amendment:

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. OLMSTED). The gentleman from New York moves to suspend the rules and pass, with the committee amendment, the bill which the Clerk will report. The Clerk read as follows:

A bill (H. R. 21449) to amend an act entitled "An act to revise and amend the tariff laws of the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1905.

Be it enacted, etc., That paragraphs 29, 245, 308, 345, and 397 of the aet entitled "An act to revise and amend the tariff laws of the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes." approved March 3, 1905, be, and the same are hereby, amended to read as follows: "PAR. 29. Gold and silver plated wares:

"(a) Gold and silver plated jewelry, N. W., kilo, $2.40.

"(b) Gold and silver plated wares other than jewelry, N. W., kilo, $2. "(e) Silvered copper foil, N. W., kilo, 50 cents.

"Provided, That none of the articles classified under paragraphs 27, 28, and 29 shall pay a less rate of duty than 25 per cent ad valorem: And provided further, That all articles classified for duty under paragraphs 27, 28, and 29 shall pay the prescribed rates on the net weight of the articles themselves, and that the immediate packing in which they are contained shall be assessed for duty under the paragraph covering the articles of which it is manufactured."

"PAR. 245. Machinery and apparatus for mining and the reduction and smelting of ores, for pile driving, dredging, and hoisting, for refrigerating and ice making, sawmill machinery, machinery and apparatus for extracting vegetable oils and for converting the same into other products, for making sugar, for preparing rice, hemp, and other vegetable products of the islands for the markets, and detached parts therefor, also traction and portable engines and their boilers adapted to and imported for and with rice-thrashing machines, 5 per cent ad valorem."

NOTI. The expression "preparing vegetable products for the markets" shall be taken to mean putting said products in their first marketable condition.

"PAR. 308. (a) Whisky, rum, gin, and brandy, per proof liter, 35 cents: Provided, That each and every gauge or wine liter of measurement shall be counted as at least one proof liter.

"(b) Cocktails, blackberry, and ginger brandy, per gauge liter, 35 centз.

"(c) Liqueurs, cordials, and all compound spirits not specially mentioned, per gauge liter, 65 cents.

"Provided, however, That if the proof in the liquors classified under (b) and (c) of this paragraph should be above 105 degress, the same shall pay a surtax of 25 cents per liter."

"PAR. 345. Buttons:

"(a) Bone, porcelain, composition, wood, steel, iron, and similar materials, N. W., kilo, 30 cents.

"(b) Rubber, copper and its alloys, N. W., kilo, 50 cents.

"(c) Mother-of-pearl and others not specially provided for, except of gold or silver, or gold or silver plated, N. W., kilo, $1.30.

"Provided, That none of the articles classified under clause (c) of this paragraph shall pay a less rate of duty than 50 per cent ad valorem."

"PAR. 397. All materials for exclusive use in the construction and repair, in the Philippine Islands, of vessels of all kinds."

SEC. 2. That under the heading "Articles free of duty" there shall be added a paragraph as follows:

PAR. 384 Agricultural machinery, apparatus, and implements, machinery and apparatus for making or repairing roads, steam and other motor plows."

SEC. 3. That section 21 of the said act is hereby amended so as to read as follows: "SEC. 22. That the entry of all importations at the ports of the Philippine Islands made subsequent to a period of sixty days from the date this revised tariff goes into force and effect, of goods, wares, and merchandise from countries other than the United States, when the value of such importation exceeds $100, shall be accompanied by a consular invoice similar to that required for goods imported into the United States from foreign countries and executed as required for importations into the United States; and when brought into the Philippine Islands from the United States, such importations shall be accompanied by an invoice similar .in form to the consular invoices required for importations into the United States, but in lieu of execution by a consul of the United States, such invoices shall be sworn to before a United States commissioner, collector of customs, deputy collector of customs, or notary public." SEC. 4. That this act shall take effect sixty days after its passage. Mr. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, I demand a second.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Alabama demands a second, which under the rule is considered as ordered. The gentleman from New York [Mr. PAYNE] is entitled to twenty minutes, and the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. CLAYTON] is entitled to twenty minutes.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, this bill is reported favorably from the Committee on Ways and Means. It proposes three or four amendments to the tariff law for the Philippine Islands on goods imported into those islands, and does not relate to goods coming to the United States. That question is entirely out of the bill.

The first amendment, in paragraph 29, simply reduces the duty on silvered copper foil to 50 cents per kilo. It is now 75 cents. This reduction is made to aid a manufacturing industry in the city of Manila, an industry which is controlled by Filipines, owned by them, and which employs something over 100 Filipino workmen. They find that there is too much competition from the outside world in the Orient for them to successfully compete for the trade, and they ask for this slight reduction on silvered copper foil, which is used as raw material in the manufacture of buttons.

Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, before that paragraph 29: "Gold and silver plated jewelry." Is that a reduction or an increase?

Mr. PAYNE. There is no reduction made in that at all. The whole paragraph is quoted, and the only change is made by adding clause c, if the gentleman has the bill. That is the only change made in that part.

Mr. WILLIAMS. The other two clauses are the same as in the present law?

Mr. PAYNE. The other two clauses are exactly like the present law.

The next amendment of which I will speak, because it is connected with this, is to paragraph 345, which increases the duty on buttons-bone, porcelain, composition, wood, steel, iron, and similar materials-to 30 cents per kilo, instead of 20 cents under the present law; on buttons, the mother-ofpearl and others not specially provided for, except of gold and silver plated, to $1.30 per kilo, instead of $1 in the present law. These are the only changes made in paragraph 345, and, as I said before, it is made to give protection to this manufacture of buttons in the city of Manila.

Paragraph 245 is amended so as to except agricultural machinery, apparatus, and implements, machinery and apparatus for repairing roads, and steam and other motive plows from the present law of 5 per cent ad valorem and placing them on the free list. Now, a new paragraph is added, 3844, which places these articles on the free list. That is the difference with reference to that.

Paragraph 308 is amended. Subdivision a of the present law is amended to read as follows:

Whisky, rum, gin, and brandy, per proof liter, 35 cents.
This bill adds the following proviso:

Provided, That each and every gauge and wine liter of measurement shall be counted as at least one proof liter.

This amendment is simply to make the tariff on these articles correspond to our internal-revenue law. The duty is slightly increased, I am informed, but not much. The paragraph relates to the change in the liter, the quantity, the tariff on the quantity, so that here is a slight change in the duty, but not great, and it simply makes it conform to our internal-revenue laws. The amendment to paragraph 397———

Mr. WILLIAMS. Before the gentleman leaves that-section b, in paragraph 308; is that change a reduction, or what? Mr. PAYNE. It is the same as the present law. The only change in the paragraph is in subdivision a; b and c are identical with the present law.

The amendment to paragraph 397 extends the privilege of free importation to all materials for exclusive use in the construction and repair in the Philippine Islands of vessels of all kinds. The present law allows the free importation only of parts of machinery, pieces of metal, and wood imported for the repair of foreign vessels which have entered ports of the Philippine Islands through stress of weather. In other words, it allows material for the repair of all vessels in the islands, whether they have come there through stress of weather or otherwise, to come in free of duty, and that is the only change in that.

The original bill proposed to repeal section 22 of said act, and I would say right here that these amendments were all recommended by the resident Philippine Commissioners sitting with the House, and by the Commission in Manila, and also by the War Department, and the Chief of the Consular Bureau. All parties in the Philippine Islands, so far as I have any knowledge, united in the recommendation for the enactment of this law.

Mr. COOPER of Texas. Are there any changes in the duties on agricultural products going to the Philippine Islands? Mr. PAYNE. Not at all.

Mr. DRISCOLL. Will the gentleman yield for a question? Mr. PAYNE. I prefer to wait until I have finished my statement of the effect of the bill; then I will be glad to yield. The bill as presented proposed to repeal section 22 of said act. The committee proposed an amendment retaining section 22 of said act, with an amendment, so as to read as hereinafter set forth. Section 22 would read precisely as it does now, except that we add at the end of the section the words "or notary public." This section relates to the consular invoice which shall accompany importations into those islands for goods imported from the United States and from foreign countries. The present law reads as follows:

Such importations shall be accompanied by an invoice similar in form to the consular invoices required for importations into the United States, but in lieu of execution by a consul of the United States, such invoice shall be sworn to before a United States commissioner, collector of customs, or deputy collector of customs.

In other words, it requires, on importations from foreign countries, the same consular invoice that is required by our law for importations into the United States, and it also provides that when those importations are from the United States into the Philippine Islands, those invoices, instead of being made and sworn to before a consul, as in foreign countries, can be made before those officers whom I have enumerated.

Considerable complaint was made by our people exporting goods into the Philippine Islands, and also from the Philippine Islands the same complaint was made, that it was ofttimes inconvenient, on a small invoice, to reach some of these officers required under the law. And instead of repealing the paragraph as the bill proposed, the committee thought it was better to allow that the invoices in the United States might be verified before a notary public, which, of course, would inconvenience no one. So they have added to the end of the paragraph after these other officers the words "or notary public." That comprises all the changes that are made in the present law.

Mr. DRISCOLL. I was going to ask the gentleman whether any estimate has been made as to what effect these changes in the import duties would have on the aggregate receipts from customs by the insular government of the Philippines. Mr. PAYNE. The amount is so small that it is hardly worth considering.

Mr. DRISCOLL. Then it is not worth bothering with, is it? Mr. PAYNE. If the button industry is not worth bothering with, of course it is not worth bothering with. If the slight duty that is now put on agricultural machinery is any hindrance or burden to the farmers in the Philippine Islands, as it is claimed, then that slight duty might just as well come off. Mr. DRISCOLL. I did not know, but if it was important enough for you to bring a bill in, it was important enough to ascertain the difference in the aggregate receipts.

Mr. PAYNE. It is hard to tell whether this bill will increase or decrease the aggregate receipts, because in some cases it decreases the rate of the duty, and in other cases it adds to it. Mr. DRISCOLL. What I wanted to know was whether any estimate had been made by the committee or anybody else.

Mr. PAYNE. No estimate was made in the hearings before the committee. It simply appeared that the changes in the revenue would be very slight from the passage of this bill, and yet what little there are would benefit the farmers in the Philippine Islands giving them their machinery free, and at the same time would protect the button industry in the city of Manila, employing 100 natives.

Mr. DRISCOLL. But the insular government needs all the